Worm Farming and Compost Worms
Worms are the gut of the earth. The engine room that drives the composting cycle, turning almost everything you can throw at them, into sweet smelling compost that all plants adore. There are about 2000 species of earth worms, all doing their bit for the planet, by recycling organic material. And like all other species of creatures inhabiting the globe, some do their job better than others.
The worms best known for the home compost or worm farms are the Red worm, Red Tiger or Red Wriggler. They are what is known as epigeal, meaning, they feed on the top 6 to 8 inches of compost. Whats amazing about these relatively small worms is, they can eat more than half their weight in food every day! That means a population of 2000 worms can quite easily take care of the average households kitchen waste, including teabags, coffee grounds, shredded newspaper,torn-up cardboard and the contents from the vacuum cleaner too.
Okay, so you've taken these wriggly critters home and given them somewhere to live, lots of tasty kitchen scraps to eat, what's in it for you? Well, these guys will double in population every 90 days! Which means there's always a steady workforce for the household refuse output. But it's what they're doing with all that kitchen waste that really matters! They are turning waste into vermicast, (worm manure), black gold. As far as fertilisers go this is the best and it's organic. It only takes small amounts of this stuff for plants to flourish, including pot plants.
Another thing these guys are good at, is attracting fish to the end of your hook. If you're a keen fisherman you will always have a fresh supply of bait for most freshwater fish and some saltwater species too. And because these guys are multiplying so fast, your initial investment could turn into a small commercial enterprise. Whether it's supplying the local fishing club or selling to other vermicomposters, (worm farmers).
In a world that needs to think greener and reduce the amount of rubbish that goes to landfill, having a thriving worm farm is a no brainer. The average size worm farm can effectively recycle the equivalent of one tonne of waste, per person, per year. most people would never give these wrigglers a second thought but they are vital in the health of soils it's no coincidence that where there are no earthworms present there is not much growing. Turn over a forkful of soil in a thriving garden and they'll be right there hard at work.
The worms best known for the home compost or worm farms are the Red worm, Red Tiger or Red Wriggler. They are what is known as epigeal, meaning, they feed on the top 6 to 8 inches of compost. Whats amazing about these relatively small worms is, they can eat more than half their weight in food every day! That means a population of 2000 worms can quite easily take care of the average households kitchen waste, including teabags, coffee grounds, shredded newspaper,torn-up cardboard and the contents from the vacuum cleaner too.
Okay, so you've taken these wriggly critters home and given them somewhere to live, lots of tasty kitchen scraps to eat, what's in it for you? Well, these guys will double in population every 90 days! Which means there's always a steady workforce for the household refuse output. But it's what they're doing with all that kitchen waste that really matters! They are turning waste into vermicast, (worm manure), black gold. As far as fertilisers go this is the best and it's organic. It only takes small amounts of this stuff for plants to flourish, including pot plants.
Another thing these guys are good at, is attracting fish to the end of your hook. If you're a keen fisherman you will always have a fresh supply of bait for most freshwater fish and some saltwater species too. And because these guys are multiplying so fast, your initial investment could turn into a small commercial enterprise. Whether it's supplying the local fishing club or selling to other vermicomposters, (worm farmers).
In a world that needs to think greener and reduce the amount of rubbish that goes to landfill, having a thriving worm farm is a no brainer. The average size worm farm can effectively recycle the equivalent of one tonne of waste, per person, per year. most people would never give these wrigglers a second thought but they are vital in the health of soils it's no coincidence that where there are no earthworms present there is not much growing. Turn over a forkful of soil in a thriving garden and they'll be right there hard at work.
