Carolyn There are probably 1000 red wiggler worms in this setup. And there really is no work to it. The worms do the work. I just feed them kitchen scraps every couple of weeks. There is no odor if fed the right foods. I was worried about egg shells making it smelly, so I nuke them for one minute before adding or put them in the oven if I'm baking and have not had a problem. I started the worm factory this spring and so far collected approx. 30-35 lbs. of worm castings. The worms have already paid for their keep. This setup also has one more tray that I can add if I need to. ( photo / image / picture from Donna S's Garden ) ( photo / image / picture from Donna S's Garden ) ( photo / image / picture from Donna S's Garden )
Great set up. You just reminded me of a worm farm in Ft Worth that sells the 'worm farm' kits. I really need hunt for the website and see what they have.
Toni, I bought mine on e-bay used for half the price. You can use plastic tubs also. Check out how to make one. I'm sure your hubby could put one together real quick.
Donna, That is fantastic! I gotta get me a worm farm. Do you think I could keep it in the barn? Summer temps in the barn go up to 100, and in the winter, very rarely down to 25 degrees. I have a heat lamp for the hens, and could get another for the worms. Not only would it be closer to the gardens, but while I'm feeding the chickens I could feed the worms, too. I have to read up on this!
Cool beans! I really need to just get one set up. I can keep it in the basement with no problem. I just keep putting it on the back burner. Do the worms digest seeds or will they pass the smallest ones off in their castings? how often do you collect the castings and do you store them or use them immediately? Do they dry out if you store them or do you just mix it into a potting mix waiting to be used? Sounds silly to ask all these questions, but I don't want to learn everything the backwards way. Thanks Donna!
The worms digest everything. Collecting castings will depend on how many worms you have. A 1000 produced 30 lbs. in 6 months. I put castings in an old pail and keep in the greenhouse. I mix with potting soil when needed. They do not like to be to hot or to cold. Never let them freeze. Temp should stay between 40* - 80*
Now I'm on the hunt for a Worm Farm too. We have lots of worms in the soil here. Wonder if some worms make casings faster than others?
CONGRATULATIONS Donna,, I kept for many years FLOUR worms just to feed the birds, did not know there and Worm Farm
Donna, Is there two or three nesting boxes there? and as the worms digest the scraps do they move to the next box or what?
Good morning Carolyn, The whole thing has 3 boxes, but I'm am only on the second one. Will add last box when needed. And yes they move upto the next box when food is digested. I emptied the bottom box and put the top box on the bottom when I collected the castings last week. The top box now has fresh soil mixture. The worms will not move up til food is gone and there was still a lot of food in box, so I don't expect to see them for awhile.
OK Donna, but I have another stupid question...HOW do they move up? on an elevator, stairs, leap frog, a ladder...how? or do you move them from one box to the other?...
By the soil levels. Each box is full of holes anf if soil is touching bottom of next box they will move up to next level when food is depleted. Bottom level becomes castings. I had to pick a few worms out of bottom level. Most ( 99%) had moved to next level.
AHHHH! I was thinking you had to put an elevator in for them....or something. That makes more sense. I wasn't thinking there were holes in the bottom of the box and I thought they were going from the top box to the bottom box...see why I was asking? I was thinking backwards from the set up of the factory Thank you!!! I need visual instructions, huh?
Trays are filled with damp soil. I mix soil with peat moss and shredded newspaper.Soil cannot be to wet or worms will drowned.Just use the squeeze test. Also worms love cardboard. I soak a piece in water until it is fully absorbed and just lay in on top. This is what the trays look like empty. ( photo / image / picture from Donna S's Garden )
