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Breeding California worms. California Worms: Breeding as a Business

I love gardening so much that at my mature age I decided to sell my apartment and move to the countryside. I looked after a house (affordable) 10 km from the city - and on the road. I was not even scared that the site was only about two acres, then a swamp and knee-deep bumps.

The apartment was sold and part of the money decided to spend on the arrangement of the site. A federal highway was being laid nearby, I agreed with the drivers, and 20 acres of this swamp were covered with rocky soil with a layer of about 70 cm, and the rocky soil was covered with anything: clay, earth from the hills through which the highway passed - in general, if only the mass was.

Digging all this, I laid grass cut in the swamp, manure, dolomite flour. She kept a cow and rabbits for seven years. I treated the cultivation of vegetables as follows: no matter how much it grows, it will be enough for me.

But the garden - I dreamed in a dream ... Were there any helpers? No. None of the three sons was interested in labor on earth. I will ask you to do some hard work - they will help, but otherwise - no. Yes, I was not offended: after all, everyone has their own families, their own problems, worries. This is my hobby, why should I be offended by them if they have their own priorities? As the elder once said: “Mom, I don’t force you to solder parts, don’t make me pick holes in the ground either.”

How to start breeding California worms

Well, the garden was planted, it was already bearing fruit with might and main. Children and grandchildren came, and I was pleased to see how the kids ate berries and squealed with delight. The situation was worse with vegetables. Due to the increased acidity of the soil, cabbage, beets did not grow, and other vegetables did not please the harvest. What kind of fertility can we talk about if not a single earthworm was found during the digging of the site?

I read that there is a California worm that can turn a compost heap into biohumus over the summer. I wish I could have one like this, I dreamed. But they say whoever seeks will always find. So they gave me 25 pieces, put them in a bucket, poured humus on top and tied it with a piece of cloth so that they would not run away. The creatures are gentle - they will freeze in winter on our Far Eastern land. What's next? I could not find any information about them, I was not familiar with the computer at that time. Several times I asked my youngest son to find at least some information on the Internet. Alas, there is zero information on Russian websites.

However, he found and was surprised at what he learned. It turns out that the “Californian” in terms of reproduction rate is hundreds of times superior to his brother, whom we discover when digging up a site! If our worm produces 15-25 offspring per year, then the Californian worm gives 1000-1200. This species was bred in the USA in the 1960s and, due to the unique properties for the rapid production of biohumus, was banned for sale in the USSR and the countries of the socialist camp. If you put about 700-800 California worms into a compost heap weighing 1 ton, then by autumn they will turn this waste into 500-600 kg of pure biohumus. As it turned out later, the worms are also able to destroy the source of infection with the nematode.

Food for Californian worms should be finely chopped and fed periodically in small portions. It is necessary to add sand to it, which worms need, like pebbles to chickens, to improve digestion. Water from the tap cannot be used: chlorine is poison for worms.

Continuing further searches for information about the breeding of the worm, the son met through the Internet with farmers in the USA, Canada, and Germany. He became so interested that he himself began to monitor the condition of the worms presented to me, because of which he had to come to me more often. He spent a lot of time outdoors, among bushes and trees, and I saw that life in the village began to bring him great pleasure. He received a lot of advice from foreign friends and by trial and error began to develop his own technology for growing vegetables, taking into account our harsh climate. Only we have already acquired other worms that do not freeze here in winter.

Both of us love to experiment, but we could not even imagine that this activity is so interesting and exciting! The discovery, for example, was to find out that worms have 5 hearts. We got carried away so much that my son began to pay little attention to business, lost his company, and, helping him, I almost abandoned the garden, and it gradually began to fall into disrepair.

California worms love to be cared for

The soul was simply torn because the trees disappeared one after another, but it was necessary to help the son feed the worms, water, choose, sort, pack (we already supplied them to fishing stores) and, most importantly, provide him with moral support. As my son later admitted to me, he wanted to quit this business more than once.

He made too many mistakes, and often the worms simply died. But it was a shame to quit, because he saw that I always brought everything I had planned to the end. And I repeatedly assured him that everything would work out.

Another three years have passed. Finally, so much knowledge and experience has accumulated that I realized: now you can’t pull a guy out of the village with a rope. He bred his own breed of worms, which he conventionally called the Red Manchurian, wrote a small book about his experience in breeding worms for fishing, studied the works of professor, doctor of medical sciences, biotechnologist A.M. Igonin, Academician I.P. Melnikov and other scientists.

All of them have repeatedly pointed out that the use of mineral fertilizers initially gives good results, but then the earth quickly reacts to chemicals and pesticides, the soil is depleted, and not only pests and weeds die, but also useful representatives of flora and fauna. And the fastest and most effective way to revive the fertility and strength of the earth is the use of biohumus.

And then the moment came when we switched to the production of vermicompost.

Testing biohumus in practice - in your garden

Time passed.

Biohumus was already produced in tons, customers appeared for it. In the summer, my granddaughters began to help, and finally my help was not needed. I took up gardening and growing vegetables again. And in my 73 years I had to lay a new garden. Since the site is located near a swamp, she built hills about 70 cm high and planted apple trees, pears, other trees and shrubs on them and formed everything in a creeping form, even plums. Now there is a lot of covering material on sale, and covering them for the winter is no problem. Cherries, currants, raspberries, blackberries, mulberries, red, yellow, black viburnum (sweet) and much more grow in my garden. There are many flowers in the area. Even such rare southerners as Brugmansia and garden hibiscus delight with their beauty.

The first tests of vermicompost passed on my site. It proved to be the strongest organic fertilizer we have ever used. 1 kg of biohumus produced by worms surpasses 50 kg of manure in its properties! And in the soil it acts for 3-5 years. Laboratory analyzes showed that the acidity of vermicompost is 6-7.5 pH, so cabbage began to yield, which does not tolerate acidic soil. The content of potassium in biohumus is 1.2-2%, phosphorus - up to 2%, in addition, biohumus is a unique microbiological fertilizer that allows you to quickly restore the balance of microorganisms that are so necessary for depleted, degraded soils.

When planting cabbage seedlings, I poured a handful of vermicompost into the holes, mixed it with the ground and didn’t feed anything else all summer, only weeded and loosened.

Cabbage tied heads of 5-10 kg, beets, celery, cucumbers, tomatoes and other vegetables pleased with the harvest. Son chuckles when I go to harvest with a bucket, and I come back and take a wheelbarrow ...

I also use vermicompost for pest control, for this I dissolve 1 glass of vermicompost in a bucket of water, insist for a day, filter, add 100 g of planed laundry soap and spray the plants,

At first, we could not understand why pests began to disappear. It turned out that the extract from biohumus corrodes the chitinous coating of insects. My garden pests are now bypassed.

I began to please the harvest of Alpha grapes, other varieties were planted, but summer will show how they behave. Feeding strawberries with vermicompost increased its yield by 10 times. Varieties Bogota, First grader, Sunny clearing. Zhemchuzhnaya, Favorit were simply amazed by their size!

And Dad (or Batyanya) is generally the size of a chicken egg! And it is especially nice to hear positive feedback from other farmers about the biohumus we have produced.

That's how my passion became a turning point in my son's life. You know, he now considers himself a happy man. Now he is an individual entrepreneur in the production of organic fertilizers, and increasingly began to ask questions about growing a particular crop, grafting trees, their formation, varieties, sustainability, etc.

I also do not stand still - I am mastering the cultivation of a new crop for us - sweet potato, in our rather harsh climate. The first harvest was obtained last year from one tuber. This year I will take a decent bed for him, we really liked him.

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vermicompost, or biohumus.

red california worm" (KKCH).

Benefits of biohumus

Earthworm food

- bread crusts;

Earthworm Care

Usually food is added to the worms every 1.5-2 weeks. The frequency of feeding depends on the number of worms in the box (in the ridge) and on the temperature of their content. When the temperature approaches the optimum (24 degrees), the activity of the worms and the amount of food they consume increase.

Earthworms need oxygen, therefore, after reaching a substrate layer thickness of 20 cm or more, it is regularly loosened (pierced).

To pierce the ridge, use special vermicompost pitchforks with round ends or rounded pins.

Everything starts anew.

Wintering of earthworms

The use of biohumus

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Worms for breeding

(Temporarily out of stock)

Californian for sale worms for breeding in a large plastic box (container) with a supply of feed (substrate). We send orders to all regions of the Russian Federation and the CIS countries, as well as abroad. For small production volumes, we recommend using the container breeding method. In the winter season, delivery through a transport company is carried out in a warm mode - the worms will remain intact.

California worms for breeding from the manufacturer

Order and we will save the price! Pick up when it suits you!

3450 2950 rubles when ordering 1 container with the population of the Californian worm;

3350 2850 rubles from 2 to 4 pieces;

3250 2750 rubles from 5 to 9 pieces,

3150 2650 rubles from 10 pcs.

