Red wigglers how long to reproduce

This explains also why manure of herbivores are such good environments for worms. The high percentage of bulk material creating enough air pockets to keep aerobic microbes alive. Provided all the conditions are met as described above there is only one more thing to consider. How many worms do you need so there are enough to actually meet each other to breed but not too many that they are preoccupied with competing for food? If the amount of worms per area is increased worms above 10 kg worms will produce more vermicompost but their reproduction rate goes down.

This means, to keep increasing the number of worms you will have to regularly move some into a new location. Otherwise, worms will self-regulate their population and produce less cocoons. The following conditions provide the best environment for red wiggler to multiply at record rates :. These are proven, ideal conditions for to breed worms fast by providing a habitat for worms to thrive and multiply quickly in.

However, it is worth pointing out that red wigglers are the composting worms of choice due to their fairly high tolerance to varying conditions. So do go out and experiment with the bedding and food materials that not only fulfil the criteria above but are also easiest to come by. After all, you will want to create a process you can sustain for a long period of time with as little fuss and energy possible. They are ready to start eating organic material.

At the age of two to three months, these new worms are old enough to reproduce. Then, the worm reproductive cycle is complete. Mature worms can produce two cocoons per week under ideal conditions. In theory, their population can double every three months. However, in the confines of the composting bin, the worm population will balance itself. Bigger worms make babies more often.

Throughout their lifetime, red worms are voracious eaters. Even hatchlings are ready to start munching on kitchen scraps and unwanted vegetation. They turn this waste into a nutrient-rich organic fertilizer. The resulting fertilizer, called humus, is perfect for gardening.

Just add it to potting soil, dig it into the earth, or spray on some worm tea. We also have plenty of worm information in our blog. Additionally, we carry a selection of excellent indoor composters and our own worm kits. Our farm also produces meal worms for pet food, fishing and science projects.

Feel free to reference articles or pages from The Squirm Firm along with appropriate references. I just started worm farming about a month ago. I am too excited in that I check it twice a day to see what they are doing. I may be adding too much food at once, but I am learning.

I also use a frozen plastic water bottle in a plastic bag set inside to keep cool on hot summer days then remove it and refreeze for the next day.

Seems to work. What do the egg casings look like, can they be seen easily? Hi Cathy. I was a frequent checker too when I first began! It sounds like you are really on top of things. You are a good worm mama. The egg cocoons are about the length of a grain of rice. They start out yellow and turn into an amber brownish color. They are lemon-shaped with the smallest hole at one tip for the babies to crawl out through. Have fun egg hunting!

I believe that I have most stuff listed for the bedding as far as cardboard, paper, etc. BUT, what topsoil is best used if any? IE: Plastic containers? Does it have to be metal? Can it be an area in the ground in my yard? I am SO sorry for all the questions. But as soon as I read this publishing I just knew that I was at the right place to find the answers I need.

Thank you for your patience in advance. Hello Gina. As you get started, the soil you add from outside can be just about any garden soil that you can expect to be pesticide-free. Living bacteria in that soil will be all you need.

As for a bin, plastic is great because it is non-corrosive, non-porous, and is durable yet lightweight. You can also dig an underground pit to be used as a worm bed if you like- and depending on the climate where you live. Have fun! Are these the same when ground up? I think they are high in calcium. Hi Leanne. I am no expert in bones, shells, or cuttlefish but would assume that cuttlefish remains could introduce unfamiliar pathogens to the worm bin. Plus, since it is an animal product, more like bones, I would advise against it.

Glad you are trying to be resourceful though! We have a worm farm which has been in place for approximately 2 months. Recently I noticed foam on the surface. Should I be concerned? Of late daily temperatures have been high, the farm is under some shrubbery however it may still have exceeded optimal temp?

Foam is not something you see much of in worm composting. How are your worms? If you can find the source of the foam, it would be good to remove that. Then, I suggest mixing in a whole bunch of clean, moist, shredded newspaper and letting your bedding get some fresh air. Do you have a pH meter? I hope you discover the answer to this interesting mystery soon! Maybe this is a better venue for my question:. I would, I think, dilute the powder in water, say, one teaspoon per pint or so of water and hand spray the bedding, perhaps not directly on the worms.

What would you advise? But, thank you for taking the initiative to reach out over here. I think I may be of help. Low pH is a common snag we run into while trying to maintain neutral bedding for our worms. While adding crushed eggshells is great, and oyster shells as well, there may be a faster way. Depending on the volume of bedding you are managing, it may be possible to simply incorporate fresh, moist, neutral pH bedding- enough so that the overall balance shifts toward neutral.

Continue to add eggshells with feedings and be careful not to overfeed. Laughed heartily and took heart to start my own little wriggly community. Thank you! I recently purchased the Worm Factory and half a pound of red wigglers. I am starting out with 1 cup of food every 5 days, but I hope to increase the amount as they settle in. How much and how often can I feed a population this size without spoiling the bin? Half a pound of red wigglers can be expected on average to consume half their weight each day.

A quarter-pound of food each day, times 7, equals just under 2 pounds of food per week. Within a few months, your population will have doubled and your food needs also will increase. Add food any time you see hardly any food scraps remain. You are right on track! If things get too wet, slow down on feeding, if it gets too dry, but they still have food- just moisten the bedding. Keep up the great work! Best written Red Wiggler information I have seen yet! Comprehensive and to the point…and more than entertaining…..

Thank You. Just got mine going. Using peat, fall oak leaves, shredded cardboard, crushed eggshells, and handful of compost…so far so good. Using a flow-thru system I built from 2x4s and hardware cloth. There already appears to be some castings in the bedding mix! I have had my worm farm for 7 months, and the worms have successfully composted the final tier of 4.

They are such good little workers! If yes, how does one separate worms? Many thanks! While worms possess both male and female sexual organs, a red wiggler cannot produce offspring alone. So how do worms reproduce exactly? Worms mate by lining up their heads and attaching themselves together at the clitella. A cocoon is then formed at the clitella band. Cocoons are small, lemon shaped and yellowish gold colored.

The average lifespan of a composting worm is about 2 years, and some can live up to as long as 8 years. Worm populations are largely self regulating based on available space and food supply. If the population of worms overcrowds for instance, their reproduction will adjust and slow down.

A mature worm can produce cocoons per week.