There are many ways to raise worms and there are a lot of great ideas out there. Over the years we have posted pics of our bins and beds and some of our friends have shared theirs as well. Send us pics of your worm bin. Your idea might be the one to help someone get started or improve their set up. kyleharrell@hotmail.com
Tag Archives: vermicomposting
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.
Soil remediation with Earthworms
25 JunGroups collaborate in India to clean up toxic land with earthworms.
4 acres of contaminated soil in India where 300K earthworms were added. After one year there was a 60% reduction in heavy metals.
Bobcat Blend
23 Jun
TexasRedWorms is proud to see what the students at Texas State have done with their Bobcat Blend project. We are also proud to have had a small hand in providing worms for them years ago in their early stages.
Earthworm information from NC State
2 May
Some quality material from the NC State extension service.
Good ‘ol Days
27 Jun
Oh the good ‘ol days when a couple of dimes would get you something. Unfortunately we can’t give you this deal, but we’ve got some great Jumpers, Euros, and Red worms available for your fishing trip or enhancing your soil. Thanks to Uncle Corky and Sheryl for sending this great picture they found.
How do I get rid of ants?
5 MayA frequently asked question I get from worm farmers and gardeners is, “How do I get rid of ants”? Ants can be attracted to the food waste in your compost pile or worm bed. The good news is that a healthy compost pile or worm bed is going to have a lot of beneficial bacteria and microbial activity that the ants won’t like. So in most cases they are there for the food scraps, and will move along shortly. If they don’t move along and decide to set up shop, or you just want them gone, I recommend diatomaceous earth. Food grade Diatomaceous Earth or (DE) are finely ground remains of tiny ocean critters called diatoms. DE can be sprinkled around any area where you want to get rid of insects or other segmented bodied critters. The tiny powder kept dry will stick to the ants or other bugs and make tiny cuts that will dry them out and kill them. Wet DE won’t stick, so keep your powder dry. Also, be sure to get food grade and not pool grade DE. Pool grade is super fine and can be dangerous when breathed in.
DE is natural and won’t harm your worms or you. Other ant killers that contain chemicals might be harmful to your worms.
Maggots in my worm bin?
30 AprBelow is a picture from a customer who asked the question, “What are these in my bin and are they harmful to the worms”? These are probably black soldier fly larvae. They are a little unsightly, but are good composters in their own right and are not harmful to your worms. These tend to show up in my manure piles when the weather heats up. I will remove them most of the time from my worm bin if they show up, but it is not necessary.
Texas Jumpers 