Plastic empty perforated boxes - 350 rubles / piece. (size 60x40x20cm, volume 40 liters, see photo below).

There are worms of different ages in the box

adult worms 10% (from 5 to 12 cm, about 1000 pieces);
fry of worms 40-60% (juvenile individuals ranging in size from 1 to 3 cm, 2-5 thousand pieces, are not counted separately, since they are very small). Watch a video about them at the bottom of the page;
cocoons of worms 20-30% (2-5 mm in diameter, one cocoon is taken as 5-7 worms, 100-300 pieces, not counted separately).

You get worms of all ages and sizes in a plastic container in which the worms will breed and bring even more offspring, producing biohumus. If you want to grow worms in a container, you need to purchase (for each container of worms you purchase) an additional 2 empty containers. You can also buy a population of worms in any container convenient for you by prior agreement. Worms tolerate transportation without problems and can live in a container with a supply of substrate without additional feeding for about a month. During vermicultivation, an increase in the number of worms depends on compliance with the breeding technology: maintaining a constant temperature, humidity, timely feeding, air extraction, division, loosening, acidity of the substrate, ventilation and other factors. You can familiarize yourself with various breeding technologies on our website.

The population includes adult worms, fry of the California red worm and cocoons. From 5 to 7 tiny worms (juveniles) come out of one cocoon. In the first week after emerging from the cocoon, the worms are very small and thin. Over time, they gain weight and change their color. Worms for breeding is in a breathable spunbond bag in a container. For safe transportation, the container is placed in a large breathable polypropylene bag and, if necessary, insulated during the cold season. Bottom lining made of thick layers of paper or cardboard. We carry out all packing activities for the order free of charge. The substrate (food for worms) is enough for at least 4 weeks. You can buy worms for self-delivery from a farm in the Moscow region or Moscow, we also organize delivery to all regions of Russia through a transport company. The total weight of one container is from 12 to 15 kg, depending on the humidity and density of the substrate. As a rule, the average weight is 14 kg, but when received in another city, it may be 1 kg less due to the evaporation of some of the moisture during long-term transportation. All orders are collected before shipment and reach the customer without any damage.

Number of worms in a container and transportation

If we calculate the average volume and weight of the substrate per adult, we obtain the following data. The volume of the entire substrate, taking into account the geometry of the container, is approximately 58x40x15 cm = 34800 cm3 and the weight is 15000 gr. At the same time, the feed does not occupy the entire height of the container of 20 cm, since there should be a small margin on top for better ventilation and to prevent excessive compression by third-party goods. Accordingly, all adults have a volume of 34800 cm3. With their number of 1000 pieces, we get an average volume of 34.8 cm3 and a weight of 15 grams per worm.

California worms breeding at home

Malek processes the minimum amount of food, especially during transportation - they can be neglected in the calculations. This volume is enough for one month, and during transportation, the worms do not process it very quickly due to third-party vibrations, noise and small temperature drops.

Who benefits from purchasing the California worm population

Novice farmers who are just planning to engage in vermicultivation and want to try this type of activity;
To increase the California worm population by adding adult worms, fry or cocoons to beds, piles, etc. on an existing farm;
Fishermen in regions where fishing worms are absent in the ground for various reasons or their cost in fishing shops is very high;
Fishing shops that have the opportunity to grow fish worms for resale, as this is much more profitable than buying packaged worms;
When vermiculturing at home, for the production of biohumus in small volumes and the cultivation of worms for fishing at any time of the year. Fertilizer is perfect for various house plants and garden plots;
For feeding pets: lizards, snakes, rats, fish, spiders, mice, newts, etc.

Plastic perforated container for breeding worms

For the container method (see photo below) of growing worms and producing biohumus, plastic containers are used, perforated on the sides and at the bottom, 60x40x20 cm in size. The entire composition of the breeding stock is contained in a bag of dense spunbond. The bag itself is included in the price. To breed worms in a container way (information about this method is available in the corresponding section of the site), you will need an additional two empty containers per population. The formation of a fully filled rack of three tiers takes approximately 2-3 months, while the number of adult worms, fry and cocoons approximately doubles.

Packing worms

Worms for breeding with a supply of substrate, neatly placed in a spunbond bag.

Before sewing up the bag, a little rotted foliage or grass is placed, which was previously moistened. Then the bag is sewn on top.

Sheets of thick cardboard paper are placed at the bottom of the container to maintain moisture.

The sewn bag with worms is placed in the container.

The container is packed in a bag made of breathable polypropylene fabric for shipment to another region.

If the order is with additional empty containers, they are nested inside each other. A container with worms is placed on top, then everything is fixed on the sides with adhesive tape.

We send orders to clients in other cities in additional containers through a transport company, one of the terminals is located in Moscow. You can see what the order ready for shipment looks like in the next photo.

Instructions after the acquisition of breeding stock

After receiving a container with worms for breeding, do not rush to immediately cut the spunbond bag and, moreover, mix the entire composition of the substrate (compost). If you received an order through a transport company, then the green (or white) woven polypropylene bag in which the container is located must be removed. It is used only for order transportation, as it is tear-resistant, resistant to punctures, cuts, abrasion and inert to various chemicals. After receiving, wait until the worms have processed most of the substrate and get used to other, including temperature conditions. To do this, after receiving the order, we recommend waiting 15-20 days from the date of sending your order.

Cut the spunbond along the perimeter (you can leave the leftovers on the side and bottom), or you can dissolve the central seam. After that, start feeding the worms. Prior to this, without cutting the spunbond, we recommend making several indentations on top with your fingers and pouring 150-250 grams of water at room temperature into them once every 5 days. Thus, water will slowly penetrate through the spunbond and moisten the substrate. Do not use warm tap water, as it contains many chemical elements harmful to worms. It is better to use spring or rain water, and not necessarily completely clean and transparent. If this is not possible, pour cold tap water into a glass and let it stand for at least 12 hours. If a puddle forms at the bottom of the container during moistening, then it is no longer necessary to add water and the substrate has sufficient moisture. For more information on breeding worms, see the relevant sections of our website (menu on the left).

Earthworms in the soil are a factor in its fertility and a condition for the normal development of plants.
The main enemy of earthworms is man. Many people do not know the priceless virtues of these earth workers, and sometimes they consider earthworms to be harmful creatures. This delusion arose from ignorance. Therefore, it is necessary to explain that there is no other such useful animal - a friend of the earth and the basis of our well-being - as an earthworm.

A huge amount of food waste is annually taken to the city's garbage dumps.
Being a lover of indoor plants, one day I decided to try to get biohumus in an apartment using the vermicultivation method.
I read the necessary information about it and got down to business. During the winter, without any complications, our family of three, with the help of earthworms, received about 150 kg of excellent fertilizer from food waste.
This biohumus is enough not only for indoor floriculture, but for gardening and horticulture (for planting 2-3 thousand potato bushes or 1 thousand tomato bushes).

A successful home experiment on the production of biohumus and the fact that I am an apologist for the principles of organic farming contributed to a serious mastery of vermicultivation.

The use of earthworms

Vermicultivation is a process of recycling organic waste using earthworms.
The resulting product is called - vermicompost, or biohumus.

Selection of the dung worm (genus Eisenia-foetida) in the United States has resulted in a line known as the "red California hybrid", or " red california worm" (KKCH).
KKCh provides a rapid increase in biomass and the fastest disposal of waste, is a long-liver (lives up to 16 years).

Basically, earthworms are bred for the production of biohumus.
In addition, worms can also be used live (as food for various domestic animals, fish, amphibians and reptiles, as well as some species of birds and rodents).

Benefits of biohumus

More and more people are now seeking to consume organic food. In different countries, vegetables grown on biohumus are much more expensive than those grown on manure or mineral fertilizers.

On the soil fertilized with vermicompost, you can not only grow eco-friendly products, but also increase the yield of the site by 2-3 times or more.
According to the ability to restore soil fertility, one ton of biohumus replaces 15 tons of manure.

The most important advantage of vermicompost is that its application does not increase the contamination of the soil with weeds (when applying ordinary manure, the contamination increases by 30%).

Biohumus is non-toxic, free from chemical additives and from many pathogenic microorganisms. It improves the physical and chemical properties of the soil, prevents the leaching of nutrients from it; reduces the effect of harmful salts and phytotoxic elements, radionuclides and heavy metals.

Biohumus as one of the main components of soil for greenhouses increases the duration of the use of the substrate up to 3-5 years. At the same time, the quality of products is significantly improved, the amount of nitrates in it is sharply reduced.

There are fundamental differences in the effect composts and vermicomposts have on plant growth. This is explained by the fact that processes of various nature occur in them, in which communities of microorganisms that are very different from each other participate.

Conditions for breeding earthworms

Breeding earthworms is easy for everyone to master.

It is necessary to exclude the possibility of penetration to the worms of moles - the worst enemies of earthworms. In the case of cultivation of worms on the street, a protective net is used or a platform is concreted to keep the worms at an angle (to reduce stagnant water).

