Breeding worms at home does not require much hassle or investment, but it has its own nuances. What container to choose for a mini worm farm, where to get worms for breeding and how to feed them?
How to breed worms or create a worm farm
For breeding, ordinary local worms collected in a forested area are suitable.
Dig a small hole in a suitable place, fill it with rotten leaves, vegetable and fruit peels (excluding garlic, potatoes, citrus fruits and onions). After that, the food is watered with water, and the hole is covered with cardboard or a board. You can collect the individuals settled near the feeder in a week.
Where to breed worms
A home worm farm will require sturdy containers. Suitable for this:
- enameled dishes;
- old aquarium;
- buckets, basins, any other metal (not galvanized) or plastic containers.
Containers, usual for short-term storage of worms - a canvas bag, wooden or plywood boxes are not suitable for long-term use. They quickly damp, boxes begin to rot, bags start to rot.
The selected container must be prepared before use. Using a drill (7-9 mm), holes are made in the bottom of the future farm, which will drain excess water. The holes should be evenly distributed throughout the bottom.
A tray is required under the container. Before placing the container on the tray, the latter must be filled with dry sand - it will absorb excess water. A layer of 3 cm will be enough.
Conditions for breeding worms
It is recommended to breed worms in a room where the temperature does not drop below + 4 ° C, otherwise the worms will hibernate and will not reproduce. The optimum temperature is 17 to 24 ° C.
The container size is calculated based on the number of worms available. For 1 kg of individuals, at least 1 sq. m of surface area.
The worms do not tolerate the sun's rays, so it is advisable that the worm be located in a dark place.
How to fill the container
There are different ways to fill the mini-farm.
The first layer is straw or large sawdust. Its height should be about 5 cm. Vermicompost is poured next (it is sold in flower shops). The height of this layer is about 10 cm. The third layer is the food: fruit and vegetable scraps, old tea leaves (without sugar), coffee grounds. The food is evenly distributed over the entire surface in a layer of 5 cm. The topmost layer is humus. Its height is 2 cm.
If ordinary soil is taken to fill the container where the worms will be bred, it must be ensured that it does not contain roots and leaves. When leaves rotting, a large amount of oxygen is consumed.
What to feed the worms
Almost all waste can be used as feed. The exceptions are potato peels, citrus fruits, onions and garlic. Do not use salty food, meat or fish for feeding.
The worms' favorite food is oatmeal. You can also give them dry rolled oats, but it should be borne in mind that dry flakes take moisture from the soil.
How often to water the worms
The worm should be watered abundantly. Excess moisture will go through the drainage holes. Watering is done at every feeding. If the room temperature is high, you should water more often.
You can check the quality of soil moisture in a simple way - squeeze a handful of the top layer in your fist. If water comes through your fingers, there is enough moisture.
The water must be settled (at least 3 days), at room temperature.
Breeding worms is a simple process. Adherence to simple rules will allow you to avoid typical beginner mistakes and get a truly working homemade worm farm.
