Comments on: Grains for Worms http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/grains-for-worms/ Red Wiggler Worms, European Nightcrawlers and loads of helpful Worm Composting Information Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:46:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Bentley http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/grains-for-worms/comment-page-1/#comment-22356 Bentley Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:03:55 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=398#comment-22356 Hi Andy, I'm not big on recommending turn-key systems like that provided by Unco. I'm not saying they are disreputable or it's a waste of money - I have not tried any of their offerings - I just think it always works best when someone new to worm composting simply starts raising worms. It is very easy, and you certainly don't need to pay that much to get started. The 'cultured' nightcrawlers they are referring to are likely European Nightcrawlers, since they are a larger version of the Red Worm, and as mentioned, they don't need to be refrigerated. Hi Andy,
I’m not big on recommending turn-key systems like that provided by Unco. I’m not saying they are disreputable or it’s a waste of money – I have not tried any of their offerings – I just think it always works best when someone new to worm composting simply starts raising worms. It is very easy, and you certainly don’t need to pay that much to get started.
The ‘cultured’ nightcrawlers they are referring to are likely European Nightcrawlers, since they are a larger version of the Red Worm, and as mentioned, they don’t need to be refrigerated.

]]> By: Andy http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/grains-for-worms/comment-page-1/#comment-22341 Andy Mon, 07 Sep 2009 15:55:42 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=398#comment-22341 I am not sure that anyone answered the question of what "cultured nightcrawlers" were. Here is a site from WI that is saying that they have the best of the red wigglers and a worm system that can actually keep track of inventory of worms and end product of castings. Take a look at the following site for the information about the worms. Tell me what you think. It looks like for under a $100 investment you would get access to a system and some worms. I would like to see if anyone else is using these. http://www.vermiculture.com/cultured_nightcrawlers.html I am not sure that anyone answered the question of what “cultured nightcrawlers” were. Here is a site from WI that is saying that they have the best of the red wigglers and a worm system that can actually keep track of inventory of worms and end product of castings. Take a look at the following site for the information about the worms. Tell me what you think. It looks like for under a $100 investment you would get access to a system and some worms. I would like to see if anyone else is using these.

http://www.vermiculture.com/cultured_nightcrawlers.html

]]> By: Bentley http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/grains-for-worms/comment-page-1/#comment-20974 Bentley Fri, 13 Mar 2009 16:47:31 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=398#comment-20974 John - I just wanted to jump in here and thank you for all your contributions lately. LOADS of great information contained in your comments! 8) John – I just wanted to jump in here and thank you for all your contributions lately. LOADS of great information contained in your comments!
8)

]]> By: John Augenstein http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/grains-for-worms/comment-page-1/#comment-20939 John Augenstein Wed, 11 Mar 2009 04:48:26 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=398#comment-20939 All the way back up to Ruthie. I am growing red wrigglers (eisenia fetida) and European Night crawlers (eisenia hortensis). I feed a mix of pureed garden leftovers (1 Lb Freezer bag), one single hand full of peat moss, two single handfuls of poultry feed (pelleted) and add coffee and tea grounds (I have a good supply from a local restaurant) until it's wet but no longer gooey. I tried out several different grains and feeds before settling on the poultry feed. It has calcium (usually finely ground oyster shell) added for egg shell strength, this is good worm health and bin Ph. 24 Hrs after I mix this up the pellets have softened so when I stir they break up into small particles that the worms seem to make short work of. A $7 bag is going to last me over a year. By the way, the above recipe gives me about 1/2 of a 3 gallon pail full at a time. I hope this is of some use. John All the way back up to Ruthie. I am growing red wrigglers (eisenia fetida) and European Night crawlers (eisenia hortensis). I feed a mix of pureed garden leftovers (1 Lb Freezer bag), one single hand full of peat moss, two single handfuls of poultry feed (pelleted) and add coffee and tea grounds (I have a good supply from a local restaurant) until it’s wet but no longer gooey. I tried out several different grains and feeds before settling on the poultry feed. It has calcium (usually finely ground oyster shell) added for egg shell strength, this is good worm health and bin Ph. 24 Hrs after I mix this up the pellets have softened so when I stir they break up into small particles that the worms seem to make short work of. A $7 bag is going to last me over a year. By the way, the above recipe gives me about 1/2 of a 3 gallon pail full at a time. I hope this is of some use. John

]]> By: Bentley http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/grains-for-worms/comment-page-1/#comment-20778 Bentley Wed, 04 Mar 2009 14:50:49 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=398#comment-20778 Absolutely no worries, Robert! I didn't mean to imply that your comment was unnecessary - most people wouldn't even know about the other post. On a site like this there is definitely no such thing as redundancy, since information is scattered all over the place. Aside from that, repetition definitely helps the learning process. And, aside from that, repetition definitely helps the learning process! :lol: Absolutely no worries, Robert!
I didn’t mean to imply that your comment was unnecessary – most people wouldn’t even know about the other post. On a site like this there is definitely no such thing as redundancy, since information is scattered all over the place. Aside from that, repetition definitely helps the learning process.