With year-round production of biohumus, boxes with worms are placed in utility rooms - in garages, sheds, basements, attics, even in an apartment. The air temperature suitable for keeping earthworms is 15-25 degrees.

The cultivator of worms should be covered with mulch (straw, hay, burlap) from drying out and light.
In the apartment, a box with worms is covered with a lid. The lid and bottom of the box must be perforated.

A box with worms is placed on a pallet, where excess liquid drains. Sand can be poured into the tray and then used to mix into the soil of the garden.

A neutral environment with an acidity of 7 pH is optimal for keeping worms. In an environment with an acidity of 6 pH or more than 8 pH, all worms die within a week.

The prepared wet substrate should stand for 5-7 days before settling with worms. During this period, the substrate must be periodically moistened to remove residual ammonia.

Earthworm food

During the day, one worm is able to process a large amount of organic matter equal to its own weight (the average weight of an earthworm is 0.5 g).

Worms feed on almost any organic matter:
- cattle manure (fermentation 3-6 months);
- pig manure (fermentation for at least a year);
- rabbit or goat manure (can be given immediately);
- kitchen waste (potato peelings, etc.);
- used tea leaves (tea and coffee);
- bread crusts;
- soaked and shredded newspapers or cardboard, etc.

It is not recommended to use manure that has lain for more than two years after completion of composting as feed for earthworms. It already contains very little of the nutrients needed by the worms. Such manure can be used as an additive in the composting of organic waste.

You can speed up the fermentation of fresh manure with the help of EM preparations (EM - effective microorganisms). In this case, the manure will be ready for use by worms in 0.5-1 month.

Earthworms are vegetarians, do not use animal waste to feed them(meat, egg white and yolk, etc.).

All food given to earthworms must be minced or ground in some other way. because worms cannot process solid food.

Maintain a constant feed composition because the nascent worms tune in to the food they first tasted. When the composition of food changes, some time must pass for earthworms to adapt to it.

Earthworm Care

Caring for worms comes down to feeding, maintaining a favorable temperature, watering and loosening the compost ridges (box substrate).

On the wet compost (substrate) ready for settlement, place the earthworms and distribute them evenly.

Breeding California worms at home

Within a week after settling, check whether the worms are willing to move into the new substrate. If the surface of the worms is clean, and they themselves are mobile, this is evidence of their well-being.
When the worms are lethargic, not active, do not try to hide from the light, these are signs of their severe damage by various pesticides from the new food for them. You may then have to prepare new compost for the worms from another source of organic matter. But such a need is extremely rare.

Worms need moisture, do not forget to water the substrate regularly.

The optimum moisture content of the substrate is 80%. Earthworms are very sensitive to fluctuations in compost moisture, especially to its decrease.
Watering the substrate is carried out using a watering can with small holes.
Do not water the compost directly from the faucet. Use pre-settled (3-5 days) water with a temperature of 20-24 degrees.

The first feeding of worms is carried out a few days after settling in the compost. The feeding operation is as follows. On a quarter of the surface of the ridge or box, fresh food is layered 3-5 cm thick and evenly distributed.

As the worms eat food, a layer of food of 5-7 cm is again applied to the substrate. At this stage, the food is applied to the entire surface.
And so periodically continue to feed the earthworms until the box is completely filled, or until the height of the ridge reaches 50-60 cm.

Usually food is added to the worms every 1.5-2 weeks.

The frequency of feeding depends on the number of worms in the box (in the ridge) and on the temperature of their content. When the temperature approaches the optimum (24 degrees), the activity of the worms and the amount of food they consume increase.

Earthworms need oxygen, therefore, after reaching a substrate layer thickness of 20 cm or more, it is regularly loosened (pierced). To pierce the ridge, use special vermicompost pitchforks with round ends or rounded pins.
Loosening the compost (without mixing the layers) is carried out 2 times a week; it is pierced to the depth of worms and cocoons.

With the stable work of earthworms in a box (ridge), the compost is stratified into three zones.
The first upper zone - the surface horizon (5-7 cm) is a fresh substrate, which is food for worms. Its amount is constantly changing, as the worms feed on it constantly, and new layers are periodically added.
The middle zone (10-30 cm) is working, the bulk of the worms live in it.
The third lower zone is a vermicompost accumulator; as the worms work, it constantly increases in height.

The process of obtaining biohumus ends when the nutrient substrate is completely processed by worms. The duration of the process is usually 3-4 months from the beginning of the settlement of worms in the substrate.

When the container is filled with ready biohumus, the worms with part of the old substrate are transplanted into another container.
Everything starts anew.

Exemption from worms of ready biohumus

The need to sample worms arises when the nutrient substrate is completely processed. This is also required when the density of breeding worms exceeds the optimal population density (from 30 to 50 thousand pieces per 1 sq.m).

Worms can be transplanted from biohumus into another container manually, but this is not easy. In order to choose worms from ready-made vermicompost without hassle, it is better to stop feeding them for a while (an additional few days) to let them get hungry.
Then, on 1/3 of the biohumus area, a portion (5-7 cm layer) of new food is laid out, into which hungry worms move on their own. Place straw cuttings (or torn paper) dipped in sugar solution on top. Also, to attract worms, you can use the pulp of vegetables and fruits or a layer of humus (5-10 cm).

After two or three days, the layer of feed, together with the worms that filled it, is removed from the biohumus.
This operation must be repeated three times within three weeks to collect all the worms (including the juveniles that emerged from the cocoons).

To facilitate the release of ready-made vermicompost from worms, you can use boxes of a special design with a mesh bottom. When such a box is filled with biohumus, another box with feed is placed on it - so that the bottom of the upper box lies on the substrate of the lower one. Worms from the lower box crawl into the upper box with fresh food.
Unfortunately, we do not sell special boxes for breeding earthworms with a mesh bottom, as well as double boxes with a mesh in the middle.

In the garden version of a special double box with a grid in the middle (see the title photo), the separation of the worms occurs according to the horizontal principle. When one part of the box is filled with vermicompost, fresh food is placed in the second adjacent part. Then the worms themselves crawl there through the holes in the partition of the box, leaving pure biohumus for further use.

Raw vermicompost freed from worms is a smearing mass of dark color. It is collected with a scoop, dried to 40-50% moisture, sifted through a sieve and packaged for storage.
Dried vermicompost can be stored at ambient temperature (from -20 to +30 degrees). But freezing biohumus is still not recommended in order to exclude the loss of its biological activity.

Wintering of earthworms

The best place to keep vermiculture in winter is a heated room.
The thickness of the substrate depends on the frequency of feeding the worms.
Since the top layer of the substrate dries quickly in a warm room, it must be moistened regularly.

When keeping vermiculture in winter outdoors, the substrate should not be moistened. When the temperature reaches -5 degrees, the substrate 40-50 cm high is covered with a layer of fermented manure (20-30 cm), watered and covered with straw (hay) to a total height of 100-120 cm.
The top layer 5 cm thick can freeze through, which is not dangerous for worms, since it is a heat insulator. Worms in the process of life emit heat, the amount of which depends on the number of individuals.

In the spring, awakened worms will feed on manure or top layer compost.

Features of breeding earthworms in the apartment

When breeding earthworms in an apartment, there may be a smell from the waste that the worms feed on; insects may appear.
As a rule, the smell is emitted by the food that has just been put in (and if animal protein is present in the food, then the smell can be quite unpleasant).
In this case, the new food can be sprinkled on top with ready-made vermicompost. EM preparations can also be used to combat unpleasant odors. You can bring a certain amount of land from the dacha and periodically sprinkle the substrate with it. You can cover the substrate with raw burlap.

Ready biohumus has no unpleasant odor, it smells like ordinary earth. In addition, earthworms secrete substances that serve as a kind of deodorant.

The use of biohumus

The main benefit of keeping earthworms is that you can make valuable fertilizer from your free waste.
It is enough to purchase 1.5-3 thousand worms and populate them in compost in order to obtain an amount of vermicompost within a year sufficient to fertilize a plot of 3-4 acres.
A population of 1,500 earthworms populated on 2-3 square meters of compost is able to provide your garden plot with two tons of first-class fertilizer.

Biohumus produced by earthworms can be used for growing all types of plants (indoor flowers, seedlings, vegetables in open and closed ground, for planting fruit crops, grapes, medicinal plants). Especially useful is the use of biohumus in greenhouses, where it is very important to exclude the possibility of diseases.

Thus, by producing vermicompost on your own, you rationally use waste and save money, getting a high-quality product that you are sure of. Indeed, in packages with purchased substrates, stones, sticks, bones and other garbage are often found.

If you use biohumus to grow indoor plants, then earthworms or their cocoons may accidentally get into the flower pot. Do not worry: earthworms cannot bring any harm to plants.

