What to do when you get your worms?
The good news is you’ve got a few weeks until you have to do anything. The Starter Worm Farm comes with everything you and your worms will need for several weeks.
You’ll want to keep your farm in a cool, dark place, or at least out of direct sunlight. The garage, under a sink, in a pantry, are all good spots. Remember, that your worms will do best in temperatures from 40F – low 80sF. In the Summer keeping your bin’s moisture level up will help keep them comfortable. I like to see some condensation on the underside of the lid, and when I dig down a couple of inches I want it to feel like the inside of a moist brownie. You can add moisture with a spray bottle or just a light sprinkle of water. If the bin gets too muddy or wet just leave the lid off for a few hours, or mix in some shredded newspaper or cardboard.
If you are keeping your farm indoors don’t worry about the smell. As long as you don’t overfeed, and are not feeding dairy or meat it will smell like good rich soil. The only thing you’ll need to do for your worms to be “house broke” is to cover the top with a thin piece of cloth, dishrag, old pillow case, anything that will allow air to pass. This will keep out the fruit flies, and your worms won’t bother your wife, mother, or anyone else.
The farm comes equipped with enough food for several weeks, but you can add a handful of scraps or so in one corner. Try not to over feed to avoid the heat produced from the composting process. When the food is gone or mostly broken down it’s time to feed again.
In a few weeks you will want to create a new bin and split your worms. They multiply so quickly you’ll want to give them room to grow and have more babies. Take a handful or two of bedding and worms from your farm to begin a new bed or bin. You’ll be able to try different sizes and methods of raising your worms, and keep your original farm producing, as well. Repeat this step as needed, usually every 6-8 weeks.
All the best and happy worming,
Kyle
Which type of worm would you recommend for an outdoor compost bin consisting of dirt, grass clippings, kitchen scraps and leaves in Houston, TX?
Thanks,
Allie
I would start out with the red worm. Putting them directly into your compost bin would be too hot for the worms. I would keep the compost bin, and use the compost as feed stock for your worm bin in another location. You can raise worms outdoors or inside. In the Houston summer heat you will want to find a well ventilated shady spot that you can keep moist and protected from direct sun. I am currently using frozen water bottles to keep my outdoor containers cool on these 100+ degree days.
Thanks for your quick response. I won’t be able to raise the worms indoors, so therefore, should I use a different worm, other than red worms? My compost bin is in the shade and I water it regularly, but it’s still Houston and very hot, even in the shade. Would earthworms do better? There is dirt in bin for them to burrow in.
Thanks,
Allie
I would love to get started with this project. My real concern is how to keep the bin cool enough (it will be outside in the shade) in our miserable Texas summers. How can I get a kit from you?Thanks, Doris Miller 340-4453, Castle Hills
I live in the Coachella Valley (Palm Springs Area) and I had a problem with worms dying during the summer, even in the shade. I tried taking the worm bin inside in my closet, but my wife didn’t like the idea. She suggested burring the bin in a shady area. As it turned out, the worms were very prolific in their new home, even though the temperatures reached 110. I’ve concluded my wife is very smart.
Looking to raise worms strickly for fishing. What is my best choice? I can’t find worms to dig in the area where I live. HELP
They are all good for fishing, it just depends on what size worm you want. European NightCrawlers are larger and are popular choice for many fishermen.
Thanks.