What's in it? What can you expect in your pound of worms?
Worm Castings!
Castings are the worm’s excrement after processing food scraps.
Other sellers may sell their worms alone, but compost (worm castings) provide vital microbes and bacteria which help worms survive in their new home. When the worms are moved into a new bin, the added compost will lessen their shock. Adjusted worms will start breaking down food into compost quicker!
All sizes of worms!
To reduce the shock to the worms, they are not separated. You will receive large size worms to small recently hatched worms. Recently hatched worms are difficult to see but, the worms will quickly reach full adult size. There will also be plenty of breeding age worms. Within a month the worm population will double with appropriate care.
Egg Cases!
Because the castings are not shifted away from the worms, there are worm eggs included. Each egg case can have _ to 10 worms ready to hatch and grow your worm population.
How do you set up your Worm Bin? How do you ensure that your worms stay healthy?
Bedding.
Bedding must be loose, clean, and water absorbent. Shredded newspaper, Coconut Coir, Straw/Hay, Cut up Cardboard and egg cartons all make great bedding material. DO NOT USE GARDEN SOIL. Soil will compact and dry out which can kill your worms or make their bin uninhabitable.
Food.
Worms can break down ½ their weight in food every week. Worms will eventually fill their bin to the appropriate capacity so carefully watch how much food your bin can handle and adjust as needed. If food is not being broken down, your worms may need an adjustment in their environment or they may be being fed too much. Calculate how big your worm bin may need to be to feed your worms all your food scraps.
Every time food scraps are added cover them with a small amount of bedding to avoid fruit flies.
Foods scraps to avoid: Meats, Dairy, Other Fatty foods, Citrus. Foods with high fat content such as meat and dairy can attract unwanted pests to your compost bin. Citrus peels contain oils that can kill your worms. In small amounts citrus scraps can be ok but avoid blending or chopping them into small pieces. Your worms can avoid large scraps of citrus until they are safely broken down.
Beneficial additions: Eggshells! Eggshells can be added whole or finely powdered. Whole eggshell pieces are great hiding places for worms where they can breed. Powdered eggshells provide grit which helps worms break down food and calcium to your garden compost. Lay out your eggshells in the sun or in your oven to dry and kill off any unwanted bacteria.
Water.
If your worms have the right bedding and are fed regularly, there should be no need to water your compost bin. Moisture from the food scraps should be enough. During the warmer months check your bin regularly for moistness.
Your compost bin should not be too dry nor too wet. The moisture should be the same as a wrung out sponge. Add small holes to the bottom of your bin if it is outride and open to the weather. Compost worms should not escape through these holes as they stay near the surface.
Temperature.
Worms are most comfortable between and . Worm bins can be kept inside to best regulate their bin temperature. If properly cared for worm bins should never produce any smells!
You can easily protect your worms from extreme temperatures.
Winter: Wrap your bin in insulative materials or move your bin inside. A garage is a great place to keep your bin at a comfortable distance.
Summer: Move your bin into a shady area or move your bin inside. If not possible or your bin is heavy with compost: Place a light colored cloth on the top of your compost bin to reflect the direct sunlight. At the height of the day, wet the cloth and this will cool your bin through evaporation.
Be mindful of the heat produced from decomposing food scraps! Try not to spread your food scraps as an even layer. Place your scraps in one corner and rotate it weekly or as it fully decomposes. In this manner the worms can choose to distance themselves as the weather changes.
Why do worm castings make such good fertilizer?
Resists compaction! [info needs to be double checked with a source, I believe soils with high sand content tend to compact more, Organic material less so]
Water-Retentive + Well Draining [check with source, Sandy soils do not retain water while clay soil blocks water from draining, organic material helps balance]
Nutrient Dense! As plants grow they uptake nutrients from deep within the soil from their roots and use it to create fruit. By composting food scraps, you are effectively reintroducing vital nutrients and feeding the soil.
How do I separate the worms from the castings?
Info coming soon!
How do I apply this nutrient rich fertilizer to my plants and into my garden?