With the beginning of the use of biohumus, in 2006, in our summer cottage, the first tomatoes in the open field ripened in the third decade of July.
We practice the principles of organic farming. We grow plants in raised fenced beds. We use a Fokin flat cutter.
We do not use pesticides and mineral fertilizers. We use only biohumus for root feeding of plants. For foliar top dressing, we use BioVit, a complex preparation made from biohumus.

Plant growth stimulator BioVit

BioVit is a powerful biologically active plant growth stimulator, due to which it is possible to increase the yield by another 30-40%.
With BioVit minerals get to plants in the form prepared for them. The fact is that the plant is not adapted to consume mineral solutions directly. If mineral salts are introduced artificially, then the plant will increase the water content of its tissues in response to this. That is, the fruit will weigh more, and there will be less useful substances in it. After all, if a person consumes a lot of salt, he will feel thirsty - the same thing happens with a plant.

In nature, the plant consumes mineral salts through microorganisms that transport the mineral to the roots, converting it along the way. Or the plant consumes salts of fulvic and humic acids, the reactions of which with minerals actively occur in the soil in the presence of a sufficient amount of humus. BioVit contains directly salts of humic and fulvic acids, which are a complete complex of NPK (the main nutrients needed by the plant).
BioVit also contains microelements in a normalized form: copper, manganese, zinc, etc. Microelements in a small amount are vital for a plant, since they are actively involved in almost all of its life processes. For example, manganese is directly involved in photosynthesis.

The use of biohumus and BioVita allows you to organize a complete root and foliar nutrition of plants. This best affects the growth, flowering and yield of plants, allows you to get environmentally friendly and nutritious fruits.

Sergey Grigoryevich Polovitsa, (spolovitsa@ukr.net)
Director of Vermi-Land LLC (Kyiv, Ukraine)
www.vermilend.narod.ru

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home< Разведение Калифорнийских червей в домашних условиях.

Breeding California worms at home.

Breeding the red Californian worm (KKCh) at home is a very profitable occupation, because the food for KKCh is any organic waste that is processed by the worm into a balanced environmentally friendly biohumus fertilizer. Also, the Californian worm multiplies very quickly, which allows the worm to be sold biomass and by the piece to fishermen's shops and agricultural enterprises, as protein supplements for animals and birds.

The best type of earthworm for breeding in domestic and industrial conditions is the red California worm. Before buying worms, please note that the worms must be mobile and red in color. At first, the worm should be in its native substrate in order to get used to the new food.

A high-quality breeding stock of the red California worm (family) should consist of at least 1500 individuals.

For breeding at home, the California worm is used in boxes, piles (lodges), compost heaps or pits. Organic waste is used as food for worms: manure, bird droppings, plant tops, fallen leaves, straw, wood chips, sawdust, food vegetable waste, cardboard, paper, etc.

The basic rules for preparing the substrate (compost) for the further colonization of worms:

do not use chlorinated water to moisten the compost. Chlorine is poison for worms.
Growing earthworms in the garden and in the apartment

If the water is chlorinated, you need to stand it for 2-3 days, the chlorine will go away, you can also use rainwater
it is forbidden to use fresh manure, because in the process of manure burning, its temperature will rise to 70-800C and the worm will die
it is not recommended to use old manure that has lain for more than 3 years, it contains a small amount of useful substances for worms.

Organic waste is collected in heaps and moistened. In this way, they rot for 1-3 months.

Compost pile dimensions:

collar width 1.2-2 meters
height 20-30 cm
any length.

The California worm easily gets used to different feeds, therefore, when using different composts, we recommend doing a trial colonization. A little ready-made substrate is placed in the box and 50-100 adult worms are populated. If in a day they are all alive, then the compost is suitable for further settlement. If 5-10 worms died, then the reason for this may be increased acidity or alkalinity. With increased acidity, add a little limestone or ordinary chalk, with increased alkalinity, add straw or sawdust to the compost, you can also add tops of plants.

Favorable conditions for breeding the California worm:

acidity 6.5-7.5 PH
temperature 15-220С
compost humidity 70-80%.

Breeding of Californian worms at home begins in the warm season, the worm is settled in compost, 1-3 families per 1 m2, and after a couple of months they begin to select worms that have already multiplied. The worm is chosen in this way: the worm is not fed for 2-3 days, so that they get a little hungry, and then 7-10 cm of fresh compost are placed on top of the heap or box, and this layer is removed in a day. The main amount of worms, up to 60-80%, enters the fresh compost. Only the juveniles and cocoons of the worm remain in the lower substrate. We repeat the procedure for sampling worms several times. It is not possible to select all the worms in this way, 3-4% remains in the processed compost, which is already a fertilizer - vermicompost. Worms selected in this way are populated in new heaps, boxes, or used for sale.

With the onset of winter and temperatures below -50C, the piles must be well insulated. To do this, fresh compost or fermented manure 25-40 cm thick is laid on the piles, watered and covered with hay or straw 40-50 cm high. The top layer of 5-10 cm will probably freeze in winter, but it will not pose a mortal danger to worms, since it is a heat insulator. In the spring, the worms will feed on the top layer compost, 2/3 of your heap will already be biohumus.

home< Промышленное разведение калифорнийских червей

Industrial breeding of Californian worms

When designing a farm for industrial breeding of Californian worms, it is necessary to clearly define its direction - whether it will grow only the broodstock of worms or, along with this, industrial production of vermicompost and biomass will be organized. Based on this, the number of lodges is calculated and the size of the area on which they will be placed is determined. At the same time, knowing the number of lodges and the approximate number of worms in them, they calculate the amount of food they need and its constant availability, as well as the availability of water sources. Water is necessary to moisten the substrate - food and must meet certain requirements according to the chemical characteristics.

Bed preparation

Historically, in the industrial breeding of earthworms, as a unit of measurement, the bed means the area of the ridge (or trench, depending on the method) with a length of 2 m and a width of 1 m, i.e. area 2m2. This unit of measurement is used in all calculations related to productivity, nutrition, reproduction, yield, etc. Usually, up to 100,000 worms of various sizes with cocoons can be contained in a bed. Such one bed gives annually about 600 kg of vermicompost if it is produced, and not worms are propagated, and about 400-450 kg of vermicompost when breeding earthworms, i.e. in the stage when the entire space of the bed is saturated. Vermifarming is considered optimal, which consists of 1200 lodges, occupying a usable area of at least 1 hectare of land.

When marking the territory (with an open breeding method), it is necessary to check if there are any traces of a mole on it, which greedily eats earthworms. Penetrating into the bed, one mole in a short time can destroy the entire population. When these animals are found, it is impossible to use crotocides or any chemicals to destroy them: a dead mole sent to the bed will kill with this poison all the earthworms that will eat its rotten meat.

The way out is to install a metal mesh with small diameter cells around the entire perimeter at a depth of 50-60 cm with access to the surface to a height of at least 30 cm.

However, there are cases when, even at the same time, moles, in order to get to earthworms, broke through a passage at a depth of more than 60 cm and still fell into the active zone of the bed. Farms use a metal mesh with cells of 16 × 15 mm. The net is installed along the entire width of the bed, and its edges are bent so that two wings are formed at a height of 25 cm on all four sides of the bed.

Stock orientation

The bed is positioned so that all excess water flows out of them. If there is standing water under the bed, the worms die. If there is a choice, then in areas of high windiness or in the case when the strongest winds blow in some constant prevailing direction, the bed is located in the direction of the wind. Earthworms are very afraid of the wind.

When planning and breaking down the area for farming, areas for heaving and fermentation of the substrate are determined. They must be located within the territory of the holding or near it. It is also desirable to provide ways for transporting the substrate to the beds, etc.

The area is marked with wooden pegs 50-60 cm long, which are driven into the ground every meter along the entire length of the future bed. This will subsequently allow you to accurately populate the bed with the right number of worms per square meter. To facilitate the work of performing the necessary analyzes of product quality, humus and the number of worms, it is recommended to first make longitudinal beds of the same length, a multiple of 2 m (2, 4, 6 m, etc.), which are called sectors.

The choice of bed width depends on a number of factors, in particular, the availability of labor, mechanization equipment (rubber-running tractors, trailers with sides opening on three sides, etc.). Usually they make a bed 2 m wide, 50 m long and leave passages between them of such a width that the maneuverability of the tractor and trailer is ensured.

indoors

The above applies to the arrangement of outdoor areas. Here you can grow worms and get high productivity in the warm season. In winter conditions, worms significantly reduce their activity, and caring for them becomes more complicated. Therefore, if possible, it is necessary to switch to the industrial production of worms and biohumus in enclosed spaces with relatively high positive round-the-clock temperatures.

In enclosed spaces (various agricultural buildings), worms can be cultivated on a concrete floor, with beds, and on racks in wooden or metal boxes, arranging them on floors. The conditions of detention in enclosed spaces must meet the same requirements that apply to conditions in open areas.

