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Uncle Jims Worm Blog

Red Worms, Worms, Worm Composting, Composters & VermiCulture
Category >> Uncle Jims Blog

 Red wiggler worms have been identified as one of nature’s wonder workers. Not only are they the best composters, they also produce the finest organic fertilizer known today. You will be able to experience a lot more great rewards when raising red wiggler worms as they’re also great at aerating the soil and as bait for fish.


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James Shaw, founder and owner of Uncle Jims Worm Farm, has been in the industry of worm farming for about four decades now. Uncle Jim’s specializes in breeding and raising Red Wiggler worms (also known as composting worms). But is also in the business of selling other worm species and supplies. A company that is USDA approved (also federally inspected), this reputable vermiculture farm was also featured in the Oprah Winfrey show.


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If you’re looking for a quick return of investment, then you should try getting into vermicomposting. Composting with worms not only is good option for recycling decomposing natural wastes, it can also serve as a great opportunity to put up a business venture. Red wiggler worms can be sold as is, as well as make a profit out of selling their nutrient-rich castings. You can learn more about worm compost production by reading more from this article.

 

Raising and breeding red wigglers for compost production

Before you can even harvest any of these valuable red worms castings, you must first keep them in a comfortable home (one that closely resembles their real habitat). A worm habitat can be in the form of a compost bin. One that’s already been drilled with ventilation and drainage holes around it (ample amounts of oxygen is needed for these worms and other beneficial microbes to survive). Aside from that, providing your compost worms a nice bedding to set themselves in is also an essential. Make sure that the bedding materials are organic and moist as worms also eat off of these. Of course, food is also a necessity for these worms (best if these were served in tiny cut pieces and buried into the bedding), as well as placing them in a good location (the ideal location to place them in would be in an area where there’s room temperature – extreme temperatures can kill them).

 

Worm castings composition 

Typically, the Eisenia Foetida (also named after the red wigglers) is fed with only the organic stuff. They’re quite the vegetarians so you’ll have to avoid feeding them leftovers such as meat, seafood, dairy, and poultry. These scraps are typically harder for the worms to digest, that’s why these aren’t offered to them. You should also avoid feeding them other substances that are salty, citrusy, spicy, and oily (these can also cause unwanted odors). Now for the acceptable organic wastes, you can feed them a collection of scraps from your kitchen or yard. These can be composed of old newspaper shreds, used coffee grounds, crushed eggshells, a selection of fruit and vegetable peels, grass clippings, dead leaves, and twigs (amongst other materials). 

 

How red wigglers create their castings

Red wiggler worms are born without any teeth on them. So basically, they eat these organic wastes with the help of live organisms present in the worm bin system (good bacteria, fungus, etc.). Somewhat similar to a food chain, the microbes will mostly be the ones responsible in breaking down all decomposing materials inside the bin. When these are done, the worms will then eat these microbes. They no longer have to chew so much, and will only require swallowing at this point. After this, the digestive process will take place. It is after excretion that the castings are produced. Worm castings that are enough for harvesting are usually produced within a 4-6 month timeframe. 

 

Uncle Jim’s recommends the 1000 Red Wigglers 

Just when you thought you had no further use for all the collected scraps from your kitchen and garden, you might want to think again. With the help of 1,000 Red Wigglers, turning your trash into black gold can be quite achievable. Create free organic fertilizer just by raising and breeding worms. Invest on a thousand red wigglers, and you’ll surely get your money’s worth! Order your stock today! 

 

To know more about the product, check the 1000 Red Wigglers here.


Worm tea like most fertilizers, is a product that can be directly applied on your lawn without having to worry about burning it (unlike the usage of chemical fertilizers). It’s an organic solution that can instantly be absorbed by the grass, and is something that’s made readily available for the sod’s consumption. Now worm compost tea is actually worm castings that have been previously oxygenated and submerged in chlorine-free water. You can learn more about the right use and application for worm compost tea by reading further of this article.

