Better yields, better tasting fruits and vegetables are the result when you fertilize w/ red worm castings. Worm castings contain loads of calcium, phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium. Other micro and macro nutrients are present that support and develop superior root structure, to plants fertilized w/ commercial fertilizer. Even though highly concentrated, worm castings will never burn plants like synthetic fertilizers can. Benefits of fertilizing with worm castings include healthier plants, healthier fruits and vegetables, and cost savings.
Tag Archives: houston red worms
Best Meyer Lemons yet w/ Worm Castings
8 Jan10 red worm egg experiment update
6 Jan
I decided to check in on a bin I had set up with only 10 red worm eggs, November 28, 2010. To my surprise, I found several worms quickly, and the largest was this 3.5″ monster pictured above. There was a visible clitellum, which means they have reached sexual maturity.
Red Worms will usually reach reproductive maturity in 2-3 months. Red Worms are hermaphroditic, and come equipped with both male and female reproductive organs.
This little experiment is proving out that your starting number of red worms is less important than providing the right environment for your worms.
Temperature: 40F-80F
Moisture: Damp but not wet- think of a wrung out sponge
Feeding: Simulate their natural environment (manure piles, decaying leaf piles) Feed in one part of bin when food is gone. Worm food includes: vegetable scraps, egg shells, coffee grounds, herbivore manure.
Baby Texas Red Worm
4 Jan
It’s January in Texas and temperatures are right for red worm cocoons to hatch. Temperatures will dip just below freezing at night on occasion, but right now it’s 60F. Red worms will do fine from 40F-80F. Mine are kept at a pretty constant 60F this time of year, and they are doing wonderful. I snapped this picture early this morning as I peeked under the lid of one of my starter farms.
Flow through Worm Bin
3 Jan
Inspired by Bruce’s flow through worm bin design at wormcompostingblog.com, and Cassandra Truax’s podcast interview w/ “worm dude” Jerry Gach. I had some plastic buckets laying around, and decided to build a couple for myself.
I cut out the hole w/ tin snips.
Holes were spaced 1.5″ apart to thread weed eater line through using a 1/8″ drill bit.
The first layer (6 sheets of damp newspaper).
Next, I added some red worms, and layered some partially finished compost for bedding.
I will add food scraps to the top and cover with some cardboard. The idea is that in a few weeks the worms will continue to work their way to the top and the finished vermicompost will flow through the weed eater line to be harvested from the bottom of the bin.
The Greenest Gift. What to get a gardener for Christmas.
19 Dec
Red Worm Farm complete system. The perfect Christmas gift for your favorite gardener. Red Worms will turn kitchen waste into rich fertilizer for plants and soil.
Save money, reduce waste, your plants water consumption, and produce the best fertilizer available by composting household waste with red worms. Texas Red Worms provides you with the ultimate gardening and composting system. Our shoebox sized starter farm is a perfect no hassle, no smell way to turn wastes into valuable castings for compost tea and fertilizer for your plants and soil.
Red wiggler worm farm $40, includes everything you need (bin, castings, hundreds of red worms, and food). Pictured below, shoe box size, about 5 lbs.
Red worms and castings about 2.5 lbs. $25
Get started reducing your waste today. Delivery available. Farms are located in San Antonio and Livingston, TX
210-310-5046
Baby Red Worm
4 Dec
In harvesting some red worm castings for my lemon trees and herbs I came across this new born red worm. This little fella will grow rapidly in the next week and should reach sexual maturity in 60-90 days. At this point, a healthy red wiggler can produce an egg every 7 days for the remainder of their life. Red worms have been known to live for 15 years.
10 red worm egg experiment
3 Dec
Last week, as an experiment I stocked a starter bin with bedding and 10 red worm cocoons or egg sacs. I would love to be able to see the little rascals hatch, but as you will see in the next post, counting these little critters can be pretty difficult. Stay tuned.
Tis’ the Season for RedWorms
2 DecDecember in South Texas brings Christmas time and with it some welcomed cooler temperatures ideal for red worm farming. My red worms are loving this time of year, and are producing cocoons and castings like never before.
When harvesting castings or worms I have seen more “love knots” and cocoons than ever. The picture above is of two red wigglers exchanging seminal fluid. In ideal conditions red worms can produce a cocoon or egg sac every 7 days. Each egg sac (depending on conditions) can hatch 4-20+ tiny red worms.
In this season of giving you can give a responsible gift that benefits everyone. A red worm farm can compost those gift boxes, paper, and food wastet. Vermicompost (worm manure) or castings that will nourish plants and soil and keep waste out of the landfill. For families with little ones, red worms make a great learning gift that can teach kids responsibility and how to be good stewards of their environment.
Merry Christmas! from TexasRedWorms.com
Be sure to add a little sand to your Red Worm bin.
22 NovWhen setting up a new bin it is helpful to add a handful of sand. This will help aid in the red worms digesting of food. The sand will provide the necessary grit in their gullet to help them grind food. If you are setting up an outdoor bin pick a shady spot with sandy soil if possible. The sand will not only help your worms but, provides excellent drainage, as well.
TexasRedWorms.com starter farms are complete systems that contain everything you need in an established environment that includes bedding, food, red worms, and castings. We prefer to sell and ship worms this way, especially for beginners. We want to take the guess work out of starting your farm, and ensure your success as a red worm farmer.
Perfect time for Red Worming (Vermicomposting)
12 NovIt’s always the right time to add compost to your soil, and always a great time to get started composting with Red Worms. It’s Fall in Texas and the cooler weather is ideal for work outside and setting up your worm bed.
TexasRedWorms.com provides you the easiest way to start composting with Red Worms (vermicomposting) today. Our shoebox sized Starter Farm provides everything you need to produce nutrient rich castings for your plants and soil, and a thriving breeding brood of red worms (eisenia foetida) nature’s best composter.
Check out our latest ad on Craigslist or just give us a call 210-310-5046. If you are in the San Antonio or Livingston, TX area pick up can be arranged, or call for shipping information.
Texas Jumpers 