It should be noted the advantages of keeping worms indoors compared to those outdoors. These advantages apply both to the service processes and to the end result. It has been observed that 1 m2 of area indoors yields twice as much marketable biomass as in open ground. The yield of organic fertilizer - vermicompost - is also much higher.

For breeding uterine worms, standard beds are used. In this case, the density can be from 1.5 to 12 thousand copies per 1 m2.

substrate (food)

There is a term "feeding". Top dressing is carried out with organic matter, the amount of which per year per bed is 1000 kg. Worms process this organic matter by 60%, and consume and assimilate the remaining 40% to maintain their existence.

How to grow California worms at home?

To obtain biohumus, an organic substrate (food for worms) is prepared in advance (2-8 months in advance). Under the conditions of access of water and air oxygen under the influence of microorganisms living in the organic substrate (fungi, actinomycetes, bacteria, organic residues decompose (mineralize) and humify (secondary synthesis). These processes can be compared with decomposition processes. Simple intermediate products are formed as a result of hydrolytic cleavage proteins, carbohydrates and lipids.

Humic acids increase the permeability of plant cell membranes and activate their enzymatic systems. During the period of plant stresses (drought, excessive moisture, cold, etc.), the stimulating effect of physiologically active organic compounds of biohumus humic acids is manifested. The presence of a significant amount of calcium humates in biohumus, which contributes to the formation of a water-resistant granular structure, provides aeration and moisture access.

Various organic wastes are used as food for worms. Therefore, they should be prepared for feeding taking into account the method of storage (fermentation) of the substrate with different agrochemical indicators. It is advisable to store the substrate in heaps using a hot-cold storage method, which significantly reduces the germination of weed seeds, the number of which in 1 ton of bedding cattle manure is from 5 thousand to 7 million seeds; in 1 ton of liquid pig manure - from 200 to 700 thousand pieces; in 1 ton of semi-liquid chicken manure - from 20 to 80 thousand pieces.

Organic Substrate Formulation

The substrate has a double meaning for worms: firstly, it serves as their habitat; secondly, it is food, thanks to which a certain level of their vital activity is ensured. To obtain a high-quality substrate, a number of specific requirements are imposed. The humidity of the initial substrate is adjusted to 70-80%, it should not contain solid contaminants such as stones, metal, wood, glass, etc., the acidity should be neutral, iron oxides should not exceed 10%. The quality of the substrate improves if it is well mixed and the waste of melons and fruits and vegetables is added in combination with 10% lime waste. The main condition is the presence of air in the substrate and its uniformity, as well as the ratio between carbon and nitrogen. Mixing of the substrate makes it possible to ensure the alignment of the mixture in terms of humidity, to create conditions for the vital activity of microorganisms and the flow of biometric processes.

Substrate fermentation

The prepared substrate goes through a fermentation stage, during which the eggs and larvae of helminths, as well as weed seeds, die. Fermentation can be carried out both in natural and accelerated mode. The full period of feed maturation in summer is 2-3 months, in winter 3-5, storage can last up to 8-10 months. When storing compost, the determining factor for its readiness is the ratio of carbon to nitrogen, which should be around 20.

To speed up the fermentation, organic waste is placed in heaps, into which hot steam at a temperature of 50-60°C is then injected through pipes. A substrate deprived of the possibility of self-heating is spread in a layer up to 20-30 cm thick, 1-1.5 m wide, moistened to 70%-80% of full wettability and allowed to stand for 10-15 days. Before wetting, crushed lime, chalk, etc., 5-10 kg/t are applied to the surface and worms are populated from 1.5 to 2.5 thousand individuals of the mother brood per 1 m2, evenly distributing them over the surface. It is desirable to do this at sunset, because worms do not tolerate solar radiation very well and die.

Worms gradually burrow deep into the substrate during the night, but they will not feed on it, they will only master it for 6 days. The surface of the populated substrate is covered with chopped straw or burlap. After 3-5 days after settlement, the substrate is moistened, but not much - 50-60%. Further moisturize in the optimal limit of 75 ± 10%. The temperature should be 22 + 5 ° C.

Growing worms in winter

In winter, it is necessary to constantly control the temperature in different layers of the bed, but at the same time it is impossible to destroy the layers too much (each intervention causes undesirable consequences). The most suitable thermometer that can be immersed at 40-60 cm (soil thermometer). It allows you to make a reading on the scale from above. In a closed room, first of all, it is necessary to ensure that the bedding (base) of the lodge is not heat-conducting. Concrete is especially cold. If the vermiculture is kept on the ground, then the litter should be made of a polymer film or other material, and protected from frost from above.

In a heated room, the advantage is that during the winter period the quantitative composition increases by 3-4 times, but active top dressing is needed here. The top layer can dry out, so the substrate must be moistened at the level of 20-30 mm of precipitation. The thickness of the bed depends on how often manure or organic matter is needed.

California worms

There are a huge number of types of worms, but few are able to reproduce and live in artificial conditions. Economically attractive and universal in their biological characteristics are worms that belong to the "red" species. They are used as an excellent bait for fishing, production of biohumus, liquid fertilizers and protein meal. Why do some earthworms have the commercial name "California"? There is a pretty simple answer to this. In the United States of America in the 50s of the 20th century, intensive cultivation of this worm began, from which its commercial name came. It was obtained as a result of the long work of the American Thomas Jason Barrett (Thomas J. Barrett, 1884 - 1975). He is the founder of industrial vermicultivation in the USA. The progenitor of the Californian worm and prospector is a common dung worm.

What do California red worms look like?

The body is elongated, in an adult it is slightly flattened in the middle. Color from dark red to brown-red, sometimes you can see the mother-of-pearl tones. The body is divided into segments with two setae each. Thickness is from 3 to 5 mm, average length is from 8 to 10 cm, adults reach up to 14 cm. Weight is from 0.4 to 1 gram, body temperature is 16-22 C.

Fertility

After fertilization, two cocoons (capsules) are formed, one for each individual. Cocoons open after maturation after 3-4 weeks (depending on temperature, substrate moisture and acidity). An average of 4 to 8 young worms are born from each capsule. In the cold season, sexual activity decreases, as well as in especially hot months. As for the moderately warm season, sexual activity increases significantly.

CALIFORNIA WORM

The worm lives 13-15 years, after two or three months of life under moderate conditions for it, it is able to produce new cocoons.

Optimal temperature

Maintaining the temperature is the main task, which is especially relevant both in winter and in summer. The maximum production of vermicompost and the highest sexual activity at a substrate temperature within 20 C. Excessive cold below 0 C or high - above 35 C negatively affects the worm, under these conditions it dies like any other species. Pay close attention to vermicultivation conditions. The optimal number is considered to be 750-1500 individuals per square meter, with a substrate height of about 25 cm. When working with ridges and piles, it is worth considering the temperature regime on the floor, since in winter a large amount of cold comes from below. It is necessary to measure the temperature not only of the environment, but also of the entire volume of the substrate (feed).

Advantages and disadvantages

A mature worm is considered after two to three months from the moment it leaves its cocoon. Two mature individuals produce 1000 to 2000 young heirs per year. It can be calculated that in five generations, one pair produces a large number of heirs, which sometimes need to be divided into different ridges or boxes. If the concentration of worms is too high, the rate of their development will be slowed down. An excessive amount in a certain volume, where they grow and multiply, does not allow some worms, especially young ones, to reach areas of the substrate that have not yet been eaten by their neighbors. At the same time, there should be a constant average temperature and humidity, a sufficient amount of moisture. Good vermicultivation conditions make it possible to obtain up to 15 young worms from one cocoon.

The Californian worm is much more active than an ordinary earthworm, it reproduces faster and processes the substrate, lives longer (up to 15 years compared to 4 years of ordinary manure).

The disadvantage is that they do not like the cold. At negative temperatures, they are not able to go deep into the ground, sufficient for self-preservation - the entire population moves to warmer areas. If everything freezes, individuals gather in one lump and die. It can be concluded that the cultivation of the "Californian" in the winter is associated with maintaining the optimal temperatures necessary for their life.

Buy California Worms

Agrodrim is engaged in breeding and sale. You can buy in unlimited quantities and in any container, for example in a plastic container, bucket or a special box with a substrate at low prices. We will ensure safety for the entire period of transportation. You can buy worms for fishing by self-delivery from our farm. For the production of vermicompost and breeding, we recommend purchasing a population of worms for breeding.

Buy worms for fishingBuy a biohumus

Safe and healthy fertilizer can be obtained not only thanks to organic residues. California worms are vermicompost producers, and growing them is not difficult at home. This is a profitable business, since only organic waste is needed for its breeding, and it reproduces quickly enough.

Biological features of the red Californian worm (RCH)

Due to their unpretentiousness and rapid reproduction, Californian worms have become widely used in the production of biohumus. They are characterized by the following features:

habitat is an organic substrate,
life expectancy is 16 years, an individual is able to lay up to 20 cocoons per season,
gluttonous: eats more than its weight in a day,
lives in a container where he is bred without leaving it,
temperature differences in which an "underground inhabitant" can exist is from +4 to +40C.

