A wriggling resource

Stage 2 of our worm farm experiment.  

We now have introduced two new species of worms to our worm  collection.   In individual bath tubs we have now established three separate colonies of worm in an effort to explore their different characteristics; including breading rates, efficiencies at composting materials and outputs.

Composting worms can eat up to their own weight in food each day. They actually eat the bacteria growing on the dead organic matter. Bacteria usually causes unpleasant odours but in a worm farm the worms keep it in check so there is no smell.
The term Composting Worm relates to the fact that these particular worms only burrow down in the top 300mm of soil.
Red Wrigglers (Eisenia Andrei) and African Night Crawlers (Eudrillus Eugeniae) and Indian Blues (Perionyx Excavatus) are all well suited for warmer climates.

AFRICAN NIGHT CRAWLERS  (Eudrillus Eugeniae)

African Night Crawlers lay eggs at about the same rate as the Reds but take 2 weeks to hatch.
They take 2 months to mature and start to reproduce. They are also about 3 times longer and thicker than the Red Wrigglers and only take up to 6 to 8 weeks to reach 150mm to 200mm long.
Africans live for about 2 years.

They are the worm of choice for home composters who love fishing. They can eat up to 3 times more organic material than Red Wrigglers

We got ours from : www.briansworms.com

INDIAN BLUES/BLUEYS (Perionyx Excavatus)
Also known as Spenceralia, an Australian native, this worm species is the fastest breeding worm in general composting use (1 worm will produce 18 worms per week under ideal conditions). This worm also eats faster than any other worm we have come across. If you want to convert organic waste into worm compost in as short a time as possible, then you can't beat this worm. On the downside this worm prefers warmer climates and is likely to crawl from its bedding if conditions are not right for it. The Indians can grow up to 150mm long.

We got ours from : ww.kookaburrawormfarms.com.au

image : www.goodlifepermaculture.com.au

Worm farming is great way to reduce your waste and turn your food scraps into an awesome soil improver and plant fertilizer.   Fun and fascinating!
For information on worm farming, read our previous blog entry :
http://futurefeeders.weebly.com/our-blog/worm-farming-the-new-black-gold

If your going to start your own worm farm here is a handy list.

Do Feed:  

· Fruit Waste - Non Citrus (Apples, grapes, bananas, plums, peaches, pumpkin) 
· Vegetable Waste (carrots, lettuce, beans, peas, limited amounts of potatoes, leaf vegetables) 
· Egg shells - In moderation and best when crushed up a bit. 
· Coffee Grounds (Filters too) - An excellent worm food, but again in moderation 
· Tree leaves - Yes in moderation, stick to common species, avoid exotic tree leaves 
· Cardboard - Yes, shredded cardboard doubles as food and bedding. 
· Garden Waste - Bean stalks, pea vines, beet tops, 
· Starchy- Yes in moderations (Pasta, potatoes, rice, grains) 
· Aged animal manure - Yes, it's best to stick with horse manure in the beginning. 

Do Not Feed: 

· Citrus fruit 
· Meat products 
· Dairy waste 
· Cooking oil or grease 
· Human waste 
· Pet waste 

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