How to take care of your worm farm

All about earthworms

Earthworms are truly invisible gardeners of Mother Nature. They provide many things for the soil: they aerate, provide nutrition, and help clean the soil. You can learn a great deal from the earthworm. The biology they provide to the soil is invaluable and a necessary part of having healthy plants. In my business of healing the soil, I rapidly learned about earthworms and how they can be used to provide my clients’ soil with much-needed biology. Earthworm castings are rich in minerals and are at the proper pH level for soil biology. I would take another book to cover this wonderful little creature, so I suggest you look them up for more reading.

 Why an earthworm farm

There are several ways to enrich the soil with minerals and soil biology. In my early years, I produced compost, my go-to method of helping the soil. I could make compost tea and spray it and apply it, but as I grew older, I found that it was a lot of work, and I also found out that many folks are making excellent compost.

I also found out that applying live compost helped increase the earthworm population. So, I started growing earthworms as a simple yet effective method of spreading more earthworms around. I could also make a liquid with the minerals, biology, and small earthworm eggs, which would grow into earthworms.

Getting started

First, you need a space protected from the sun and the weather. If in the sun, it will overheat the container; if in a dark, cold place, that would not be good either. It should be around 70 degrees. Once you have the location, you must decide what type of structure they will live in. Many things determine this: how much room you have is a significant factor.

I chose a cattle trough because it is simple, practical, and inexpensive.

You must build a frame to sit the unit on with legs. The frame should be titled so that the unit will leak the liquid to one side when it sits on the frame. Punch about 10 small holes to allow for drainage. Screw down a wire screen to keep the worms from getting out. The unit should be insulated to keep the temperature from getting too cold or hot. Screw a wood lid on top. Drip about 30 small holes for ventilation and screw a fine screen over the holes to keep the worms from getting out.

Now you are ready to fill in the worm farm unit.

There are several ways to do this, so I will tell you how I did it and how I work with the earthworms. Over time, you will develop your own way, which is best suited for you and the needs of the earthworm farm. Remember that what you have is a small colony of beings. That you are under their care and well-being.

IT doesn’t matter much in which order you layer everything, except that the layers must complement each other. So you rotate between the following layers:

1  compost

2 newspapers (shredded or cut into strips)

3 soil

3 leaves

4 soil (you can use Bio Char here)

5  cardboard (shredded or cut into strips)

6  earthworms are added last when everything has been watered with filtered water.

Only use filtered water and not city water, as this will kill your earthworms.

Five food sources are added, small amounts at first to meet the small demands from the few worms you added, to increase for when you have more earthworms.

    Organic bananas

    Organic apples

    Organic coffee (never use chemically grown coffee, this will kill them)

    Organic avocado

They will eat organic produce like grapes, no onions, garlic, or dairy.

Sprinkle a small amount of rock dust, just a thin layer.

They don’t like hot spices, meat, plastics,  or food that is not organic and full of chemicals.

The food sources are usually the part where you feed the worms, and it is given to them to eat. If you add too much food per earthworm, they will die. There is a big difference between raising earthworms to make your worm juice and having earthworms that you throw away your food and use the earthworms to compost it.

The different types of worms

African Night Crawler

European Red Wriggler

Doesn’t matter which type you use; don’t mix.

How to care for your earthworms

Add a new layer as the worms eat and change everything

Once a year, take everything out and start all over again.

Use the compost you get from it to

1.    Add a layer of the previous compost from your worm farm into the worm farm.

2.    Add as many of the worms back into your earthworm farm.

Making the Earthworm “Juice”

This is a simple process of bathing the earthworms. You need to keep the earthworm clean of any worm poop and you do that by flushing the worm farm with some of; filtered water—just enough water to run it through the worm farm and drain out the drain holes you drilled. Too much water or not enough water will kill them.

Using the Earthworm “Juice”

I take the liquids and add a source or two of trace minerals like sea-90

Add some liquid seaweed or kelp, which should be certified organic. I add a variety of other biologies and mixtures that are available these days. You must know what you are mixing and if it is compatible.

This makes both a soil soak and a foliar spray. If sprayed, both will add biology to the soil and the leaves.

What not to do, or you will kill all your Earthworms.

Never overwater,

Never use city water

Never build out in direct sunlight

Never let it dry out

Using Filtered water

Never use city water as it will kill the earthworms and any biology the farm may have.

Use a garden filter for all the water you use on your earthworm farm. Don’t add anything to the water. Just plain clean water.

That’s the basics of having your own Earthworm Farm.

Any questions?

Please use my inquiry form to send me the questions.

Andy Lopez

Invisible Gardener

www.invisiblegardener.com