“They seem to like our compost bins. They’re so energetic and are multiplying. “ Heather P.
Thanks for sharing your pics with us!
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Worm question from Ft. Worth, TX
28 Jan
I was wondering if Texas or Alabama jumper worms are widespread enough to expect to find them outdoors. I’m considering adding some to raised beds and mulched areas, just hoping to seed from some wild ones if possible.
Tim in Ft. Worth, TX
Tim,
Yes, you can find Jumpers in North Texas. You can also find Nightcrawlers also known as dew worm or Missouri giant. Jumpers can be bin raised and the nightcrawlers require too much room to be bin raised.
You can populate almost any sized area with one Jumper starter farm with a little care and time.
Thanks,
Kyle
Stock Tank Worm Bed
8 Nov
One of the ways I raise my worms is in 100 gallon stock tanks. My preference is to start with cinder blocks and a pallet on top of that. This elevates and makes for less bending over when feeding or harvesting. The lid doesn’t have to be elaborate and can be a piece of plywood laid over the top of your bin. For a lid like the one pictured, you will want to use the metal instead of the plastic version. The reason- heat is trapped by the plastic and raises the temps in the hotter months. The metal does a far better job of reflecting the heat. There are lots of ways to skin this cat and I encourage you to put you own spin on it. Look for things you have access to already and use what you already have laying around. You’ll be surprised what you can turn into a worm bed.
Stock Tank Worm Bed
Worm Farming Heat Hacks
7 JunSummer arrived early this year and it’s August in June here in South Texas. Help your worms beat the heat with a few tips.
- Ice bottles. Partially fill plastic bottles w/ water and freeze. Add frozen bottles to your worm bins in the morning. Pick them up and re freeze overnight and repeat.
- Shade. If moving your worm bins in doors is not an option add shade cloth or move to a shady area. Especially from the afternoon sun.
- Keep moist- Add a drip line and/ or keep beds covered w/ mulch or old rug. Covering will protect worms and help keep in moisture.
- Add insulation – add more bedding and in ground beds are a couple of ways to keep things from heating up and keep your worms happier in the heat.
These are a few tips to help get your worms through the summer. Share any ideas or successful hacks you’ve come up with in your part of the world.
Texas Red Worms will be at Rainbow Gardens Saturday April 29th
28 Feb
Join us at either Rainbow Gardens locations in San Antonio on April 29th
New raised beds
7 Mar
Here is a look at my latest raised beds. I wanted something that I could raise worms and vegetables out of. Once the compost breaks down, I’ll add some plants and some Texas Jumpers.
Earthworm information from NC State
2 May
Some quality material from the NC State extension service.
TexasRedWorms at Rainbow Gardens
2 Feb
If you will be in the San Antonio area May 2nd make plans to come join us.
Coons in my worm bed
19 DecFor a several days I had noticed my rugs pulled back and could tell some critter was rooting around in my worm beds. To figure out just what we were dealing with, my daughter and I set up our game cam to catch the rascal in the act.
It was not a huge surprise after checking the camera, that the culprit was a masked bandit. Coon proofing can be challenging, and my attempts have failed to keep them out. Putting some heavier objects over the carpet seemed to work in a few places, but they seem to find a weak spot.
Coon proofing recommendations:
Cover your outdoor beds with plywood or hardware cloth should work.
Keep your dogs out at night. (Our dogs are sissies and sleep inside.)
We ended up catching the rascal the other night, and for now we are critter free.
Garden Fest this weekend in Boerne, TX
15 Sep
Join TexasRedWorms.com at 10:30am in Boerne, TX to learn more about worms.
