How to grow earthworms at home?

Soil, as you know, is the basis of all living things and developing on our planet, the basis of life. In order not to dry up its strength, soil fertility must be constantly restored, and the most important workers in this direction are earthworms. Everything ingenious is extremely simple - the quality of lands, their fertility and high crop yields directly depend on the waste product of an ordinary earthworm. How to breed it at home, how and what to feed and what kind of care to take will be described below.

Reasons for breeding earthworms at home

Breeding worms at home is not at all difficult. And the case can become a very serious business, and there are at least two good reasons for this:

• creepers multiply very quickly, gain useful biomass and are excellent feed for poultry (poultry farms, poultry farms and egg production);
• the product of active life is vermicompost - the highest quality and environmentally friendly fertilizer for farms and greenhouses.

In addition, in pharmacology, these animal organisms are also used for the manufacture of medicines. The use of vermicompost on personal household plots and in households will significantly increase the egg production of poultry, soil fertility, increase the productivity of vegetables and fruits without the use of chemical fertilizers.

Worms produce the most natural biohumus

Varieties of annelids

The most common common representative of bristle annelids is the earthworm. But it is they, freely occurring in nature, that are least suitable for reproduction in artificial conditions. Representatives of this subspecies reproduce rather slowly, with difficulty adapting to new conditions and unfamiliar food, they live relatively little. They, perhaps, are suitable only for breeding for their own needs of a personal backyard farm.

For industrial cultivation and production of vermicompost, the Russian scientist, Professor AM Igonin bred a special breed “Prospector”. By crossing various breeds of species living at a sufficient distance from each other, he was able to get individuals with completely new qualities:

• long life expectancy - from 4 to 16 years;
• multiplies rapidly;
• easily tolerates the change of feed (you can use any type of food - from fallen leaves and grass to human food waste).

Prospectors adapt as quickly as possible to the conditions of artificial reproduction and give an excellent increase in biomass and humus.

Another variety that meets industrial production requirements is the California red worm. Individuals of KKCH also reproduce very quickly, increase the useful mass, process various organic waste of human life into vermicompost, serve as an excellent protein feed for agricultural and fish farms.

The prospector worm is the fastest breeding individual. In 1 year can produce offspring of 1500 worms

Household breeding technology

Necessary equipment and breeding area

If you decide to start breeding worms, you first need to carry out preparatory work - choose and prepare a place or container. Containers can be wooden, plastic or cardboard boxes (it is clear that cardboard containers will have to be changed often), piles.

They are placed in a barn, garage, any other specially designated place where it is possible to comply with the necessary conditions - the substrate moisture content is at least 70-80% and the temperature is from 12-15оС to 22-24оС. You can also breed worms in an ordinary compost heap, a pit.

You can breed worms in simple boxes at home in the basement.

One convenient option is to use two or three perforated boxes stacked on top of each other. The lowest one - with holes along the perimeter at the top of the sides. This box is intended for vermicelli - a liquid component of vermicompost. A box with perforated walls and a bottom is placed on top of it, a nutrient medium for worms is laid in it and individuals are populated, on top the boxes need to be covered with burlap or other "breathing" cloth, since creepers love dark and damp places.

Making a worm

You can breed individuals on the street, right in the garden, separating a certain place for this and fencing it with boards or other improvised material.

Approximate dimensions of the wormhole: width 1-1.2m, height 30-40cm, arbitrary length. A thick layer of compost is placed on the bottom, leveled and well moistened. Then cover the compost heap with material that allows air to pass through for 5-7 days.

It can be an old burlap, cardboard, a layer of straw, which need to be watered from time to time with rain or well-settled water (at least 2-3 days).

Chlorine must completely evaporate, as it is a poison for worms of any kind.

After a week, each square. m, a recess is made in which the creeping ones are placed, and again the wormhole is covered with an air-permeable material.

Both a box and other options can serve as a wormhole.

Compost preparation

Mixtures of rotted manure, poultry droppings, peat, straw, leaves and stems of vegetables and weeds, crushed eggshells and food waste can be used as compost for laying in boxes or pits.

In no case should fresh manure be used, it contains a large amount of ammonia and individuals die. Rotted manure from 2-3 years ago will also be of little use, since it already lacks useful nutrients.