 

Worm Tea Supplies

Vermicomposting tea can be done by gathering the following supplies: your supply of worm castings, an old sock (should be hole-less so that the compost doesn’t seep out), some dechlorinated water (you can also use tap water that’s been left to settle for about 24 hours), some molasses or corn syrup, a 5-gallon bucket, and a bubbler. 

 

How to create worm tea 

The water that you’ll be using for the tea should be chlorine-free. It’s best to keep it that way so that you don’t destroy the live microbes that will be present in the system. Now, have your old sock filled with some castings. Have the sock tied securely before submerging it in the water. As soon as the sock is soaked, add in some molasses or corn syrup (either organic substances will be used as food for the live organisms contained in the tea). The last step is to set-up the bubbler (aerating the tea in this manner will actually help produce more live microbes). Leave the tea to brew for about 24 hours before using it on your lawn.

 

Immediate use of the Worm Tea

The making of worm compost tea is more of an aerobic process, as the aerobic microbes that are present in the tea are actually dependent on oxygen to help them thrive and multiply. In this manner, vermiculture tea should be immediately used after brewing, and while it’s heavily packed with beneficial microbes (bubbling the tea keeps dormant microbes come to life). Now should the tea start to smell bad, then you know that your worm compost tea has finally reached its anaerobic stage. So make sure to consume the tea while its teeming with life.

 

The benefits of spraying worm tea on your lawn

Worm castings tea works well as an organic fertilizer (can be diluted with more chlorine-free water or sprayed in full-strength). It’s liquid form helps plant life such as your lawn to quickly absorb the nutrients contained in the brew (the tea itself is packed with a lot of nutrients). The use of worm tea can also help keep the root systems of your grass protected from  potential root and plant diseases. Apart from that, you can give your lawn a boost by just spraying worm compost tea twice a week. You will also be able to see great results on your lawn just by spraying on your sod during the late afternoon (as the microbes are kept protected from the harsh rays of the sun). But for best results, you can apply worm castings tea when your grass turns green (usually during the spring season).

 

Uncle Jim’s recommends the 1000 Red Wigglers 

Looking for the lowest priced composting worms on the net? Then you’ve come to the right place! Uncle Jim’s highly recommends the 1,000 Red Wigglers. Use these ultimate recyclers to help you create nutrient-rich organic compost. Experience the value of using castings now just by ordering your own worm supply today!

To know more about the product, check the 1000 Red Wigglers here

 

Generally, when it comes to vermicomposting, red wigglers have been able to surpass all the other worm species when their ability as composters are put to work. Composting with these worms using organic wastes keeps them alive and thriving. They can live with and eat off of decomposing food wastes for as long as they can. And the best part about them is that they’re also able to produce a valuable source of fertilizer and soil amendment (great for gardens or farms). These fascinating attributes and more will be tackled further in this article.

 

 

Red wiggler worms and their different yet effective skills

Not only are red worms the best composting earthworms, they’re also noted for several other interesting things. Apart from having the ability to eat half of their own weight on a daily basis, they’re also able to produce a rich source of fertilizer (out of their organic meals). It’s also through their constant production of compost (also known as worm poop or castings) that they’re also able to nourish all kinds of plant species (application of worm castings on the soil that has plants rooted in it). 

Red wiggler worms have also been recognized as the most quickest and most effective when it comes to decomposing and producing compost. Apart from that, they’ve also been identified as the most prolific when it comes to breeding. They can multiply quite fast (worms are able to lay eggs every 10 days), and can populate their bins (or any other habitat for that matter) in no less than 3 months; considering that they’re also raised under ideal conditions (egg cocoons can start hatching in about a month’s time under ideal temperatures).

 

Red worms composting – The ability to reduce composting time

The Eisenia foetida (another name for red wiggler worms) can also help cut down the composting time to just 4 weeks (as opposed to the usual composting period of 240 days). Composting can actually be done through an aerobic or anaerobic process, but the production of compost can be created by worms at a much faster rate. 

 

The best soil aerators!

Apart from helping supplement the soil with nutrient-rich worm castings, red wiggler worms have also been recognized for their aerating skills. They’re usually not the burrowing type, but they do have the ability to tunnel through the soil or bedding, which helps keep the worm system to breathe (air exposed). The worm bin structure not only involves the use of compost worms, other live organisms are also present in the composting scenario. These life forms also need ample oxygen to be able to live and thrive continuously. 

