Thread: Worm Farms

Originally Posted by Feralbilly

Hi all.
I am thinking of starting a worm farm. Does anyone have experience of these things?
Are they as easy to look after as the adverts claim?
What are the pitfalls?
Are they really worth the bother?
Any info from anyone who has one would be much appreciated.

Billy

Yes, Billy, they are easy. The only pitfalls I have encountered with mine, areforgetting to feed the worms (they don't like that) and that on the REALLY HOT day last summer in Sydney, they all died.

Aside from that, some minimal maintenance provides good liquid fertilizer and compost.

Had one for a while , keeping them fed with only the two of us at home then was the hardest, making sure they didn't flood with too much rain, not letting them get too hot, keeping the ants out , finally went to one of those compost domes that sit on bare earth put all the worms in there and we now put all our compost in that and in 5 years have never been able to fill it .
Will have to move it this year rekon the soil there will be good enough.


Rgds

Yup. Easy peasy. Hot days and forgettin' about 'em are the big 'uns.

There's always the unexpected little calamities, but they're things ya just gotta grin 'n bear. Like... sawdust and shavings is not a good idea, especially treated pine. (The young 'un was trying to help...) Also, if there's a keen fisherman in the family, set up two seperate farms and tell 'em to alternate their bait harvest. And to leave money of the 'frig, but that never happens.

Are they worth the bother? Mrs Greenthumbs (aka SWMBO) certainly thinks so. So does the fisherman.

If you were you using one of those black plastic worm farms that will happen if you do not have it in the shade. I learnt that the hardway like you have.

Now I have mine built of timber much, bigger, and better and painted white. Also they are built on soil so that if you do not water them they can go down into the soil to survive and then come back when they get enough water.

Natural felt (not any with nylon in it) carpet underlay makes a good covering and holds a lot of water. It is also good feed for the worms so you do have to replace it regularly.

Get your self a copy of David Murphys book, Earthworms in Australia" it will tell you all you need to know about worms. It is well worth the $17.60.

Robert34

I've got mine in an old bathtub under a shady tree. Any excess liquid (and the worm juice) flows down the plughole into a bucket. I feed them scraps, fallen leaves, anything the chooks don't get, and especially manure...horse and cows. They are breeding wildly!
I've always meant to make up some plywood baffles to seperate the different aged compost from the active worms, but one day

Cheers,

Thanks Guys. Will go ahead when I can find a source of worms. (The Can O Worms people say thet are temporarily unavailable.

Billy

Billy, if you have a garden a worm area is definitely a benefit.
The only waste NOT to give them is too much onion or citrus related stuff, and treated timber.
Years ago I sank, to ground level, the two halves of a rusted-out rain water tank and began filling one with everythng that came to hand. The idea was to develop with, firstly, garden and kitchen waste and then add an equal amount of soil which I mixed. Worms were added. Crunched-up newspaper were added. A very slow delivery water-spray wetted/dampened the area before I covered it all with old hession, and carpet (not man-made fibre). When weeds grow in the cover, turn it over. My garden area NEVER before had worms - now everything grows, and the sprinkler system is adjusted to the worms needs of moisture. I do not collect run-off, but once a year I let the two areas dry for a week - check the worms have burrowed down, and shovel out the top foot of soil/castings mix to add to the garden.
My weather varies between frost anf 45C - I've never lost the worms.
The removed soil was used to build-up beds, increasing the drainage.
Severly rusted items can, in small qualtities, also be included.
I don't need to put out the garbage very often.

......... and, then you start talking to them which is OK, till you are caught by the neighbours.

Originally Posted by Feralbilly

Thanks Guys. Will go ahead when I can find a source of worms. (The Can O Worms people say thet are temporarily unavailable.

Billy

Bunnings garden area (in newcastle ) often have them about $25 I think