All organic materials suitable for breeding are collected on a heap (or in a specially designated place), covered and, periodically moistened, kept for 1.5-2 months.

Worm Box Diagram

Own vermi farm

If you decide to acquire your own small worm farm, then, first of all, you need to equip a place for keeping worms, stock up on containers, prepare compost and provide comfortable conditions for breeding.

The purchase of the broodstock is of decisive importance. The most suitable species, as already mentioned, are the Californian red worms or prospectors.One family is 1500 individuals. In order to populate 1 cubic meter. m of compost, 1-3 families of broodstock are needed.

Moving into a new location must be done with great care. First, a few individuals are introduced into a small amount of prepared soil in a separate bowl, the soil is leveled and the dishes are closed. After a couple of days, you need to add a little feed. If all the worms are active, mobile, with a characteristic red color, the entire livestock can be colonized. If dead individuals are found, then it is necessary to correct the acidity of the soil (the most favorable environment is considered to be an acid indicator of 6.5-7.5 PH).

Growing worms

How to feed earthworms

Ringed earthworms are real vegetarians and they do not tolerate protein foods: meat, fish, eggs. When buying a broodstock, it is necessary to find out what the seller fed his wards, since the most common is the feed that they have tried "from birth". However, they quickly get used to new foods, especially Prospectors. It takes some time to get used to a certain type of feed, therefore, new components should be introduced into the feed base gradually, allowing the worms to adapt.

As a top dressing, plant residues, potato peelings, cabbage leaves, various food waste from the kitchen of plant origin, tea and coffee grounds, straw, grass, dry bread are suitable. Only whatever you add to the compost heap needs to be shredded for easier and faster processing by creepers. Otherwise, the process of acidification, fermentation or rotting of products may begin.

You need to feed it every 2-3 weeks. Pour the top dressing on the entire surface of the boxes or piles, evenly, 7-10 cm thick, until the thickness of the processed humus reaches 50-60 cm and the substrate takes the form of uniformly processed biomass. The approximate cycle time is 3-4 months from the time of the settlement of the livestock.

Fertilize the worms every 2-3 weeks

Care and reproduction

The main care in worm farms or in wormhouses is to comply with the temperature regime, timely feeding, and maintain the humidity level when irrigated with warm rain or settled water.

In favorable conditions, the worms begin to multiply. In the compost, they lay cocoons - small balls of yellow-sandy color. Each of the cocoons contains several eggs, of which small worms appear 2-3 weeks later, and after 7-8 weeks they are ready to produce offspring themselves. The unsurpassed leaders in reproduction rate are the Prospectors - one individual produces 1,500 offspring per year.

Possible sales markets

Growing worms can really be a profitable business if you worry about the market for processed products and increased livestock in advance.

1. Vermicompost is an environmentally friendly fertilizer, highly effective in terms of increasing crop yields, growing seedlings, flowers, etc. Therefore, the consumers of vermicompost can be farms, greenhouses, flower greenhouses, as well as private entrepreneurs engaged in plant breeding.
2. Live biomass is a valuable nutritious protein feed for poultry and poultry farms.
3. Live food in the form of worms is an indispensable nutritious product for fish farms.
4. Worms are in great demand as pet food for zoological stores.

Worms can be sold to poultry farms

Production profitability

According to the estimates of earthworm farmers, the profitability of the worm farm is in the range of 150%. One Prospector per year gives offspring of 1500 individuals and about 100 kg of the most valuable fertilizer - vermicompost. From 1 ton of harvested compost, you can get up to 600 kg of high-quality fertilizer and 10-15 kg of new individuals.

Farms for growing worms and producing vermicompost is not only profitable and profitable farming, but also enrichment of the environment with useful substances, the possibility of obtaining environmentally friendly food products.

Today, almost everyone is trying to start their own business. However, not everyone succeeds. Often, competitors do not allow to break through to a large market, or the occupation is not to your liking. Have you considered breeding worms at home as a business? No? Then this material is for you.

Which worms are better to choose

First of all, remember that breeding such animals does not require selection by breed. You can start with a local variety. For example, low-cost manure worms adapt perfectly to life in nurseries. Such individuals begin to reproduce much faster. Hence the first conclusion: it is better to collect worms on your own. The simplest of them are rainwater. Breeding worms as a business in this situation will not require large costs.

