Red Worm Composting And Vermicompost
Composting with Red Worms or commonly called Red Wigglers is called Vermicomposting. Vermicompost is the compost that worms leave behind when they digest organic materials. Vermicompost is the combination of Worm Castings and left over composted and partially composted organic material in a Worm Bin.
Although Worm Castings are very rich organically, using Vermicompost as a soil enhancer is the way we personally enhance our soil in gardens and indoor planter containers. It is the perfect medium to add to your existing soil. Not only does it have worm castings in it, but also the compost of partially and completely composted organic material.
Owning you own home and land makes it easier for people to have working compost bins using red worms. Apartment dwellers, as well as condominium owners may have to develop a different type of system, to fit the environment. There are ways to have a compost system and live in the city, or a place where you do not have suitable land for a natural compost area.
The main difference is the process converting your kitchen waste into compost. Having red worms and kitchen waste is a natural way of creating a great source of organic and natural fertilizer. It is also very educating and fun for children to learn about nature, and even how to take care of living creatures. Unlike many large pets, red worms do not require much attention, or expense.
Location has to be at a certain temperature. Red Worms do best in temperatures between 60 degrees and 80 degrees.
A regular system in place for adding waste products, properly taking care of the bedding, separation of the worms and compost, and finally the use of the compost when ready.
Location For Your Red Worm Bin Or Farm
The location is important not only for the Red Worms but also for the owner. It has to be in a place where it is out of the way for the owner, but also in a controlled environment. The red worms need to be in a controlled temperature area. The compost must also have the proper moisture levels for the worms to thrive and reproduce.
The Worm Bin needs to be well ventilated. The red worms produce carbon dioxide and intake oxygen just as we do. Fresh air is beneficial to them as it is to us.
The compost has to be moist in order for the Red Worms to be productive, and even survive. Worms receive oxygen through their skin, and the skin needs to be moist in order to breath. Red Worms thrive in a moist environment, both their bedding and food.
Red Worms only thrive in certain temperatures, but their range is quite large. Ideally, a temperature range of 60-80 is perfect for them, but they can survive at temperatures much lower and higher as well, depending on the moisture content. Once the mercury climbs over 85, it becomes dangerous, and can prove fatal for the worms. Temperatures under 50 will slow down worm activity, and below 32 will most likely kill the worms. Its important to know that the air temperature will be higher than the bedding so this should be taken in consideration.
Ph levels are important in the bedding. Too high or low of acid levels can destroy or slow down production. A Ph level of 5.8to seven is perfect and can be controlled by adding lime if necessary. Egg shells are also beneficial both to the worms and controlling the Ph level.
Ideal location is a place that is both convenient and productive. It also should be in an area that the owner is happy with, and is not an eyesore. A heated basement garage or a separate unused room has possibilities. Outdoor locations for your worm farm is fine but extreme temperatures have to be controlled both heat and cold.
Worm Bin Or Farm Size and Structure
The size of your compost container should depend on the amount or kitchen waste you produce. The average family of 4 (6 if the kids are young) produces about 6 pounds of kitchen waste a week. A worm bin measuring 2 foot by 2 ft can handle this amount of organic waste a week.The shape of your worm box is not important as long as you keep the depth of the bedding shallow. The bedding should be no more then 6 inches deep to start with. It will deepen in time as the red worms build castings. They generally feed toward the top layer of the bedding. Too deep of a structure may hinder performance.
The box can be made of several different materials however, Untreated wood is probably the best choice. Avoid painted wood, or any materiel that has been recycled. Old wooden boxes and small crates are great compost structures. Rubber storage containers also make good worm farms. Plastics and containers that contained chemicals are bad choices. This writer evanhas heard of one thrifty worm enthusiast that used a old dresser! All the drawers were full of Red Worms.
What Should I Use For Bedding For My Worm Bin?
Natural bedding is of course the best choice. Leaves that have fallen to the ground and are decaying are an excellent compost base. Some leaves are better choices then others maple leaves tend to be better because they break down much quicker than other leaves, such as oak. The leaves used should never be exposed to chemical or near roadways because of possible contaminants.
The other natural bedding is manure, I am sure most would object to having manure in the household. Its not a good choice because of the organisms that live in manure can infiltrate your household. If you worm bin is in the garage, manure may not be a great choice. Never use human, pig or your domestic pet manure.
Old newspaper also makes great compost bedding.The paper needs to be shredded, and not used in sheets. Shredding the newspaper allows more coverage and less paper use. However, it also does not hold moisture as well. Therefore, the bedding will have to be moistened more often. 1-foot strips about one to 2 inches wide is ideal. Newspapers using colored ink should not be used, due to the chemicals used to make the colored ink. Cardboard is another good choice for bedding. Corrugated cardboard holds moisture well, and can be used in pieces, or it can be shredded. The dust from cardboard is not healthy so wear a paint mask when shredding cardboard.