Any earthworms, passing the soil through the intestines, enrich it with useful components. California worms produce vermicompost in a short period of time, which is how they differ from ordinary earthworms (they look very similar in appearance).

The substrate enriched with them has a number of positive qualities:

contains a large number of beneficial soil microorganisms,
significantly increases the amount of humic acids,
there are biostimulants that positively affect the growth of crops,
the number of useful nutrients increases several times.

In connection with the peculiarities of growing KKCh as biohumus producers, the term " vermiculture» - a culture of growing worms. On an industrial scale or at home, they are able to make a profit.

It is enough to settle in compost from 1500 to 3000 individuals, so that in a year they will process the substrate into biogmus, which will “ennoble” 3-4 acres of land. When creating favorable conditions for the population of worms, during the warm season they produce up to 2 tons of high-quality humus.

For information: Growing "Californian" is a profitable business: the costs for it are small and do not need huge areas. Without having particularly complex skills, you can earn a good income. Worms are needed not only as biohumus producers. They are used for catching fish, as food for birds and fish.

Necessary substrate and its preparation

Breeding Californian worms at home requires a prepared site (place) where they will live. These can be boxes or containers, compost pits or heaps. Boxes are used cardboard (lay polyethylene inside), wooden, plastic. Easy to use plastic containers.

Feed is any waste of organic origin:

fruit, vegetable, potato peelings,
old tea leaves or coffee grounds,
bread crusts or moldy bread
plant waste, plant tops,
leftover food,
grass and leaf litter.

For information: You can grow worms either outdoors or indoors. Breeding in an open area is seasonal in nature, since KKCh is not able to withstand a cold climate. In room culture, you can breed vermiculture all year round.

Containers for breeding California worms

Using containers

The sequence of work when using containers:

Pour dry sand at the bottom as drainage. Place a container with holes on top.
Pour fertile soil into the second container with a thin layer of 1 cm, and place the food substrate on top with a layer of 3-5 cm.
Add crushed eggshells to deoxidize the soil, a 1 cm layer of earth and moisten the substrate. Water regularly with a watering can.
We distribute the worms over the surface, covering them with a small piece of polyethylene or burlap.

The volume of the container can be different, but the height should be 30-40cm. First, the worms feed and process the substrate in the lower container. We pull it out and put a new one on top, with a fresh substrate, where earthen individuals gradually crawl. Gradually changing the containers, we get biohumus rich in nutrients.

You need to choose biohumus from the container three times (in a week), while the worms crawl into a container with a fresh substrate. Then the lower layer of biohumus is also poured out, but some individuals still remain in it (up to 5%).

They feed on substances that enter the soil with water flowing from the upper tiers during irrigation. They can be used with nutritional formula. And even if the worms get into the flower pot, then nothing threatens the room culture.

Important: After the sand at the bottom becomes wet, change it to dry. Crates or containers must not contain metal staples or nails. Their presence has a bad effect on the fertility of the "Californian".

In boxes, the substrate is prepared in almost the same way: a layer of sand and food waste with eggshells, the top layer of soil. When growing in separate containers, it is more difficult to separate the vermicompost processed from the substrate. Usually, the worms are kept “on dry rations” for several days, and then food is placed nearby, to which they crawl. The boxes are convenient for keeping "pets" in the winter, and in the spring they can be released onto the site to improve the soil in natural conditions.

Important: Californian worms can overwinter in areas where winters are warm. At temperatures below + 4C, they fall into suspended animation (inhibited state), and in severe frosts they die. When kept in a compost pit, they should be covered with a 40-50 cm layer of compost from above. When it gets colder, put more snow on top of the pile.

Rules for keeping "California"

We start breeding Californian worms with their purchase. You can buy them at vermifarms. Healthy individuals are red and actively move. When buying weak worms, you can not get either biohumus or growth of individuals.

The price of one individual is approximately 1-3 rubles. For 1 sq.m. soil need 1-3 families. If worms are needed for reproduction, then the “brood stock” is up to 1500 healthy CCs and more. The main points of technology, how to breed Californian worms at home:

settlement of worms in a new habitat,
the formation of nutritious biohumus by earthen specimens,
breeding process,
collection of humus and breeding worms for sale.

For active reproduction, in order for individuals to breed well, a temperature regime of +15 to +25C is needed. The soil should be neutral, and the air humidity should be 75-80%.

The frequency of feeding is directly related to the number of individuals, the quality of the substrate and the season. On average, fresh ingredients are added to the substrate every 2 weeks. You can not add a lot of food at a time, due to this, fermentation or a change in the acidity of the soil mixture may occur. Worms die in an acidic environment.

Food should be added as the previous portion is processed. Periodically, earth mixture, crushed eggshells (reduces acidity) and sand should be poured into the substrate, which improves the digestion processes in KCC.

For information: When introducing a new diet into the diet of the "Californians" you need to be careful. With a quick transition to a new food, mature individuals die, and young ones gradually get used to the new food. It should be introduced gradually (about 10%), mixing with the food that is familiar to them.

How to breed California worms in the country

For them, a compost pit lined with polyethylene is created on the site, where the “underground inhabitants” are placed. Before frost, they need to be constantly fed, removing the top layer and adding a new one. Some part can be released into the soil to fertilize your site.

If there is no rain, moisten the pits with watering from a watering can. Over the summer, they will multiply well, but when the temperature drops, they will hibernate. This is not scary, in the spring they become more active, and will need enhanced nutrition. Therefore, you should take care of a fresh substrate since the fall.

When growing "underground inhabitants" do not forget about the following nuances:

We close the box with Californian worms with a lid, hay or burlap.
The soil needs to be moistened and loosened twice a week: air and moisture must freely penetrate the soil.
If the temperature drops to -5C, then we additionally insulate the box with straw (layer up to 100cm).
If the worms become lethargic, then we change the substrate to a fresh one.

"California" do not like fluctuations in humidity or its reduction. When growing with plant residues, there will be no problems: they contain a lot of moisture. With a different diet, regularly moisten the substrate, excess moisture will drain into the bottom layer of sand. If the substrate is squeezed in a fist, moisture flows from it: this is the substrate that our "underground inhabitants" need.

For information: Excess water, passing through a layer of biohumus, is enriched with nutrients. This is a valuable product with macro- and microelements, humic acids, which is called vermicai. It is useful to use for watering flowers and seedlings.

Features of the sale of "live products"

Wholesale is more profitable than retail because the price per worm is low. Therefore, it is desirable to establish relationships with major suppliers. Usually they sell both worms and biohumus. Pet stores and farms, fish farms, fishing goods stores may be interested in these products.

Since the costs of organizing the production itself are relatively small (buying worms and containers), and you don’t need to buy food, it is always “at hand”, the first profit will not be long in coming. At first, you can sell "Californians" to neighbors and friends, and then, with a good start, look for larger markets.

The amount from sales is a net profit, because the production itself is not expensive. Therefore, try to create a business from scratch. Having studied the necessary literature, having received practical advice from the Internet or from knowledgeable people and having the right conditions, this will not be difficult. The main thing is to have time and desire to work.

Growing "Californian" is a profitable business: the costs for it are small and do not need huge areas.

Home breeding video of Californian worms:

The worm breeding business is characterized by a high level of profitability and low capital costs. Among other things, you can even do this at home or in an apartment (having allocated only one room).

Wastelessness of production.

"Prospector"

Earthworm

Dendroben

Muckworm

The advantages of this type of worm lie in the distinctive characteristics for vermicultivation. Previously served as the basis for breeding species such as Prospector and Red California Worm.

Red California worm for breeding at home.

On the basis of the dung worm, a new population can be developed, characterized by greater voracity, growth and reproduction rate, depending on the needs of buyers.

flour worm

loosening the soil;
timely feeding;
watering the soil.

Among all the types of earthworms that exist in the world, only a few can be bred in artificial conditions.

But the most versatile in their characteristics and the most economically attractive are the worms belonging to the species "Red worms".

The red earthworm usually has the commercial name "California", since it was in the state of California in the United States of America that its intensive cultivation began in the fifties of the last century. Among the various species obtained as a result of various selections, the red worm obtained by the American Barrett, as a result of the selection of the common dung worm, is widespread and successfully reproduced.

What does the California red worm look like?

Red California worm - dark red (brown-red with purple-pearl tones), the body of the worm is elongated, cylindrical, flattened from the side of the abdomen and divided into segments, each of which has two bristles on each side. Cultivated individuals are 6 to 9 cm long and 3 to 5 mm thick. The weight of an adult worm is in the range of 0.2-1.0 g. Body temperature 19-20°C.

The California worm is very prolific, and its life expectancy is 4 times the life expectancy of the "wild" earthworm.