Where to get worms

If you decide to start breeding worms as a business, then you should collect them. To do this, dig a shallow hole and place some rotting leaves or manure in it. Be sure to moisten the filler. The main thing is not to overdo it. After that, simply cover the hole with a board or a layer of cardboard. A week later, the first tenants will appear in your "house". Transfer the individuals to the box along with the soil in which they lived. For worm breeding as a business to generate income, one square meter requires at least a kilogram of invertebrates. This is about 1000 individuals.

Choosing a room

When you have collected the worms, you need to consider the place where they will live. A specially equipped room is not required for their breeding. It is important that its area matches your desires. Of course, it is best to breed California worms (or any other) in a heated building. A garage or cellar is perfect for these purposes. If you are going to raise your pets in an ordinary barn, then get ready for the fact that a decrease in air temperature to 4 ° C will affect the activity of worms. They will simply hibernate. In this case, you will have to forget about breeding worms in the winter. If you want to do this throughout the year, then you should take care of heating and, of course, a large farm. After all, the number of individuals will grow. For example, on large farms where the breeding of dendroben worms is considered a business, their number can reach 100 thousand or more.

Special nursery boxes

Breeding the California worm as a business is not a big deal. The main thing is to create optimal conditions for its reproduction. It is best to keep the worms in special nursery boxes. You can make them yourself. However, remember that each type of worm requires a box of a certain size. In such nurseries, the most comfortable conditions for invertebrates are created. Boxes can be made of plastic or wood.

Tree nursery

You will need boards to make it. Their thickness should be 25 millimeters. If you are breeding an earthworm, then it is better for you to make a nursery box corresponding to the following parameters: 100X20X50 centimeters. When the box is ready, turn it over and drill into the bottom of the hole. After that, set the box on the bars so that it stands at a slight slope. This is necessary so that the valuable liquid ("worm tea" - a waste product of these animals) drips gently. Cover all seams and corners with tin tape. This will eliminate the penetration of rodents into the nursery. Don't forget the roof. You can simply make it out of planks. If not, then you can use a sheet of plywood. Be sure to make holes in the roof.They are necessary for normal air circulation.

Plastic container

If you have achieved positive results, and breeding California worms as a business generates you income, then you can purchase special containers made of plastic. You shouldn't buy these items if you are just starting out. Since such acquisitions are quite costly. Agree, if you don't like the breeding of dendroben or ordinary rainworms, then such a purchase will be simply in vain for you, and you will throw your money down the drain.

If you nevertheless purchased such nursery boxes, then the first thing to do is make holes in them. After all, such containers are completely airtight. Punch holes in both the roof and the sides. In addition, there must be a hole for the drain of valuable liquid.

Old refrigerator

An old refrigerator can be used as a breeding ground. To do this, install it with the door facing up and remove all contents. You don't need it. Punch holes in the walls of the refrigerator and on the door. Place it on the bars so that it is tilted. Do not forget to make a hole in the bottom so that the liquid can drain.

Cardboard boxes

If you are just getting started in this business, and breeding an earthworm is something new for you, then you can use cardboard boxes as breeding grounds. Their dimensions should be about 40 by 30 centimeters or more. Cardboard is an environmentally friendly material that is breathable and is often used as food by worms. The only drawback of such a hotbed is its short service life. If the box is damp and starts to fall apart, then you can place it in another.

Let's reveal the secrets of the worm business

Recently, many have been attracted by the breeding of worms. As a business, this business is quite profitable if you approach it correctly. In order not to burn out, you should know some simple secrets. First of all, it is necessary to take into account the peculiarities of the natural habitat of worms, the soil in which they live, what they eat. Their "house" can be roughly divided into three floors. At the top, the worms feed on organic remains of animals and plants. In the lower tier of the habitat, the product of their vital activity accumulates, in another way - humus, as well as liquid, which many call "worm tea". Between these "floors" your pets will feel most comfortable and will mostly be there. It is important to fill the nursery correctly. Then the worms will multiply well and increase your profits.

How to fill the nursery correctly

If we consider breeding worms as a business, then first of all, you should carefully study all the nuances of such an activity. Many novice breeders make many mistakes, the first of which is incorrect filling of nurseries. How to do it correctly?

