Raising worms help

[flymoron]

This spring I want to start raising worms, after I get a worm bed/container ready, can I buy worms(like from walmart) they have canadian nightcrawlers & redworms, will these reproduce, and if so can I mix them? my plan was to buy a few boxes and just dump them into the bedding.

thanks

I know I am an idiot

[jonboatfisher]

I found a bait whole saler and startrd with 1000 euro night crawlers(big red worms).
That way you can start fishing with them right away and a year later my bed has thousands of all sizes of worms in it. I dont know about mixxing diferent kinds. Hope this helps you.

[shipahoy41]

Keep redworms and wigglers in their own tub. Feed them cornmeal and keep a layer of damp newspaper over them. I started with four containers from the bait shop but there are places you can buy live bait on line too. Google vermicomposting or gardening with redworms.

[RetiredRR]

[QUOTE=flymoron;1804004]This spring I want to start raising worms, after I get a worm bed/container ready, can I buy worms(like from walmart) they have canadian nightcrawlers & redworms, will these reproduce, and if so can I mix them? my plan was to buy a few boxes and just dump them into the bedding.

thanks.


Not advisable to mix worms. Canadian night-crawlers are harder to raise and take more care.
Hybred Red Wigglers are much hardier and easier to raise. And yep, purchase a couple of
containers of Red Wigglers and dump them into your prepared bed. No newspapers should be
used. Soak glued cardboard real good and add to the top of the bed. Keep the cardboard
moist, the worms will eat the cardboard/glue combo and if available, cow patties and horse
biskets are cheaper than commercial food of any kind. Stay as natural as possible to keep
mold at a minimum. When you dump the Red Wigglers into the bed, look at the contents
real close......you should find some little balls that look like okra seed, those are worm
eggs and there will be 7 to 14 worms coming from each egg. Don't be surprised to see
worms tied in a knot, they are breeding and the egg comes from the band. Worms are
both male/female, have 7 hearts and multiply rapidly as long as they are kept moist and
fed. Do not over feed, as it will heat the bed and raise the acid levels. Coffee & tea
grounds are o.k., if used modestly. Ph factors are important only if your in the worm business.
Good Luck.

[Oldfart]

I feed ours rabbit droppings makes great potting mix for the wife's plants,I get more for the worm castings then I do for the worms

[RetiredRR]

I feed ours rabbit droppings makes great potting mix for the wife's plants,I get more for the worm castings then I do for the worms

Sounds like you know something about worm castings.........and your right. Excellent fertilizer.

[Oldfart]

yep just a little,best way to keep worms is under rabbit pens with wire floors,just be sure you water them they need to be kept moist and cool,I lost a good number to the heat once, live and learn I guess

[gijimbo]

Magic the company that makes the worm farms and ranches publish a very good book for raising nightcrawlers. You will find you will need to keep nightcrawlers cool (50-60ish don't remember exactly, someone will correct me if I am to far off), whereas redworms you can raise at normal room temperature. Redworms are far easier. Do your reading on the web and you'll be fine.

[shipahoy41]

Redworms will do just fine in a garage type setting.