Red wiggler worms can be used for everything from composting and fertilizer to fish bait. The two most common uses for red worms are: composting and fish bait. Red wiggler worms are used to recycle food scraps by vermicomposting. Vermicomposting is a method of composting food scraps by adding red worms to them in a specially prepared bin or box. In just one day, red wiggler worms can consume organic material equivalent to their body weight to produce castings equal to 75% of their body weight. Red wiggler worms can convert organic materials into high quality humus, which will provide gardens with earthworm castings, which is considered a complete (and powerful) natural fertilizer.

The great thing about using red wiggler worms for composting is you will never run out of them and they are kept alive. Red worms are very productive breeders. They lay one egg capsule every seven days or so and each capsule hatches an average of three to four earthworms. Hatched earthworms typically grow into breeders in roughly three months. The way to keep the red worms productive is to keep them healthy and happy. If you have a roomy bin (a 5-gallon bucket or other container), the best type of “bedding” such as peat moss, water for moisture, and organic materials such as fruit and vegetable peels, your red worms will be well-fed, comfortable, and productive.

General maintenance is also important to the health of your red wiggler worms for composting. This means that there are several do’s and don’ts of raising red wiggler orms. These include:

·Don’t keep your worm bin in direct sunlight.
·Do keep your worms ideal locations such as the basement, a closet or under the kitchen sink.
·Do lightly toss the bedding every week or two, allowing the bedding at the bottom of the bin to be on the top. This process will allow sufficient oxygen to be throughout the bedding. Remember, red worms absorb oxygen through their bodies.
·Do lightly spray red worm bedding that appears to be getting dry.

Red wiggler worms for fish bait

Trout, crappie, perch, and bluegill prefer red wiggler worms. These are just a few of the types of fish that prefer small baits. Red worms are quite easy to use as bait as they can ‘survive’ a wide range of temperatures ranging from 38 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Once on the hook, the red worm becomes quite active. Red wiggler worms can last a long time under water, unlike many other different types of earthworms.

To purchase red wiggler worms, visit any pet store or fish & bait store. You can also order live red wiggler worms through a number of online retailers. Simply use your favorite search engine to find a suitable red wiggler orm seller. Use the search phrase “buy red worms.”

Other Names for Red Wiggler Worms

Red worms are commonly referred to as Red Wigglers, Red Wiggler, Brandlings, Earthworms, Earth Worms, Redworms, Manure Worms, Trout Worms, Compost Worms, and Tiger Worms.

Tiger worms are one of only a half dozen worm species (out of thousands) that are excellent for composting. They have yellow and maroon bands around the body, and they are surface feeders. In addition to producing large amounts of vermin-cast each day, these wiggly creatures also produce 60% of their body weight in leachate (urine) each day. When diluted 10:1, this liquid can be used as a powerful plant food.

About Composting

So what exactly is worm composting? In simple terms, worm composting is the process of using worms to recycle organic material and food scraps into a useful soil amendment called “vermicompost.” Vermicompost is also called “worm compost.” When worms consume food scraps, the scraps become compost as they pass though the worms body. The compost exits the worm’s body through its tail. The result is a perfectly powerful fertilizer that can be used to help grow plants to their maximum potential. The reason that the worm compost is such a powerful fertilizer is that worms eat nutrient packed fruit and vegetable scraps and in turn, their bodies turn the scraps into nutrient-rich compost.

To create the perfect worm compost you will need several items including:

·Raw fruits and vegetables
·A shallow container (24″ X 18″ X 8″ should suffice) with a lid
·Moist Leaves
·Worms, preferably tiger worms/red worms such as Eisenia foetida or Lumbricus rubellus

One of the first things you should do when worm composting is to purchase the red worms, if you have not already raised several hundred on your own. Red worms can be purchased from a number of online retailers or at most plant and/or pet stores. Next, wash out the container or bin that you are using. If you have a wooden bin, line the bottom of it with sturdy plastic such as a heavy trash bag or shower curtain. Mix the organic materials together and add the worms. It takes roughly 3-5 months for the worms to eat through the materials. At this time, you will notice very little materials and a hefty amount of compost. Once this happens, it’s time to harvest.

Harvesting means: do not add any food to the bin for two weeks. When two weeks has passed, simply move all of the worm bin contents to one side of the bin and remove any large pieces of undecomposed materials. Add fresh materials – leaves, fruits and vegetables, to the empty side of the bin. Over the next two weeks or so, the worms will begin to move to the side where the new materials are located, leaving their compost behind. All that is needed at this point is to remove the old compost and replace it with fresh materials. Cover the new side of the composting bin to encourage the worms to migrate to the new side.

When you are ready to use your fresh worm compost, you can use several methods of extraction, but one method in particular seems to be the most effective. Dump the entire contents of the bin onto a large sheet of plastic and make several piles. Once exposed to the light, the worms will quickly bury themselves in the bottom of the compost within 2-3 minutes. After a few minutes, remove the top layer of compost, leaving the worms on the bottom. Once you have removed all of the worm compost, simply collect the worms and return them to the composting bin.

Worm composting material is ready to use immediately or if you choose, you can store it for later use. Worm compost can be added directly into your potting soil or mixed in with your garden soil as a soil amendment. If you notice a worm or two in the compost, don’t be alarmed. This is fairly common. Worm compost use is not limited to outdoor gardening. You can also use worm compost in the tops of your indoor plants, as the odor is not offensive.