Fill the prepared container halfway with humus. You can mix it with shredded cardboard or pieces of newspaper if you like. Be sure to moisten the finished mixture. However, do this with caution. If, when squeezing a lump, free moisture does not flow out of it, then you did everything right. Don't immediately populate the worms. The filler from the compost will release a substance such as ammonia for the first few days. When it has completely evaporated, you can begin to populate the nursery.

Make a hole in the prepared filler and put some of the soil with the worms into it. Carefully level this place, moisten and cover with a piece of cardboard. Do not disturb the tenants for several days. They must adapt to their new habitat.

If the worms have spread over the nursery, this is the first sign that acclimatization has been successful. Then you can add food. Remember, the place where the worms breed should be calm and quiet. Therefore, install the nursery where there is no strong vibration and noise.

Soil moistening

You need to moisten the soil of the nursery regularly. However, do not overdo it. Remember, earthworms breathe through the skin. This explains the fact that they creep out to the surface of the soil during rain. They just need it to oxygenate their bodies. If the soil is too wet, your pets will simply die.

What and how to feed?

Breeding earthworms as a business is not expensive. This also applies to their feed. You need to create a bunch of compost. For these purposes, manure, grass, leaves, tea leaves, coffee grounds, flour products, egg shells, vegetable and fruit peelings are perfect. You should not throw the waste products of cats and dogs, manure into the compost heap, if the animals underwent a course of therapy for worms, peeling onions, garlic, citrus peels, fats, oils, dairy products, meat and fish waste.

When the food is ready, place it in a small layer - 10 centimeters thick. You need to feed the worms every 7 days. You can use a piece of newspaper or regular toilet paper to determine your pets' satiety level. Place it on top of the food and dampen it a little. If the worms start eating this paper, then it's time to feed them and put a new layer of compost.

How worms reproduce

Earthworms can begin to produce offspring at 2–3 months of age. They lay cocoons for 4 months. They ripen within a few weeks. No more than 20 individuals emerge from one such cocoon, which after 2 months already begin to actively reproduce. The exception is the prospector worm, which is more difficult to breed. If you count, then after about six months the number of pets in one box will increase 50 times. Remember, if there are 50 adults per liter of soil, then urgently you need to either sell them or plant them in new nurseries. Otherwise, their reproduction will stop naturally.

How to get profit

Sort the worms every 5 months. To do this, carefully remove the topsoil and remove the soil where your pets live from the nursery. Then you can remove the humus layer. Send small worms back to the nursery and adults either to expand your business further or to sell.

You can sell the product in the form of bait for fishing, in a pet store as feed. Such a product is in demand by fish farms. You can sell not only invertebrates, but also worm tea and humus. The latest products are in demand among summer residents.

To collect worm tea, you made a hole in the bottom of the nursery and a drain. This product is very valuable as an environmentally friendly and natural fertilizer. As you can see, there are a lot of opportunities to make money on breeding worms. The main thing is to know the right approach.

Despite the huge variety of artificial baits for fishing, nothing can replace real worms. Therefore, anyone who knows a lot about this prefers to always have them at hand. That is why many fishermen ask a natural question: "How to breed worms for fishing on your own?"

Lovers of winter fishing know perfectly well how difficult it is to get the necessary bait at this time. It's good if there is a bloodworm on sale. And if it is not there, then you have to use any available food, which does not always guarantee a successful catch. As a result, many are thinking about how to breed worms for fishing at home.

General information about earthworms

Almost any fish can be caught with this bait. There are several varieties of these living organisms that are popular with anglers. How to breed earthworms? How are they different from others? This general name covers a number of families of small-bristled worms. The most common individuals have a body of 3-15 cm. There are worms 2.5-40 cm long.There are 1,500 species of them, although most of them are found in the tropics. In temperate latitudes, there are about 100 species of worms. They live in the ground and lead an active life at night. During the day they can be found on the ground after rain. Due to the fact that in the process of their digestion they process organic residues, the most valuable fertilizer is obtained - vermicompost. Thinking about the question of how to breed earthworms, it is necessary to understand the most common types of this bait for fish.