Different lifespan and fecundity of the forest earthworm and red Californian worm.

The lifespan of the California red worm is about 16 years, during which it regularly copulates every 7 days, starting from the 90th day of life, if the litter has an acceptable temperature for it.
The California worm is hermaphrodite (bisexual) and cannot self-fertilize. However, as a result of cross-fertilization of two earthworms, two eggs or capsules are formed, one for each individual, which mature and open after 14-21 days, depending on the temperature of the habitat of the worms in the litter.

Rules for breeding Californian worms

Each capsule or cocoon contains between 2 and 20 worms, and on average 7 young worms are born from each individual of the common earthworm in the climatic conditions of southern Europe.
The number of young worms depends very much on the temperature outside the cocoon in the habitat, however, it can be simplified to say that the sexual activity of this worm decreases in the cold months and reaches a maximum fecundity in the temperate season and decreases again in especially hot months.

Temperature conditions for cultivation of the Californian worm

It should be emphasized that one of the main concerns of the beginner worm breeder is to maintain a constant bed temperature. Optimal conditions, i.e. humus production and sexual activity, are achieved at a bed temperature of 19 to 20 °C.
The California worm is afraid of both excessive cold (0 ° C) and too much heat (over 42 ° C), so measures must be taken to protect it from adverse climatic conditions.

Advantages and disadvantages

The California red worm reaches sexual maturity at the age of three months, when it can be considered fully mature. Two individuals of an earthworm per year can produce an average of 1500 young worms under fairly normal conditions of a temperate climate. Thus, one pair annually produces 3,000 young worms in five generations.
This pair, grown in an optimal environment with a constant average temperature, constant and controlled humidity, the presence of acceptable food and sufficient water, can produce 7 to 10 young worms per capsule and up to 20-21 young worms when bred in a greenhouse.

From the usual earthworm, the Californian worm is distinguished by a higher vital activity and the ability to process food faster and more completely. As a result of processing one ton of substrate, about 600 kg biohumus, A increase in biomass of worms - is 100 kg.

As noted above, the only drawback of the Californian worm is that it is too thermophilic. He has a weakened self-preservation instinct at low temperatures and therefore, when the habitat is cooled, the Californian worm does not go deep into the ground to the freezing depth, but gathers in one place in large quantities and freezes safely. So if you are going to breed this type of worm, you should take care of good a worm hive with a positive temperature in winter, or you will have to warm the piles well when grown outdoors.

The worm breeding business is characterized by a high level of profitability and low capital costs.

About breeding worms as a business in the country or in a private house

Among other things, you can even do this at home or in an apartment (having allocated only one room).

In addition to the fact that the worms themselves are a product of sale, they can provide additional income as fertilizer and worm tea, which significantly accelerate the development of plants.

This idea will be especially interesting as an additional business for gardeners and gardeners, poultry and fish farmers. This production will perfectly complement agribusiness with useful humus, and poultry and fish farms will be supplied with useful complementary foods at cost.

Advantages of a business idea with minimal investment

The business case for worm farming at home is based on the clear benefits of a profitable business with minimal investment.

Advantages of breeding worms:

The simplicity of the equipment used.
High reproduction rate.
The presence of a high level of demand, as well as ample opportunities to open new outlets.
Insignificant flow costs for care and feeding.
Wastelessness of production.

In just one year, an entrepreneur can get more than fifteen thousand individuals and up to one ton of fertilizer (with a nursery size of 2 m2). Having made simple calculations, you can see that the net profit from the sale of 15 thousand individuals will be about $ 700. In addition, the profitability of this business can be increased by selling the collected tons of worm tea and humus. In today's economic situation, the profitability of breeding worms for the production of humus reaches 145%, which is an excellent indicator for such a low initial cost.

What worms are best for breeding?

For breeding worms as a business, you can use any kind of them. The most popular and cost-effective are the types below.

"Prospector"

Seems to be a key competitor to California red worms. Prospector is distinguished by its high ability to quickly convert biomass into fertilizers. Characterized by high activity. One of the advantages of breeding this species is its high resistance to temperature extremes, it is able to withstand from +9 to +30 degrees.

Earthworm

It is characterized by a high level of adaptation to the environment, which makes it an excellent tool for making a profit even in a city apartment. The only drawback of this type of worm is its low reproductive activity, which, however, can be compensated experimentally.

California (red) worm

Efficient and profitable home breeding of Californian red worms requires the maintenance of (at least) three families, each of which is a thousand individuals. This species is characterized by whimsical food (requires special food). It reacts sharply to temperature: the room should not be below +10. A distinctive advantage is high-quality humus.

Dendroben

This type of worm was specially bred by farmers as bait when fishing. Despite the low level of reproduction rate and life expectancy, dendrobena are quite large and fleshy. Also, the cocoons of the worm are able to withstand temperatures up to -18 degrees, after which they are hatched at a positive temperature level. Excellent for soil improvement and as a result, may be of interest to companies engaged in agricultural activities.

Muckworm

The advantages of this type of worm lie in the distinctive characteristics for vermicultivation. Previously served as the basis for breeding species such as Prospector and Red California Worm. On the basis of the dung worm, a new population can be developed, characterized by greater voracity, growth and reproduction rate, depending on the needs of buyers.

flour worm

Like the others, this type does not require any specialized knowledge and significant capital to build a profitable business process. It is characterized by a high reproduction rate and resistance to temperature extremes.

Helpful advice! It is worth noting that the natural habitat of one species of worms can be detrimental to other species. For example, if an earthworm and a dung worm live together, then the earthworm dies. Since the waste products of the dung worm are toxic to others. The maintenance of all types separately will reinsure the business against losses.

Conditions for breeding worms

Worms care consists of the following items:

loosening the soil;
support of the required temperature range;
timely feeding;
watering the soil.

Almost all types of worms do not impose special conditions for feeding. The temperature level, as mentioned above, should not fall below +9 degrees and rise above +30. Worms love moisture, but don't overdo it. The soil moisture level should not exceed 85%.

After the population has grown, the "extra" individuals should be moved to another container. Otherwise, the worms will stop breeding. Also, after raising the level of compost in the soil with worms, it is necessary to loosen. In the vast majority of cases, this is not more than twice a week. Proper and timely loosening of the soil allows you to provide insects with the necessary access to oxygen, which favorably affects the rate of their reproduction.

Ways to sell finished products

The worm breeding business has a wide range of marketing opportunities. For example, after reaching a sufficient number of individuals, you can safely establish contacts with various pet stores, as well as fish farms. Moreover, the geography of the sale of finished products is not limited solely to their own city of residence. With the help of the Internet, you can find websites of pet stores in other cities. Recently, an online store has been an effective way to promote products sold.

Another, no less important method is direct marketing in the markets of cities. One package of worms (thirty individuals) will cost an average of $ 1-1.5.

As for humus and worm tea, this is an indispensable fertilizer for many gardeners and summer residents. By setting the average market price, you can quickly build up a significant customer base of retail buyers. More details can be found in this video.

California worms

What do California red worms look like?

Fertility

California worm - the best pet for a summer resident Part 2

In the cold season, sexual activity decreases, as well as in especially hot months. As for the moderately warm season, sexual activity increases significantly. The worm lives 13-15 years, after two or three months of life under moderate conditions for it, it is able to produce new cocoons.

Optimal temperature

Advantages and disadvantages

The Californian worm is much more active than an ordinary earthworm, it reproduces faster and processes the substrate, lives longer (up to 15 years compared to 4 years of ordinary manure).

Buy California Worms

Buy worms for fishingBuy a biohumus

home< Разведение Калифорнийских червей в домашних условиях.

Breeding California worms at home.

A high-quality breeding stock of the red California worm (family) should consist of at least 1500 individuals.

The basic rules for preparing the substrate (compost) for the further colonization of worms:

do not use chlorinated water to moisten the compost. Chlorine is poison for worms. If the water is chlorinated, you need to stand it for 2-3 days, the chlorine will go away, you can also use rainwater
it is forbidden to use fresh manure, because in the process of manure burning, its temperature will rise to 70-800C and the worm will die
it is not recommended to use old manure that has lain for more than 3 years, it contains a small amount of useful substances for worms.

Organic waste is collected in heaps and moistened. In this way, they rot for 1-3 months.

Compost pile dimensions:

collar width 1.2-2 meters
height 20-30 cm
any length.

Favorable conditions for breeding the California worm:

acidity 6.5-7.5 PH
temperature 15-220С
compost humidity 70-80%.

Breeding California worms at home as a business

It is not possible to select all the worms in this way, 3-4% remains in the processed compost, which is already a fertilizer - vermicompost. Worms selected in this way are populated in new heaps, boxes, or used for sale.

All discus growers know very well that the more varied the feeding of discus, the better the results will be. One such type of food that is fed to juvenile and adult discus is Californian worms. Let's just say that this type of food is rarely used for feeding discus, either because of the unpopularity of Californian worms, or because discus breeders are not aware of the possibility of using such food. Below is the contents of a report on California worm feeding on discus, taken from the Internet.

