COMPOST Worms in your System

Needs:

Intrinsic Characteristics:

Functions:

  • Cool Temperature 5-20 degrees C.
  • Moist, aerated bedding
  • Partly composted food. Can die from overfeeding
  • Housing (box or hole) with light below
  • predators such as birds. Protection from co-hosts such as rats, ants, flies.
  • Bedding/food pH requires monitoring.
  • Regular food and water as with any animal.
  • Protection from elements and extremes in temperature fluctuation.
  • Worms need to be collected and relocated when housing becomes too cramped.
Variations in size colour and hardiness
for each of the 2 main types:
Earthworm or Compost worm.
Earthworm requires soil housing,
compost worms will die without a regular supply of decaying matter.
You cannot use soil worms for a composting worm bin.
  • Hasten composting
  • Provide rich fertilizer
  • Clean up caged animals manure as it drops through.
  • Eat scraps that the other animals can't eat (off meat and dairy products)
  • Digest weed material in compost worm bin. suitable for weeds and tubers too noxious for compost bay.
  • Bait for fishing; feed for fish, poultry and other birds.
  • sewerage treatment for domestic animal and human manure
  • Earth worms in soil consume parasitic insect eggs
  • Can be used on large scale to reduce community and industrial waste
  • Earthworms regenerate poor soils/orchards without soil disturbance. Species list and discussion in course on Soils.
  • Ideal for Urban permaculture food waste recycling.
  • Plants have greater nutritional where there are Earth worms.

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