Red worms

Many fishermen believe that red worms are the most attractive bait. They are suitable for both industrial and domestic breeding. At the same time, a large increase in their biomass can be obtained in a fairly short period of time. The body of such creatures contains proteins, fats, carbohydrates, minerals, making them an excellent food not only for fish, but also for pets and birds.

How to breed red worms? There are different ways to grow them. In one cycle, lasting 3 months, up to 30 kg of worms are harvested from 1 m2. Almost any organic waste is used to feed them, such as food waste, animal manure, bird droppings, straw, waste from the paper, woodworking, meat and fishing industries.

Habitat conditions for red worms

How to breed worms in the garden? To do this, it is necessary to satisfy their need for nitrogen-containing organic matter. In such an environment, their growth and fertility are greatly enhanced. Adequate soil moisture is required to grow red worms. If it is below 30-35%, then the development of individuals will be inhibited. When the humidity level drops below 22%, they can die in a week. That is why it is necessary to regularly water the ground. Its optimum humidity is 70-85%.

Soil acidity below pH5 and above pH9 is unsuitable for breeding worms. In such an environment, they will die in a week. The best option is earth, which has an acidity of pH7. They also do not tolerate saline soil, and a salt concentration of more than 0.5% is simply fatal for them.

At temperatures below 5 ° C, the worms do not feed. They crawl deep into the soil and hibernate. As a rule, they wake up 10-14 days before the soil thaws. The optimum temperature for breeding them is 18-24 ° C.

Reproduction of red worms

Each adult lays 18-24 cocoons in summer. They contain from 1 to 20 eggs. After 3 weeks, young individuals appear, and after 7-9 weeks they can already bear offspring themselves. Most often, one individual lives for 10-15 years. Moreover, with age, their size only increases. Sexually mature young worms weigh about 1 g each.

Growing worms

How to breed dung worms? Collect a sufficient number of individuals in old heaps of humus or in clusters of last year's decayed foliage. Such worms are not so common in ordinary soil, but they can be found in some places with high humidity (for example, in raspberries). Dung worms are very similar to red ones. Only when put on a hook do they release yellow contents that have an unpleasant odor.

To create a worm cultivator, only about 500 individuals per 1 sq. m. One of the main factors for the successful reproduction of these organisms is the quality of the substrate in which they will live. For him, manure, straw, hay, sawdust are used, which are thoroughly mixed. Dense compost creates an ideal environment for worms to live and breed. It should stay moist even in dry weather.

Construction of a worm cultivator

In a shady place of the site, a small ditch (no more than 2 m2) with a depth of 30-35 cm is dug. A layer of clay is laid and tamped at its bottom. It should rise to the very edges of the ditch. The thickness of this layer is 10 cm. Good soil (preferably black earth) is poured over the clay. Next, the groove is covered with humus, which is well compacted.Ash or coal cannot be added to it, since the worms cannot tolerate them.

The collected individuals are poured into the substrate, evenly distributing them over the entire groove. In such a worm house, you can grow not only dung or red worms, but also ordinary earth or earthworms. For each of these types, the most suitable composition of the substrate is selected. So, for earthworms and earthworms, you should not add manure to the soil. Better to limit yourself to compost.

When breeding dung worms in a warm winter, they can be collected for fishing even during frosts. How can this phenomenon be explained? This is due to the fact that a large amount of manure in the substrate increases the temperature in it. For the winter, the wormhole is covered with bags and sprinkled with earth and snow.

Breeding worms at home

How to breed earthworms at home? Although the overwhelming majority of people breed them in their summer cottage or personal plot, some avid fishermen manage to do this in an apartment environment. True, not everyone succeeds in this, but those who have learned to breed worms in an apartment are provided with good bait all year round.

How to breed worms for fishing at home? To do this, you must choose the right container for their content. A wooden or plastic box can be used as housing. As a last resort, you can use a regular canvas bag for this. But worms cannot live long in such containers. For long term dilution, it is best to use an enamel bowl, bowl, or bucket. The worms will feel great in the old aquarium too.

After choosing a container, they begin to prepare the substrate. It should consist of soil in which there is no or very little humus. The best for this purpose is the land in which there are few fallen leaves and grass roots. This is due to the fact that during decomposition, this organic matter takes from the soil a lot of oxygen, which is necessary for the normal functioning of the organisms we are considering.