 

Live bait for fish

Best known for their wiggling (thus the famous name), red wigglers are also used as live bait for fish. Their motions when submerged underwater makes them more appealing to any fish that might be in the area. Apart from that, they can also stay alive for a good 5 to 30 minutes.

 

Uncle Jim’s recommends the 1000 Red Wigglers 

Looking for the ultimate recyclers that will help turn your organic wastes into black gold? With our 1,000 Red Wigglers, you can! These soil organisms will be able to eradicate harmful substances such as carcinogens and pathogens just through their digestion. Get your worm supply now, produce your own organic fertilizer, and start reaping the rewards today!

To know more about the product, check the 1000 Red Wigglers here.

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There are four basic types of worm composters: the bins, flow throughs, stackables, and beds. Each of these worm bin types can be the best one for your vermicomposting project. To know which of these composters will suit your preferences will, read furthermore of this article.


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Red worms composting has been one of several composting methods that are being widely used by earth enthusiasts today. Other than the profit ventures that one can also tap into when vermicomposting, this natural process can certainly help recycle daily household waste on a continual level. It can also be utilized by people who have space restrictions (can be favorable for people who own houses with a yard space and for those who have none like apartment dwellers), so it’s that flexible to maintain and have around. 

 

Setting-up a Red Worms Farm

Before you can provide additional supplement to your organic garden (in this manner with the cultivation and use of worm castings fertilizer), you must first set-up a home for your red worms (make sure to place their bin where they’re away from direct sunlight – room temperature is ideal). You’ll need a worm bin (a container that can either be made out of wood or plastic), your supply of worms (you can start with about 2,000 red wigglers), some organic bedding materials (you can go with some presoaked newspaper strips with some dead leaves), and of course some worm food (cut pieces of kitchen and yard scraps).

 

Drilled holes on the worm bin

A conducive environment for your red worms would be a place where there’s enough moisture to go around and where oxygen is abundant. You can provide both for your red composting worms by drilling holes around the compost bin. You’ll need to drill evenly spaced holes near the top surface and by the base of the composter (you may use the 1/4” or 1/16” drill bits for this set-up). The top holes will serve as air passageways, while the ones on the bottom will take care of the drainage (holes for which excess water can be drained out of). 

 

Worm bedding composition and food scraps 

You’ll need to fill your worm bin with moist bedding materials up to about ¾ full. Make sure that the worm bed is moist but not soaking wet. A damp consistency is what you should always look out for rather than have both your compost materials and red worms swimming in a puddle of water. And by keeping things moist inside the bin (like that of a wrung-out sponge), you’ll be able to prevent your worms from drowning, and for organic debris to go spoiled. Take note that worms actually need to be in damp surroundings always. They rely on this essential for them to be able to breathe (all earthworm types breath through their skin since they’re born without lungs). You’ll also need to bury some of your food scraps into the bedding so that the worms will be encouraged to burrow towards these, and to aerate the compost system. 

 

Harvesting your red worms compost

Red wiggler worms are voracious eaters. So you won’t be surprised that in less than 2 to 3 months, the worm bedding and the food scraps would have already been converted to red wiggler compost. Now the next step is to harvest all of these. The quickest way that you can do this without having to disturb the worms is to do a form of segregation. Place the worm castings on one side of the worm composter, while new bedding materials are being placed on the other side. Sooner or later, your worms will be able to sense a fresh supply of bedding and food scraps, and they’ll be compelled to move out of the finished compost. Eventually, your red worms composting worms will transfer to the other side, leaving you with just  their castings. 

 

Uncle Jim’s recommends the 1000 Red Wigglers 

If you’re looking for the lowest priced composting worms on the net, then you’ve come to the right place! Uncle Jim’s guarantees to give you nothing but high-quality and healthy live Red Wiggler Worms that will be great for any composting venture. Order 1,000 Red Wigglers today, and get yours shipped with many more interesting returns!

