Red wiggler worms (Eisenia fetida) are among the best composting worms, making them an excellent choice for starting a worm farm. Whether you’re looking to reduce household waste, create nutrient-rich compost for your garden, or just want a fun and eco-friendly hobby, setting up a worm farm is easier than you think. In this blog post, we’ll guide you through the process step by step and share tips on how to care for your red wiggler worms.
Step 1: Choose Your Worm Farm Setup
The first step is to decide what type of worm farm you want. You can either purchase a pre-made worm bin or make your own.
DIY Worm Bin
Here’s how to create your own worm bin:
- Container: Choose a plastic or wooden bin with a lid. A bin size of about 30 – 50 litres is ideal for beginners.
- Ventilation: Drill small holes in the sides and lid for airflow. Proper ventilation prevents foul odours and keeps worms healthy.
- Drainage: Drill small holes in the bottom to allow excess liquid to drain out. Place a tray underneath to catch the liquid.
- Bedding: Fill up your bin about two-thirds with moist bedding material like shredded newspaper, coconut coir, or cardboard. The bedding should feel like a damp sponge—not too wet or dry.
Pre-Made Worm Bin
If you prefer convenience, there are many tiered worm bins available for purchase. These systems make it easy to harvest worm castings and manage your worms.
Step 2: Add Red Wiggler Worms
Once your bin is ready, it’s time to introduce your red wigglers. A good starting point is 1000 worms, which can process about half their body weight of food scraps per day.
Step 3: Feed Your Worms
Red wigglers are not picky eaters, but there are a few guidelines to ensure they stay healthy and productive.
What to Feed Your Worms
- Vegetable Scraps: Carrot peels, lettuce, cucumber, and zucchini are all great choices.
- Fruit Scraps: Banana peels, apple cores, and melon rinds work well.
- Coffee Grounds: Worms love coffee grounds (and the filters are fine, too).
- Eggshells: Crushed eggshells provide calcium and help balance the pH of the bin.
- Shredded Paper: Newspaper and plain paper can be added sparingly as both food and bedding.
- Aged manure/compost: Use manure and compost that has already been through the initial hot composting process.
Foods to Avoid
- Meat and Dairy: These can create odours and attract pests.
- Oily or Greasy Foods: These break down slowly and can harm the worms.
- Citrus Fruits: The acidity can upset the pH balance of the bin.
- Spicy Foods: Garlic, onions, and chilli peppers can irritate the worms.
- Glossy paper: Do not add any glossy newspaper or magazine pages as this is toxic for the worms
- Fresh manure/compost: As organic materials start to break down they generate heat, which will kill your worms.
- Dog manure: If you plan to use your worm castings in your garden, avoid feeding dog manure as it contains pathogens which will still be present in your worm castings and that will be transferred to plants. It is best to create a separate worm bin for dog manure exclusively should you wish to compost your dog manure.
Feeding Tips
- Chop food scraps into small pieces to speed up decomposition.
- Feed your worms once or twice a week, burying the food in different areas of the bin to avoid attracting pests.
- Monitor how quickly the food is being consumed and adjust the amount as needed.
Step 4: Care for Your Worms
To keep your red wigglers happy and productive, follow these care tips:
1. Maintain Proper Moisture
The bedding should always feel damp, like a wrung-out sponge. If it’s too dry, mist it with water. If it’s too wet, add more dry bedding.
2. Keep the Temperature Ideal
Red wigglers thrive in temperatures between 13-25°C. Keep your worm bin in a cool, shaded spot indoors or outdoors, but avoid extreme heat or freezing temperatures.
3. Monitor the pH
Worms prefer a neutral pH (around 7). Adding “brown” materials can help balance acidity if needed. Avoid overfeeding and overwatering to keep pH balanced.
4. Harvest Castings
After 2-3 months, you’ll notice dark, crumbly compost (worm castings) accumulating in the bin. To harvest, gently separate the worms from the castings or move them to a new layer if using a tiered system. You can also separate your worms and castings using a 2-3mm sieve.
5. Watch for Pests
Keep pests like fruit flies at bay by burying food scraps and avoiding overfeeding. Most pests are harmless to the worms. Keep an eye out for ants as they will kill your worms.
Benefits of a Worm Farm
- Reduce Waste: Divert kitchen scraps from the landfill and turn them into something useful.
- Eco-Friendly Fertilizer: Worm castings are rich in nutrients and free from harmful chemicals.
- Healthier Plants: Your garden will thrive with the addition of nutrient-rich compost.
Conclusion
Setting up a worm farm with red wigglers is an easy and rewarding way to reduce waste and create your own organic fertilizer. By providing them with the right environment, proper care, and suitable food, you can ensure your worms thrive and keep producing high-quality compost.
Ready to start your worm farming journey? Grab your red wigglers and get composting today! 🌱