Feeding the worms

Answering the question of how to quickly breed worms, it is safe to say that the rate of their growth and reproduction depends entirely on the feed. Almost any organic waste (cleaning vegetables or fruits), unsweetened sleeping tea leaves, coffee grounds and boiled or raw oatmeal are suitable for them. It should be remembered that dry food helps to reduce the level of moisture in the soil. To increase the rate of reproduction of worms, many advise giving them dairy products. In no case should you give them potato peels.

Worms are fed according to the following calculation: 3 handfuls of cereals per 15 liters of soil. When feeding into the soil, it must not be left on the surface. Thoroughly mix the soil by hand. When a "ball" is found, consisting of many individuals spat among themselves, they must be carefully separated, evenly distributed over the entire container. If this is not done, many of the worms will die due to the increased temperature inside such a lump.

Compliance with conditions of detention

Thinking about the question of how to properly breed worms, one should not forget about maintaining optimal conditions that ensure the normal functioning of these simplest animals. For this, it is necessary to constantly maintain the appropriate humidity. To determine the condition of the soil, it is compressed in a fist. If, after unclenching it, a lump forms, then the humidity is normal. At the same time, we must not forget that excess moisture affects the worms unfavorably.

Despite the fact that these creatures do not like low temperatures, they should not be located in close proximity to heating devices, since they will quickly die there. The optimal temperature regime for the normal development of worms is 17-24 ° C. The container is placed in a dark place, far from direct sunlight.

One container can contain different types of worms (earthworms, red), but it is better to allocate "separate housing" to each subspecies.When raising these animals according to this method, it is possible to collect up to 1 kg of fish bait per week from a 30 liter container.

Growing worms at their summer cottage

How to breed worms for fishing in the country? The easiest way is to dig a small groove, 30 cm wide. Its depth should be 15-20 cm. Rotting leaves, grass, hay, humus are placed in the groove. From above it is covered with boards or burlap. After 7-12 days, earthworms will appear in it. A special dwelling is being built for them, which is a wooden box on legs with a removable lid. Its minimum size is 100 x 100 cm, and its height is 35-40 cm. A net with small cells (0.5 cm) is attached to the bottom of the box.

How to breed worms in the country? For this, the box is installed in a shady place. It can be placed near a compost pit. About 20-25 cm of compost is poured into the bottom of the box. In this new dwelling, the worms are moved from the groove along with a small amount of soil. The earth is moistened and covered with burlap. After a week, the box is filled to the top with compost and watered again. It is necessary to moisten the substrate 1-2 times a week (depending on the rate of its drying).

Reproduction of worms

For 2-3 months, worms lay cocoons in the ground. Moreover, each individual gives one cocoon weekly. 5-20 worms emerge from it. The last clutch is observed at the end of July. The first offspring appear at the end of August. Already in October, the worms become adults. They need a lot of food for development and growth, therefore, from July to November, a layer of compost with humus 10 cm thick is added to the box twice a month.In the process of digestion of worms, vermicompost is obtained from it, which spills out through the mesh bottom of the box. In one season, the layer of accumulated valuable fertilizer can reach 25-30 cm. In winter, the worms' dwelling is left in place, insulating it on top with compost, a layer of 20-30 cm. From the sides it is covered with earth and sand. When snow falls, a small snowdrift is poured onto the box.

In the spring vermicompost is collected and used for its intended purpose, and most of the worms are spread around the site. Only a small number of individuals are left in the box for further reproduction.

How to breed mealworms

Recently, fishermen are increasingly using mealworms, often called zoophobes, to bait. In big cities, they can be purchased at pet stores as they are used to feed a variety of animals. Where this is not possible, you can grow them yourself. How to breed mealworms at home?

You should choose a suitable place for their placement and a container for growing. For this, large plastic boxes or trays without gaps are suitable. A fine mesh is used as a cover. Flour, bran, sawdust, and ground crackers are poured onto the bottom of such a container. The nutrient layer should be 2-10 cm. Acquired beetles are placed in trays, whose larvae are zoophobes. When using pupae, the breeding process will take longer. The number of beetles depends on the expected result.

After laying eggs by adults, it takes 2 months before mealworms appear from them. The moisture in the box with them should be about 50%. Worms develop best at temperatures of 26-28 ° C.

