red wigglers worm!!!

I saw an ad about red wigglers and very fascinating so I plan to purchase a thousand for my compost bins,

I compost everything meaning moldy breads from food pantry, kitchen scraps and even meats.
I know it is a no no to all of you but I had been doing this for years.

Had anybody used any red wigglers? Can you please tell me your experience.

thanks---Belle

This message was edited Feb 17, 2014 10:52 PM

I wish I could help, but the only experience I have with red worms Is on the end of a pole.
I do have lots of compost and leaf mold piles, but only regular earth worms in those, no red worms.

Seedfork,
Thank you,
Our daughter lives in Birmingham and they had a little bit of snow. It is melting she said.

How about you did you get any?

Belle

No, we are further down south. I was out in the garden all day today, temp. up the 50's, and clear blue sky, but very windy. I actually hauled in two truck loads of leaves and grass clippings today to add to my latest pile. At the end of the day I managed to turn the upper portion one of my other piles, lots of worms in there, not very active yet though. I was surprised to see them so high up in the pile.

When I had more room I use to container grow a few , Their really a hybrid manure worm , solid red or striped segments ..
Old corn silo's I have heard they escape too and as far as now , I still see one or two in the garden rarely , Solid crossbreeds , that have with earthworms , but that yellow tip tail and bright red color says their still there .
Loved ground up potatoes , and anything as mush (just about anyway ) and plants loved that compost .. They are a good strong little creature ..
(beware of rodents , worms are their favorite food)

How many worm was your initial purchase?
i have tons of regular earthworms during summer but I feed them to my kois.

i like to try the red wigglers. Do they multiply?

Belle

First ones I ever did , were in a little Styrofoam worm farm I bought way back when .I put a few left over worms from fishing in that container , next spring their were tens of thousands .
More or less now you have to buy them from a supplier if you want them to multiply . the ones sold as bait , often have something done to them so they won't breed anymore ...
After the first adapting ,, they can multiply by 5 to 12 times every 20 days , I think that was the equation

If their healthy , if the temperature is correct . every 7 to 10 days they lay an egg

How's all that for a yes , they multiply , LOL

Then I will try after all this cold weather.I have 3 huge trash barrels I use as composters
I will post the results.

thank you

Belle

bellieg, you mightwant to read Vermicomposting, here on DG. Loads of information here and some very smart worm farmers.

I will look for the thread.

Thank you

Belle

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/f/wrigglers/all/

I read some discussions on the vermi composting and there seems a lot of works that goes with it.

Honestly I thought that if I put them in my bins the composting will go faster. I did not even know that I can not use the worms in my garden.

Do i want to try? I will read more about it but leaning trying anyway in a smaller scale. Not a thousand worms!!!!

Belle

My personal take is, that when I have the right conditions in my compost area, I have tons of worms, and when things are not to their liking they all go away. So I just don't sweat it- they manage themselves. Of course, it can't hurt to 'plant' desirable worms in there and see how they do.

sallyg,
I think you're correct about your earthworms. If you put leaves and other yard vegetation in your compost, and it doesn't "cook" any more, then the earthworms will like it and stay. If you put a lot of kitchen scraps including coffee grounds, and veggie scraps, then you can grow red worms - you may need to purchase a little styrofoam cup full from a country gas station where they have a "fish bait" sign.

tell you what-- after having a really good wet year of lots of kitchen scraps and coffee grounds last summer and thru winter, I have gazillions of red worms and some almost truly finished compost.

I decided against buying the red wigglers after watching you tube and for them to thrive they have to be in a right temperature. I don't have the time to be moving the bins.
I emptied my three trash barrels few months ago, stunk for few days, dump 5 lbs of baking soda , DH covered it with grass clippings.

I am excited how much earthworms i have to share with my kois.

Happy gardening!!!

Belle

Just a comment here. I have involved with redworm vermiculture for nearly 30 years. I have raised them in Eugene Oregon, Washington state, Utah and Southern OR. I have used bins both above and below ground as well as in open compost piles. First I will say that I have always turned them loose in the garden and they do really well. Yes, if your winters are below zero they may freeze in a bin unless you add hot compost or manure which will keep the bin warm. the biggest mistake people make is to get the bins to wet.In the desert they do just fine in 115 degree temps if they are in the shade and moist enough.I have found them to be tough little critters that will survive even when night crawlers don't. Redworms will double their population every 60 to 70 days.

Belle,
Check out Oneyardrevolution on YouTube.

Go to his video channel and search for worms...

He had eight red wiggler bins, and is currently reducing them down to three. His garden is so fertile from his homemade compost and vermicompost that he's releasing his worms into the beds. There's enough organic content in his soil that the worms can live on what's there.

He has some overages in fertility levels, and is allowing some of the levels to come down. He doesn't need to add any more homemade compost or vermicompost. He let the worms add their vermicompost without his having to maintain the bins for awhile.

Linda