How to Vermicompost with Nightcrawler worms - Uncle Jim's Worm Farm

How to Vermicompost with Nightcrawler worms

Compost, Night Crawlers

african nightcrawlersA lot of worm enthusiasts might ask how to vermicompost with nightcrawler worms? Well, there are actually two common types of nightcrawler worms, the European nightcrawlers and the African nightcrawlers. To know more about these two, let’s read on further below.

What is Vermicomposting?

Well, vermicomposting is actually a natural form of recycling organic wastes. You simply use worms to make this process run its course. These worms then turn these organic scraps into a rich black soil material, which you can later on use to supplement your plants and soil (amongst other benefits).

The European Nightcrawler

As previously mentioned, there are types of nightcrawler worms, and the European kind would be one of them. Now this nightcrawler type can still be used for composting. But it has been observed that gardeners prefer using red worms, over the Europeans worms, especially when it concerns vermicomposting. Although it can still be used for composting. They can still make for good composting worms by helping aerate and fertilize the soil. Other than that, they also help make burrows of tunnels, to allow air and water to flow into the system. They are also the best worms to make as fish bait. But other than that, they are also good as live worm food for a variety of birds, reptiles and amphibians.

African Nightcrawler

Amongst other nightcrawler types, the African nightcrawler is also a common one when it comes to composting. African nightcrawlers, also known as Eudrilus Eugeniae, is a very common commercial worm. It can be used as bait for fish, and also for composting. These African worms can be found in composting bins and worm farms; and can also produce its own batch of rich worm castings, just like Red Wiggler worms. It is through vermicomposting that worm composts are created. The worm composting process basically helps in the breaking down of decomposing organic materials (a blend of kitchen scraps and garden wastes). And just like the European worms, they too can produce an organic and nutrient-rich compost.
When raising nightcrawlers, you should know of their other contributions in the garden. You can simply rely on them to do the following things:

  • They help in the breaking down of organic wastes into a very valuable (black soil) compost, which can be used as an organic fertilizer for your plants and soil
  • They help improve the soil’s structure, as well as enhance the growth of plants
  • They help aerate the soil, which allows enough air and water to flow into the system (of your lawn or garden)
  • They also help a lot in the vermicomposting process by playing a big part in the recycling process

So, the next time you hear the question, how to vermicompost with nightcrawler worms? You should be able to supplement the answers soon after. And if you want to know more about the types of nightcrawlers, you may simply read on our previous article about it.

Uncle Jim’s recommends the European Nightcrawlers

You definitely won’t go wrong with our European Nightcrawlers! These Super Red Worms are easy to raise; and are heat and cold resistant. Other than that, they breed really fast; and are also great for using as fish bait. So buy your own batch with us today!
To know more about the product, check the European Nightcrawlers here.

10 thoughts on “How to Vermicompost with Nightcrawler worms

  1. Please help, I want to start all over with worms but is a bit rusty. I first need to make compos so please help me with the best and fastest way for excellent compost which I can use for my worms and vegetable garden.

    THEUNS Swanepoel

    1. I just used potting soil instead of compost for a first substrate along with bedding and food. It worked find, its maily just to getmsome good microbes in the soil so it takes a bit longer, but I have had a successful harvest and divided since then so it worked well enough!

  2. Hello,
    I just bought 24 Canadian Nightcrawlers at a bait shop, how do I use them to make a compost bin?
    And, what would I feed them?

  3. I just dumped 18 Canadian nightcrawlers in my old year old rich, dark, stinky compost. Im hoping these critters will survive… we will see.. I see that there were 18 in the
    little paper can… I dumped them on top and kind of spread them out and before
    just a few minutes they all had dived into the rich compost…. hoping this is a happy place for them..

  4. HI, may I know what is the advantages of African nightcrawlers over other species of worm in composting?

    1. Yes, you can do that Victor, however, one species may outbreed the other and dominate the bin. If you want both species of worms, we recommend that you keep them in separate bins. They both like the same foods and conditions but the nightcrawlers need more depth and room as they do not like to be overcrowded where the Red Worms are colony worms and do not mind that so much. There is a little to consider here before putting them in the same bin.

      Uncle Jim’s Worm Farm

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