The larvae of beetle beetles are omnivorous. Zoo buses are fed every 2 days. They are given bran, oatmeal mixed with grated carrots, beets, and other vegetables.

Instead of an afterword

We have considered the most common ways to address the issue raised in the title of the article. Of course, it is easier to buy bait in the store. However, after spending some time on the arrangement of the worm house and caring for its inhabitants, you will not lose either. Firstly, breeding worms cannot be called an expensive pleasure, but rather the opposite. And secondly, you always have fresh bait at your fingertips, and at any time of the year or day. And this, you see, is sometimes very important.

Few aspiring entrepreneurs know that breeding worms at home as a business is very profitable. Its organization does not require special knowledge, technically equipped premises and huge costs. Below we will tell you in detail how to breed worms, how to care for them and get a good income.

Business registration

To be able to work with large wholesale buyers, your business must be officially registered. The most common options are individual entrepreneurs and LLCs. In our case, the simplest is IP, registration will take about a month and will require a minimum investment (70-90 dollars).

Breeding technology

It is necessary to organize the cultivation of worms in several stages:

• Preparing the premises in which your "wards" will live;
• Purchase of livestock for breeding;
• Preparing "housing" and settling the purchased "family" in it;
• Pet care;
• Reproduction;
• Collecting vermicompost, vermicom, sale of adult worms.

Then another layer of nutritious bedding is added and the whole process starts over.

Should you buy worms?

You can buy invertebrates at any vermi farm, which is easy to find via the Internet. The average cost of a thousand heads is $ 22-40, depending on the selected type and volume of purchase. For a business to be profitable, you need to start with at least 2-3 thousand worms.

If you are going to breed regular rainwater, you don't even need to spend money on the purchase and take them in the yard of your own home. First, you need to dig a not very deep hole and pour manure or moistened decaying leaves into it. Then the "bait" is closed with a board or cardboard. In a week, the first invertebrates will start in this place. They must be transferred to a box together with the soil in which they lived.

The best types of worms

Each species is good in its own way. Providing the proper climatic conditions and good nutrition to your wards, you can breed several species at once.

Earthworm

He has the best adaptation: both to climatic changes and to life on a closed farm. But his activity, in comparison with other "breeds", is somewhat lower. It gives less offspring and forms biohumus more slowly than its "brothers".

California red

One of the most popular species due to its mobility and rapid reproduction. California red gives excellent biohumus and is not very picky about food... But it is sensitive to temperature. If it drops below +10 degrees, you can lose your livestock. When buying, it is recommended to take large families (from 1500 individuals). When buying, be careful - healthy individuals are bright red and very mobile.

Prospector worm

A great choice for beginners. This species is active, quickly processes food and substrate. The miner feels well at a temperature of + 9 ... + 28 degrees.

For profitable breeding, it is recommended choose a prospector or a California red worm. Because industrial species are many times more productive than rain ones.

Premises

A vermi farm needs a minimum of space, literally a few square meters. You can equip it in the garage, cellar, in the attic or in the outbuilding. Even a summer cottage can become a springboard for growing invertebrates. In this case, it is necessary to comply with some requirements:

1. So that in winter time the business does not "freeze", you need to take care of heating in advance;
2. The room should not be too humid, but not dry either;
3. The farm should be located in a quiet place, away from the road, noise, vibrations.

Lodging for worms

For the comfortable keeping of pets, it is best to build special boxes. They can be made on their own from wooden or plastic containers.... The wall thickness of the wooden box must be at least 25 mm. The standard parameters of the nursery are 1x2x0.5 meters.At the bottom of the box, you need to make holes to collect humus and tea, put a pallet. From above, the nursery is covered with a lid with holes. To save space, the boxes are installed on racks that can be made from metal profiles.

There are several more ways to build a home for worms with your own hands:

• From the old fridge... It is necessary to remove the inner contents from it, make ventilation holes in the walls and the door, install the refrigerator with the door upward and at a slight slope.
• Out of a cardboard box... The simplest and cheapest option, plus, due to the natural thin material, there is very good air circulation and enough oxygen for invertebrates in the box. As soon as the "creeping toilers" began to feed on pieces of damp cardboard, the box needs to be replaced.
• From a plastic container... Any plastic container can become a "house": from a flower pot to a basin. The main thing is not to forget about ventilation and collection of humus and vermicom.

