Worm Farms Are Simple To Set-Up

Two important reasons that people set-up worm farms are that they want to help the environment by recycling and the other is the enriched planting soil that is produced. Great soil that is used for lawns, gardens and house plants. Worm composting is like a wonder-drug for growing things. Plants and gardens flourish with this worm compost. Worm farming is simple to do and takes up little space. Many homeowners and apartment residents who otherwise would not have room for a large compost bin can worm farm.

Worm farming requires a few simple things. You will need a container usually 10"x16" and 7" deep, some shredded paper, a few handfuls of soil, and a couple of crushed egg shells. Oh yeah, the worms! Worms most suitable for worm farms are red wrigglers, blue worms and tiger worms. Nightcrawlers and earthworms should not be used.

Maintenance for the worm farm is pretty simple. You will need to keep the bedding material moist, but not soaked. Place the worm farm in a dim or dark area. The temperature is definitely important for a healthy worm farm. Don't keep the worm farm in direct sunlight and never in heat over 90 degrees. In the winter bring the worm farm into a shed, garage or house. Temperatures between 50 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit are perfect for worm farming.

It is important that you feed worms the best food and material for them. Worms will actually eat anything, good or bad, therefore you really want to determine what may or may not be suitable. Vegetables, fruits and starchy scraps (bread, pasta, oatmeal) are very good for worms. Cut food scraps in small pieces because it is digested and absorbed quicker. Non-food items like hair cuttings, cotton cloths, leaves, paper items and soaked cardboard are fine for worms. Don't feed them oily things and not alot of tea bags, coffee and acidic items. Never put dairy items, meat, chicken or salty foods in the container. This type of food rots and draws undesirable pests to the container. Foods that have been treated with chemicals should not be given to worms. This item is very important to remember; worms will leave the farm if fed garlic, onions or shallots.

More food should be added only when the other food is nearly gone. Worms eat half of their body weight every day. Therefore feed them correctly. When introducing new worms to the worm farm give them smaller portions. As they get settled the actual amount can be increased. An issue which you ought to be aware of is that the worm population doubles every few months so be careful not to underfeed them.

The positive factors connected with worm farming is that worms use excess scraps and transform them straight into castings or vermicast. Worm castings and vermicast are a rich soil-like material that is fantastic to use for gardens and plants. Many people use compost as a top-dressing around crops and plants. Castings can be saved in bins with covers to be used later.

Worm farms are a way to lessen the volume of rubbish which would certainly otherwise head into landfills. About one-third of household waste can easily end up being recycled by worm farms. A worm farm is actually simple and easy to set-up and anyone can do it.

Another great resource is: The Benefits Of Worm Farming