Worm Farms
Worm Farm Products
Can O Worms
The ‘Can O Worms’ is a compact worm farm which is suitable for a smaller family or an excellent addition to your existing compost bin. The ‘Can O Worms’ will process your fruit and vegetable scraps, tea bags, paper and cardboard waste.
Garden Oz Worm Farm
The Garden Oz Worm Farm is a family sized worm farm which is suitable for larger families and sufficient to process most of the organic waste from the average home.
The Garden Oz worm farm will process your fruit and vegetable scraps, tea bags, paper, cardboard and grass clippings.
Information about Worm Farms
Worm farms are a clean odourless compost system which are available in a number of sizes. The smaller units can be placed in a classroom or on a veranda. They will process some of your vegetable scraps, but if you want to process all of your organic waste a larger worm factory will be needed. Large units can hold up to 4 kg of worms therefore processing about 2 kg of waste per day (this will produce about 1 kg of vermicast) Worm farms have the advantage of collecting liquid fertiliser.
Worms will live happily in your Compost Bin. However, you must keep your compost bin in the shade. If you put your bin under a tree it’s a good idea to put a piece of weed mat under your bin. This will inhibit tree roots from getting into your compost. Worms are living creatures which will die if exposed to excessive heat. For the same reason you will need to leave grass clippings, manure and any vegetation waste in a separate compost heap for a few weeks to ensure that the heat created from the initial breakdown doesn’t cook your worms.
A compost heap is an excellent way to aerate your compost and activate breakdown. However, bandicoots, cane toads, rats, birds and other unwanted visitors can get into your compost heap eating both your organic waste and your worms.
If you have an open compost heap you can cover it with a piece of old carpet (not rubber backed) this will keep birds out while keeping your compost dark and damp. Your worms will stay where the food is, unless conditions in your compost becomes unfavourable.
Why Do I Need to Add Lime or Dolomite?
As organic material breaks down it becomes acidic; lime or dolomite will neutralise the pH in your compost.
If your compost is left to become acid it may attract vinegar flies, maggots, mites and become sour and smelly.
Worms do not like an acid environment and will either leave or die. You should add lime or dolomite fortnightly or more often if needed.
How to Add Lime to Your Compost
To add lime to your compost follow these steps:
- Remove the lid of your compost bin or worm factory and leave for 5 minutes
- Worms do not like light and will bury themselves deep in the heap
- Sprinkle the lime (only 1–2 tablespoons) over the compost
- Rinse through with plenty of water as your worms may be burnt and killed if lime comes in direct contact with them before it is diluted
Can I Put Worms in my Garden?
Compost worms can survive in your garden if you supply plenty of moisture and food such as straw, mulch or compost.
Compost worms do not burrow deeply like native earthworms, they are surface feeders. Compost worms will not breed as prolifically in the wild.
What Is Vermicast?
Vermicast or worm casts is the name given to worm manure. Vermicast is pH neutral regardless of the pH of the food that they are feeding on. However, the nutrient content and quality of the finished vermicast is dependent on the nutrient content of what they are feeding on. I.E. Vermicast produced from manure will be rich in nitrogen and will make an excellent fertiliser. Vermicast can hold up to 10 times more available nutrient and 6.5 times more water than most soils.