To know more about the product, check the 1000 Red Wigglers here

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 There are plenty of ways to make the world a better place to live in. And becoming more aware of the environments needs by doing your simple composting and recycling acts at home can go along way. So instead of using chemicals to supplement your garden or to spend money on unnecessary materials, here are a few composting and yard care alternatives that can be done at home to save you on costs, energy, time, and other resources.

 

Alternatives for composting

There are different ways to turn your organic scraps into nutrient-rich compost. You can always opt to choose the aerobic method (uses oxygen to breakdown organic wastes) or the anaerobic method (does not require oxygen to be able to start producing finished compost). But aside from that, worm composting using Red wigglers or European Nightcrawlers can also be used to help generate this natural product for your lawn. You can opt to use the latter option since vermicomposting has been recognized to be the fastest way to produce organic fertilizer and natural pest product (there’s a big difference to using chemical fertilizer vs organic fertilizer). Not only are these worms able to breakdown the food and garden scraps more finely, they’re also able to produce these faster than any other composting method (you can harvest worm castings in just a few months). And since the scraps that are being turned into a valuable resource are free, you will also get the chance to recycle these without having to spend an additional dime out of them. So instead of having to throw these straight to the landfills, use your trash and have these turned into ‘black gold’. 

 

The vital role of water 

Did you know that watering your lawn too much or too less can eventually lead to problems? If you want to save on water costs and energy on hosing your lawn, then you might want to consider installing a water device that has a timer on it. Invest on one and this will be able to keep track of a regular schedule for you (try using soaker hoses or a sprinkler that turns on and off when set into a specific time). You should also consider a watering equipment that will be able to water your lawn deeply, as there will be roots that are far below the ground that will also need a good supply of water. Take note that when the roots systems of a plant are healthy, the roots will also be protected from possible weed growth and other diseases (can be a good example of an organic weed killer).

 

The use of beneficial insects

There are a lot of beneficial insects in your home turf. Some of which that actually work as a natural pest control for vegetables or any other plant life. Insects such as ladybugs can help in reducing the numbers of pest colonies (such as those that have been created by aphids) by eating off of these. You can also use nematodes that prey on white grubs (a great food source). We all know that grubs can kill the life out of your lawn.

 

The most important step

When it comes to composting and yard care alternatives, the best way would be to always check up on your lawn. You can always make sure that the grass soil is aerated. Soil that has good ventilation and drainage will be able to develop progressively. When you have a healthy soil, you will also be able to come out with a healthy root system, and a healthy plant. 

 

Uncle Jim’s recommends the Urban Composter

Uncle Jim’s Urban Composter can help create compost for you in just a matter of weeks! It works into creating nutrient-rich compost 90% faster, and also requires little effort on your end. So what are you waiting for? Order your very own composter and experience the joys to producing your very own free organic resource!

To know more about the product, check the Urban Composter here

 


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The best worm species when it comes to worm composting would be your typical nightcrawlers and red wiggler worms. But if you’re looking for the best worm type to help you well with the decomposition of your organic debris, then turn to the king of all wormery worms – the Red Wigglers. But other than these earth miracle workers, there are other compost worms that work well in the composting scenario. 

 

Epigeic Worms

Epigeic worms are typically used for vermicomposting (such as the Eisenia Fetida for example). They’re the type that likes to settle on top soil (does less burrowing), and likes to eat and live off of organic scraps.  They also adapt well when placed inside a worm composting bin or worm bed. 

The Blue Worm

Blue worms can also be distinguished as the traveling worm or the the India blue worm. This worm specie is also native to the tropical parts of Asia. Also known as the Perionyx Excavatus, the blue worm can also grow for as long as 1 ¼ to 2 ¾ inches in length. These crawlers also prefer to be in warmer temperatures that range from 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. You can expect for these worms to also reach the adult stage between a 3 to 5 week timeframe. 

The African Nightcrawler

Also known as Eudrilus Eugeniae, the African Nightcrawler is a tropical worm. It can stand higher temperatures provided that they are given with enough moisture (this only means that African Nightcrawlers will not be able to stand temperatures that drop to 45 degrees Fahrenheit). They certainly work well under damp and temperate conditions.  