If you wish, you can purchase a fully equipped vermicomposter, which costs about $ 200.

Growing conditions

Pets should be resettled based on the norm of 1000-1500 individuals per cubic meter. This will provide an optimal diet and substrate processing. There are certain requirements for the maintenance and care of these creatures.

The soil

The substrate should consist of three layers. The top one is the most nutritious, that is, the soil must be enriched with organic matter. In the middle layer, invertebrates spend most of their time. And in the lower one accumulates worm tea and vermicompost. Worms will reproduce well only in good quality soil. How to prepare it?

1. Choose a container for the content and fill it with humus by half, add a little shredded newspapers. The mixture needs to be slightly moistened, the total moisture level should be no more than 80%;
2. After a few days, depressions are made in the soil, where the individuals are settled along with part of the soil in which they lived before transplantation;
3. The soil is leveled, moistened, the dwelling is covered with cardboard and left for a couple of days;
4. When the "tenants" adapt, feed can be added to the soil.

There is a great way to check the quality of the substrate.... Place 50-100 individuals in a small container with prepared soil and observe them throughout the day. If they are alive and remain mobile, it means that the acidity and moisture of the soil suits them. The required acidity level is 6.5-7.5 PH. Tops, straw, sawdust increase the acidity level. Lower - limestone, chalk, ground eggshell.

Temperature

Best of all, these creatures feel at a temperature of + 15 ... + 25 degrees. Critical indicators: +4 degrees (individuals will hibernate or die), at + 36C and above, invertebrates also die. At the right temperature, your wards will reproduce well and produce vermicompost.

Feeding

Feeding should be done once a week. The food is placed on the ground 10 centimeters thick. Place a piece of newspaper or toilet paper on top of the food. Once your charges have started eating it, you can re-feed them and add a new layer of compost.

These creatures feed on rotting organic debris... The diet of worms must be formed from the following products:

• Plant residues: peel, vegetables (boiled), peeling potatoes, etc.;
• Bakery products;
• Ground eggshell;
• Food waste;
• Water with the remains of kefir or sour cream;
• Tea leaves;
• Straw, leaves, grass;
• Cow and horse manure, chicken droppings. It is important that the manure is medium fresh and rich in nutrients. Fresh manure will raise the temperature of the soil and the livestock will die.

Do not under any circumstances use meat waste, citrus residues, peels from fruits and vegetables.

Reproduction

Proper maintenance of worms implies the creation of favorable conditions for their reproduction. They begin to give birth at the age of two to three months.For 4 months, cocoons are formed, which mature in a few weeks. One cocoon is 15-20 new worms. If we roughly calculate the dynamics of reproduction, it turns out that in six months the number of invertebrates in one box will increase 50 times. It is very important to regularly plant individuals in new containers.... With a high population density, they simply stop multiplying.

Equipment

Equipment required for growing:

1. Boxes or other containers;
2. Shelves;
3. Sieve;
4. Wheelbarrow, shovel and pitchfork, bucket;
5. Scales, thermometer, device for measuring soil temperature and acidity.

Sales

Your farm will generate income on several points at once: from the sale of live individuals, the sale of vermicompost and vermicelli. "Molodnyak" and vermicompost for sale are collected every month and a half. Whom to sell to?

• Live individuals to pet stores for animal feed, fish farms, for breeding;
• Vermicompost and vermicay for farms for soil fertilization and plant nutrition.

You can create your own website and retail yourself.

Costs and Benefits

Investment in this business is minimal. If you equip containers for growing yourself, then the main costs will be inventory (no more than $ 100) and the purchase of three thousand individuals for a start ($ 80-100). Materials for "houses", food, soil will require no more than $ 50... The preparation of feed does not require any special expenses. Total, together with registration, the investment amount will be about $ 350.

For 3 thousand individuals, two or three cubic meters of soil are needed. Every month and a half, they will produce about 30 thousand worms for sale ($ 900) and approximately 1000-1500 kg of vermicompost ($ 700-800). You can earn about $ 600 more on the sale of vermicelli. The monthly income will be $ 1500-2000.

Growing worms is a fairly simple and very profitable business! These creatures live for a long time, are largely unpretentious, and the costs of arranging a worm farm are minimal.

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