Adding a small amount of peat moss will assist you in keeping the bedding moist. A dash of soil is also a good idea. Red worms lack any teeth and the grit of the soil will aid in their consumption of food. Egg shells when fully dried and crushed with a rolling pin aids in digestion as well as keeping the PH level down.
Reproduction of Red Worms
Although red worms are hermaphroditic (have both sexes) they still need to mate with other worms. Sexually mature red worms are identified by a thickening band about one third down from the head of the worm. They mate by aligning themselves with their heads in opposite directions. They each secrete moisture, which travels to a receiving area of their body. This is where the worm is fertilized, and the eggs are hatched. Most worms cocoons produce about 3-4 worms even though they may have as many as 20 eggs. It takes about 3 weeks for the red worms to emerge from their cocoons, longer in different weather conditions.
Red Worm Population
The amount of food available determines the amount of population growth. If there is an abundance of food, worms will reproduce more often (worms can reproduce at any time) than when there are minimal amounts of food, or if red worms are fighting for food, the population will drop.If you increase their food, you will eventually have to get a bigger container. The young worms will be in competition with the older worms, and this will create havoc.
Starting With The Right Amount Of Red Worms For Your Bin
How many worms to start with is a question that needs to be answered. The number of red worms should depend on how much kitchen waste you have each week. A pound of worms can consume a half a pound of food per day. Therefore, the ratio should be 2 pounds of worms per 1 pound of food.
It is not so much how many worms you should start with, as it is how many pounds. This is because the size of the worms varies so its best go by weight instead of total worms. The smaller the worms the more you can have.
Kitchen Waste Placement
The kitchen waste needs to buried in the bedding. Locations should be changed. Red worms like food that is already decaying and are much more likely to be attracted to the food that has been in the bedding for a while. Changing the area where your bury the kitchen waste allows it to decompose faster, making it more appealing to the worms. Eventually over time you will be back to the same area your buried the waste before. However, by this time the worms have already moved on to another area. This is a good way to manage how you feed your worms, and give them a steady diet of what they enjoy the most. Red worms like the help of bacteria to break down their food before they consume it. This is why they prefer the waste to be in the bedding for a period before they enjoy their meal. Not everyone is this technical about how they feed their worms. Throwing food waste in on top the bedding will eventually work too. Burying the waste prevents the smell of decaying food, and attracting other creatures. Always make sure you have your container in a well-ventilated area, no matter what method you use to feed your worms
Should you grind the food waste? Grinding up waste does help the red worms digest their food faster. The worms have small mouths so any assistance would be helpful to the worms.Things like eggshells or other harder food waste should be ground up. It is not necessary to grind most food waste. This can become time consuming and unpleasant. Let your worms do the work, so you can go on to do things that are more enjoyable.
People have a tendency to overfeed their pets, and it is true with composting red worms too. Remember the ratio 2 pounds of worms per 1 pound of food in a 24-hour period. Adding too much food waste will overload your system.The worms will not be able to keep up and you will experience some unpleasant odors. If you find yourself with more kitchen waste then you need you can store for a later use. A coffee can or other sealed container is a good choice. Once the worms are ready for more, you can add from your surplus container. This author prefers to blend all the organic food in a food processer, adding enough water to make it runny. If you have to much at any given time I freeze it and store it for later use when I might be low on worm food.
Do Your Red Worms Need A Baby Sitter?
If you are going to be gone, a week or two there is no need to do anything special. You can feed your red worms a bit more before you leave and they should be just fine. If you are gone for an extensive period, (over 3 weeks) have a friend or family member drop by and give them a snack. More if you are gone longer.
Watching your Worms
It is only natural that people will want to observe the red worms, and what they are doing. It is a good idea to make sure the bedding is moist and to check for eggs and mating. However, for the most part leave the worms to their privacy. They do not like to be disturbed, and they really do not like light. When observing your worms keep the lights dim, or use a red light bulb instead of a white one. Do not over expose the worms to light, or handle them. They do not like that.
Food Choices Of Red Worms
The ages of the worms usually decides what they might choose to eat. Older worms often feed on each other, or gather inside fruit rinds,younger worms may all join together and find a great meal of decaying lettuce or other food items. For the most part all the worms will eat just about anything that’s available. Tip, they love coffee grounds! Banana peels are also a favorite.
Avoid citrus fruits and onions and the acidity of this food is not prefered by red worms. Also stay away from feeding your worms meat or dairy products. Greasy items should also be avoided.
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