HOW TO RAISE RED WORMS!

HOW TO RAISE RED WORMS!

Bin Bedding

The bedding for vermicomposting systems must be able to retain both moisture and air while providing a place for the worms to live. Bedding does not have to be purchased and most of us have plenty of bedding resources in our home, office or school. Here are some suitable sources of bedding.

? Shredded corrugated cardboard is an excellent bedding, but is difficult to find.

? Shredded paper like newspaper and computer paper is easy to find, but may dry out quicker than corrugated cardboard. There is not a problem with the ink from the paper.

? Peat moss has a low pH level that may cause a problem for the worms and it is more expensive. ? Commercial worm bedding is available in sporting goods stores, but it is also more expensive. The amount of bedding you need depends on the size of the box.

A 2' x 2' box will need between 4 and 6 pounds of dry bedding, a 2' x 3' box will take 9–14 pounds. No matter what the size, the bin should be 2/3 filled with “fluffed,” prepared bedding (see below). For smaller bins, experiment — if you prepare excess bedding, it can be dried, stored and used another time.

Prepare the Bedding

Water is needed to moisten the bedding. Place the dry, shredded bedding in a large container and add water until it covers the bedding. Allow the bedding to absorb as much water as possible before putting it in the worm bin. This could take from two to 24 hours, depending on the bedding used.

Before putting the bedding in your bin, squeeze the water out from the bedding as much as possible. The bedding should feel like a well-wrung washcloth. Place the bedding in the bin and fluff. Your bedding needs to remain moist. If it is drying out, mist the paper with water from a spray bottle and dampen the bedding again.

The Worms

The worms used in vermicomposting are called redworms (Eisenia foetida), also known as red wigglers, manure worms, red hybrid or tiger worms. You can order them through lawn and garden catalogs or from on-line sources. You may be able to find them in a bait store. If you know someone who has an established supply, they may be willing to sell you some of their worms.

What About Nightcrawlers? Do not try to use nightcrawlers or other worms native to Nebraska to stock your worm bin. These worms depend on cooler temperatures and an extensive tunneling system to survive. They will die in your worm bin.

Why Redworms? Redworms prefer temperatures between 55 and 77 degrees F and are suited to living in a worm bin. The temperature of the bedding should not be allowed to get below freezing or above 84 degrees F.

How Many Worms Do I Need? The amount of worms needed will depend on the amount of kitchen waste generated per day. One pound of redworms will easily take care of each half-pound of garbage. To add worms to the bin, simply scatter them over the top. The skin on the worm reacts to light and they will immediately work their way down into the bedding to get away from the light.

Kitchen Waste

The kitchen waste fed to worms can come from a variety of sources, including all vegetable and fruit waste (don’t be surprised some seeds may germinate and potato peels with eyes sprout), pasta leftovers, coffee grounds (with filter) and tea bags. Worms may have a problem with garlic and onion skins. Worms have a gizzard much like chickens so fine grit should be added to help the worms digest food. This gritty material includes cornmeal, coffee grounds and/or finely crushed egg shells (dry the shells and then crush). Avoid large amounts of fat, meat scraps or bone. Some sources feel a small amount of meat and eggs will provide protein to the worms, but be careful you don’t overdo it and know you may attract rodents.

Adding Kitchen Scraps: First, and foremost, START SLOWLY. It will take time for the food to start breaking down so the worms can eat it. If you rush and add too much food, your bin can quickly become very smelly. In the beginning, add a very small amount of gritty material (see above) and a small amount of vegetable matter. Don’t worry about the worms starving because they will be eating bedding as well. You can gradually increase the amount of food as the bin becomes established.

The easiest way to add food is to spread the kitchen scraps in a thin layer on top of the bedding. If the bin is kept in a dark place or covered, the worms will come to the surface to eat. You can also pull back a small amount of bedding in the bin and dump in the scraps. Cover the scraps with an inch of bedding. Start at one corner of the bin and bury garbage in a pattern to fill in all the spaces. By the time you get back to the first burying spot, the worms will have composted most of the food waste.

TIP: If you notice odors, cut back on the amount of food or try chopping the food up into smaller pieces.

TIP: Citrus does have a strong odor and the peelings seem to last a long time in the bin. Bins seem to be more manageable when there is less fruit and citrus and more of the leafy vegetables.

Dan Corbin-owner

Wisconsin Worm Farm

www.wisconsinredworms.com

608-647-2008