And, aside from that, repetition definitely helps the learning process!
:lol:

]]> By: Robert http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/grains-for-worms/comment-page-1/#comment-20777 Robert Wed, 04 Mar 2009 14:40:19 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=398#comment-20777 Hi Bentley, Some way, some how, I either missed or forgot about (with me, one is just as likely as the other) your nightcrawler-question blog! Sorry about wasting your site's space with my redundancy! :>) You know... if I didn't know better, I'd think you were trying to sell me some worms!! LOL Yep, I already found the page where you have your worm prices and such. And, I have a couple of questions for you. But, I'll send you an email with them. Thanks for your reply. You <b>definately</b> have a <b>great</b> site!!!! Robert Hi Bentley,

Some way, some how, I either missed or forgot about (with me, one is just as likely as the other) your nightcrawler-question blog! Sorry about wasting your site’s space with my redundancy! :>)

You know… if I didn’t know better, I’d think you were trying to sell me some worms!! LOL Yep, I already found the page where you have your worm prices and such. And, I have a couple of questions for you. But, I’ll send you an email with them.

Thanks for your reply. You definately have a great site!!!!

Robert

]]> By: Bentley http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/grains-for-worms/comment-page-1/#comment-20763 Bentley Tue, 03 Mar 2009 18:22:56 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=398#comment-20763 Good points, Robert - you covered some ground that I didn't. Actually reminds me of another Q&A article I posted awhile ago: http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/nightcrawler-question/ Not sure if you are aware of this, but we actually sell Euros here. (nudge, nudge, wink, wink) :-) Good points, Robert – you covered some ground that I didn’t.
Actually reminds me of another Q&A article I posted awhile ago:
http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/nightcrawler-question/

Not sure if you are aware of this, but we actually sell Euros here.
(nudge, nudge, wink, wink)
:-)

]]> By: Robert http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/grains-for-worms/comment-page-1/#comment-20742 Robert Mon, 02 Mar 2009 05:53:57 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=398#comment-20742 Hey Bentley, First, you have a great site! I especially appreciate the videos that you have posted. I can tell that you have put a lot of time and effort in putting all this information together. Your work is greatly appreciated!! I don't have any worms yet. But, I plan to get some in the next couple of weeks. That will give me time to follow your recommendation to set up the bin and allow it to rot for a couple of weeks before adding worms. I don't know what type of nightcrawlers Ruthie is referring to either. Like you, I've not met anyone who has been successful with soil nightcrawlers. But, I have read about a lot of success in raising two other nightcrawlers. The first is the African nightcrawler (eudrilus eugeniae). It is supposed to be a very prolific composting worm. And, I have read that it reaches sizes that are comparable to the Canadian nightcrawlers. One man claims to have seen one that was 15 inches in length! But, unlike the Canadian nightcrawlers, the Africans are very heat tolerant and very cold intolerant. They are supposedly at their very best when temps are above 70 degrees F. The second is the European nightcrawler (eisenia hortensis). They are cousins to the Red Worm (eisenia fetida). They look so much like an overgrown Red Worm that some call them Red Worms on steroids!! They are much, much bigger than the Red Worm. Yet, they are smaller than the Africans or the Canadians. From what I have read about them, they multiply slower and do not have the voracious appetite of the Red Worm. But, you raise them in the exact same way that you raise Red Worms. And, if their bedding gets a bit wet, it's no problem. They actually tend to like more moisture than the Red Worms. Since I am wanting big worms to fish with, I intend to try both the African crawler and the European crawler. I hope this information was helpful to you and others. If you need any help locating any of these worms, you are welcome to email me and I will see if I can point you in the right direction! Robert Hey Bentley,

First, you have a great site! I especially appreciate the videos that you have posted. I can tell that you have put a lot of time and effort in putting all this information together. Your work is greatly appreciated!!

I don’t have any worms yet. But, I plan to get some in the next couple of weeks. That will give me time to follow your recommendation to set up the bin and allow it to rot for a couple of weeks before adding worms.

I don’t know what type of nightcrawlers Ruthie is referring to either. Like you, I’ve not met anyone who has been successful with soil nightcrawlers. But, I have read about a lot of success in raising two other nightcrawlers.

The first is the African nightcrawler (eudrilus eugeniae). It is supposed to be a very prolific composting worm. And, I have read that it reaches sizes that are comparable to the Canadian nightcrawlers. One man claims to have seen one that was 15 inches in length! But, unlike the Canadian nightcrawlers, the Africans are very heat tolerant and very cold intolerant. They are supposedly at their very best when temps are above 70 degrees F.

The second is the European nightcrawler (eisenia hortensis). They are cousins to the Red Worm (eisenia fetida). They look so much like an overgrown Red Worm that some call them Red Worms on steroids!! They are much, much bigger than the Red Worm. Yet, they are smaller than the Africans or the Canadians. From what I have read about them, they multiply slower and do not have the voracious appetite of the Red Worm. But, you raise them in the exact same way that you raise Red Worms. And, if their bedding gets a bit wet, it’s no problem. They actually tend to like more moisture than the Red Worms.

Since I am wanting big worms to fish with, I intend to try both the African crawler and the European crawler.

I hope this information was helpful to you and others. If you need any help locating any of these worms, you are welcome to email me and I will see if I can point you in the right direction!

Robert

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