The Alabama or Georgia Jumper

Native to tropical Asia, the Alabama/Georgia Jumper (also referred to as the Amynthas Gracilis) works well when used for composting in areas that are tropical and subtropical. Other than that, this large worm specie can grow for as long as 4 to 6 inches in length. It can also stand temperatures ranging from 45 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit (but these jumpers usually prefer temperatures that are well under 70 to 80).  

The Red Wiggler Worm

One of the best worm species would be the red wiggler worms (also known as the Eisenia Fetida). They have been recognized as the worm specie that can eat as much as half of its weight on a daily basis. They’re also the type that works efficiently in breaking down decaying natural remains; and turning these scraps into high-quality organic compost. So not only are they popular with producing worm castings rapidly, they’ve also been acknowledged as the very prolific kind (composting worms such as these red worms love to mate especially during warm conditions). Aside from that, worms in this form can grow for as long as 1 to 5 inches in length, and ¼ inch thick. 

 

Uncle Jim’s recommends the 500 Red Wigglers 

Did you know that you can still use the scraps from your kitchen or yard, and have these turned into a free source of organic fertilizer? With the help of 500 Red Wigglers, you can! Not only are they voracious eaters, they’re also the best kind of gardeners. Use these worms to your advantage by ordering 500 of them today (guaranteed live, and insect/mite free)!

To know more about the product, check the 500 Red Wigglers here

 
 
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There are several efficient ways when it comes to managing both indoor and outdoor worm bins. There’s providing compost worms with a home that they can comfortably stay in; as well as providing them with a fresh stock of moist organic bedding materials regularly. Other than that, you’ll also know that harvesting worm castings, worm eggs, and composting worms also play big roles when keeping the bin well-maintained.

 

Providing a suitable environment for the worms

Worms will continue to thrive, multiply in number, and produce rich castings if they were to be kept in an environment where they’ll feel most at home. So it would be best to place them inside a bin that closely resembles their original habitat (whether these will be used as outdoor or indoor worm bins). That’s why organic bedding materials are essential when creating a worm farm. 

Fill your worm bin with bedding stuff (presoaked newspaper shreds, cardboard, dead leaves, soil), and have these piled up to not more than 3 to 5 inches high (ideal for composters that are 12-18 inches deep). Also spray some water into these so that you may be able to create a moist worm bed. It’s also crucial that you keep the bedding moist, as worms always rely on this kind of consistency (worms only breathe through their damp skin as they’re born without lungs). Keeping your worms where the bin contents are too dry (may cause skin irritation) or too wet (may cause the worms to drown) can actually end their life. 

Now, also keep your worms where there’s room temperature (the ideal temperature is 60-80 degrees Fahrenheit). And make sure that you keep them away from direct sunlight, unless you want them to start crawling out of their bin. 

 

Harvesting worm castings and compost worms, and changing the worm bedding all at the same time

If you’re willing to get your hands dirty, then harvesting castings from worms can be made simple. And one way of collecting these valuable compost is to segregate the worms from their castings. Although this may take some time, you can start by scooping a few handfuls of your bedding from your indoor or outdoor worm bins, and have these transferred into a flat surface. You’ll be able to create a small pile afterwards, for which you’ll have to set aside. You’ll then have to put in some organic food scraps close to the pile as this will help attract the worms to crawl out of the bedding materials. This may take a bit of time, but it sure works when you’re also aiming to harvest compost worms manually. You may also start changing the bedding while the worms are away. At least you’ll know that the compost worms will not be disposed of by accident.

 

How to harvest worm eggs

Gathering worm eggs will require some effort on your end especially if these are coming from the worm bins. Again, you’ll need a flat surface for where you can place finished compost. You’ll also need containers for where you can brush the compost into, and where you can transfer the eggs to. Brushing through the compost will help you locate and remove the worm eggs (typically looks like seeds that are yellowish in shade). Also try working on one layer after another so that you also avoid sweeping the worms (there’s a big chance that you may still have worms present in the compost). 

 


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