Worm Farming

   Worm farming is much easier than composting. It only took me about six to nine months to figure out worm farming. Composting took about three years to figure out. When I got my worms, they were in an 18” x 24” plastic container. This container had holes in the bottom and kitchen waste inside of the container. There was also a bunch of worms in there too...;) So I just fed them kitchen waste and waited, and it took so long to get compost I thought “something's not right here”. So I started experimenting and playing around with the worms and figured out that they liked carbon like dried leaves. Kitchen waste is mostly nitrogen and has a high moisture content. The nitrogen burns the worms, so they hide until the stuff cools down. So I just feed them cooler food, leaves.  I am finding carbon is an essential element in the garden.

 So you need to find your worms, red wigglers are the best and they usually come in the container with food in there already. Then you need to get a larger plastic bin, and maybe two. Drill two large holes, ½'' to 1'' in one end of the container so that it can drain the water. And then drill small holes about a ¼ '' in the container's top. This will allow air to get in there. Then take the worms that you have in your small bin and put them in the large bin with all the food that's in there and cover them with a rich cover of leaves. It should be at least six to 9 inches thick and the leaves he should be moist. You can moisten them in the wheelbarrow first before you throw them into the new bigger bin. Just fill the wheelbarrow with the leaves and pour water on them and let them soak for little. A thin layer of horse manure on the top is really good too, make it about one inch thick. The worm bins need to be put in a cool dark place, they like that the best, with a slight tilt so they can drain. You are trying to simulate the forest floor, where the worms come up and eat all beliefs and turn it into great soil. They need to be kept moist but not too wet. They will multiply quickly so you may want to buy more bins in about a month or two. You will need about four or five bins to feed a large kitchen garden with rich worm castings.

 Care and Feeding

Worms can be a good friend in the garden. That's what they are, friends, so you need to care for them as living things. If they get too wet the castings will get anaerobic and the worms leave them. To solve that problem, stir the castings up into the leaves. If it's too dry the worms just won't eat the leaves. So keep a balanced moisture in the worm bins. It's good to stir them once in awhile. As you take these worm castings out into your garden in transplants and supplemental feedings, you are adding more worms to your garden. The worm eggs can remain dormant for quite some time, like money in the bank. The population of worms will increase if you feed them more frequently. And likewise, if you do not feed them the population will go down. If you choose not to care for the worms any longer. Please let them go. Don't let them die. Worm castings are one of the best fertilizers you can use. This is a major part in keeping a farm or garden sustainable, growing your own fertilizer.




Live simple

be humble

love all




farmerMark...;)