Many discus lovers try to diversify the diet of their pets.
An excellent food for discus are earthworms and, in particular, the rapidly breeding, heat-loving red California worm. A vivid confirmation of these words can be an excerpt from Vladimir Anisimov's article "Trump Worms", published in the magazine "Smena" No. 2-3 for 1992:
“... finally ... treated me with information: in the West, the Californian worm ... is eaten.
- In America, this is the main additive to baby food.

Breeding worms at home as a business

Japan is ready to pay $225,000 for one kilogram of dry worm...
- How much?
- You heard right. Why is this product valuable? 70% of a worm's weight is digestible protein. I emphasize - digestible! There is not a single crop or animal with such an amount of digestible protein. We are crammed with wheat protein - so we go fat. The chemical composition of the "Californian" is 16 amino acids! For comparison: in meat - 6 amino acids, in a tomato - three. Again, not a single plant and animal product has anything even close in calories.
The following information was found on the Internet about the Californian worm.
The California red worm is a new breed of earthworm, Eisenia foetida, obtained from California State University in 1959. Its length is up to 10 cm, diameter is 3-5 mm, body weight is about 1 g, the appearance of a new generation after 21 days, the onset of puberty after 90-120 days. Earthworms are hermaphrodites. They reproduce sexually using cross fertilization. Worms lay cocoons, from which up to 20 embryos emerge. Cocoons are visible on the body of the worm as thickenings (rims). Life expectancy is from 10 to 16 years. The offspring of two worms can reach 1.5 thousand individuals per year. After 40 days, the worm population doubles. The body of the worm contains 67-72% protein, 7-19% fats, 18-20% carbohydrates, 2-3% minerals, almost the entire set of amino acids that do not have food of plant and animal origin, as well as biologically active substances.
The advantages of cultivating the California worm are: high fertility, low financial and time costs, simple production technology. They can be bred both on an industrial scale and in an apartment, on a balcony and in a summer cottage.
At home, worms can be kept in a box made of wood or plywood, in an old glass aquarium, in a plastic box. They do not crawl anywhere from the boxes in which they breed him. Sand must be placed at the bottom (you can make holes in the bottom so that excess moisture flows into the pan) - it is drainage. Then a layer of soil 1 - 2 cm, a layer of food waste 3 - 5 cm, again a layer of soil 1 - 2 cm. It is recommended to add a little ground eggshell to food waste, because. "Californians" do not like an acidic environment.
It is convenient to use two boxes for keeping worms. So you can provide both a larger number of them, and a safety net in case the culture dies in one of the boxes.
Californian worms live at a temperature of plus 4 to plus 40 degrees, and work actively at an air temperature of plus 15 - 25 degrees.
Habitat - a special substrate saturated with organic compounds (manure, composts, organic waste and garbage), but not soil. In one day, the red Californian worm processes a mass of compost equal to its own weight.
The substrate in which the worms live must be moist. The degree of humidity of the substrate is determined as follows: the substrate is taken into the palm from the layer of worms and squeezed in a fist. If moisture protrudes between the fingers, the substrate moisture is sufficient, if water drops protrude, then it is waterlogged, if moisture does not protrude, the substrate is dry, it must be moistened.
California worms feed only on dead and rotting plant debris. Therefore, the menu of the worm should consist only of plant foods. You can use any plant residues: banana and citrus peels, coffee grounds, sleeping tea, potato peels, cabbage leaves, apple cores, carrot peels, beets, spoiled and boiled vegetables and non-dairy cereals. Before feeding, it is recommended to either pass them through a meat grinder or freeze them in the freezer. Sleeping tea and coffee grounds can be put without any processing. Worms are very fond of bread. You can feed the worms with grass and leaves. It is not recommended to feed worms with meat waste.
The frequency of feeding depends on the number of worms in the box and on the growing temperature. As the temperature approaches the optimum (25°C), the amount of food consumed by the worms increases. It should be given little by little over 2 to 3 days, trying to feed so that unprocessed subtract does not accumulate.
From time to time, you need to stir up the substrate in order to improve the access of oxygen necessary for the worms to breathe.
I will briefly describe the process of feeding discus worms.
First you need to "drip" the worms. In a place where food has recently been laid, you can always find them in sufficient quantities. So there is no need to dig up the contents of the entire box.
The excavated worms can be kept in water for several hours to free them from the ground. You can simply rinse the worms several times under running water, as shown in the photo. It is convenient to use a strainer or a small colander for this procedure.
Then large worms should be crushed and rinsed again under running water. You can also rinse in a jar, draining dirty water. Worms, even sliced, quickly sink to the bottom, and the mud sinks much more slowly.
The last step is feeding the discus. He is certainly the nicest.
The culture of Californian worms, contained in two plastic boxes, allows you to feed 12 adult discus every other day. At the same time, labor costs are minimal. Daily attention is also not required. With a little more effort, you can easily increase your worm yield. Of course, for a large aquarium farm, the situation will change somewhat.
In conclusion, it should be noted that worms can be frozen. In the summer at the dacha, Californian worms can be propagated in sufficient numbers in large containers. And for the winter, take part of the heat-loving culture home and keep it in a box
I hope the above will help discus lovers to expand the diet of feeding their pets.

Alexander Burtsev. Moscow, April 2013

Tags: Discus, feeding, California worms

mi and level. The substrate can be rotten, rotted manure, kitchen waste and other available organic matter, it should be soft, moist and nutritious. First create a layer of about 30 cm, then, as needed, you will need to add more. Processing organic matter, the worms leave the inedible space and pass into the added food. Make each next layer up to 10 cm.

Add organics about once a day, during which time the California worms will be able to process the previous portion. After reaching a height of 70-80 cm, the resulting vermicompost can be selected, more precisely, the intermediate product is detritus. To do this, gently loosen the top layer where the worms are, and then transfer it to another container or pit. Repeat the procedure 2-3 times at weekly intervals to remove all worms. After that, the remaining humus can be removed and used for any need - poured into planting holes, stored, diluted with water for irrigation.

Keep an eye on the temperature of fresh compost, it should not exceed +40 degrees. Use last year's burnt manure. In addition, keep the humidity in the compost in the range of 60-70%. For this and in the hot time of others, water the substrate. It also follows that direct sunlight is detrimental to Californian worms, so compost pits or containers should be placed in shaded places. Favorable temperatures for Californian worms to work range from +4 to +35-40 degrees, the best is +25 degrees. They do not tolerate winter conditions well, as they do not burrow deep into the soil, so they should be in a warm place or warm a compost heap, container or pit. Can not be used with a layer of manure, as it does not worm m "breathe".

note

It should be borne in mind that adult worms are very difficult to get used to new food. This is strongly associated with their biological feature - worms are programmed to consume food immediately after birth, so they can no longer get used to another. Therefore, when buying technology worms, you need to take this risk into account. New substrates should be populated only with cocoons of worms, then, having hatched, the worms will tune in to the processing of only this type of food.

Helpful advice

Wintering for Californian worms can be done in the following way - dig a hole with a diameter of 1.5 - 2 meters and a depth of about 20 cm, load worms into it in late autumn and cover it with fallen leaves with a layer of 50 cm. The control batch should be stored in a cellar in a box with a volume of 2-3 buckets .

Sources:

California Worms - Growing, Breeding and Getting Fertilizer
California worm

Earthworms are very useful inhabitants of the earth, they are soil formers. Availability worms in the soil means that it will be very fertile, the plants will develop well in it, because the worms ventilate the soil with their moves.

You will need

Worms
substrate
Boards
top dressing

Instruction

In order to rain worms, you need to dial the first batch. Worms can be found in old dunghills, or where last year's was left. You can also meet worms during spring earthworks. caught worms gently transfer to a bucket of moistened, and then transfer them to the place where the worm is planned.

Another way to get worms- this is with the help of luring. For example, in a summer cottage, in a raspberry forest (always wet under the branches), you need to dig a shallow ditch, put wet rotten compost in it and cover it with paper or. From above you need to cover the ditch with a wide board. After 1-1.5 weeks, earthworms will appear in the compost, which are also transferred to the wormhole. Optimal quantity worms for - about 500-1000 individuals per 1 sq. meter cultivator.

The worm is best placed in an area where there is shade: under trees, in a barn or in a basement. For him, 2 square meters will be enough. meters. The worm can be formed both in and in the bath or in a large wooden box. To do this, a layer of well-moistened compost 40-50 cm is placed, like a bulk bed. After that, the compost should be covered with burlap or straw, and left for a week so that ammonia is removed and fertilizer residues dissolve.

During this time you can collect worms for a divorce. You can move in after a week worms in the following way. On each square meter of the worm, a recess is made in the center where you need to place worms. It remains to level the ground and cover the top layer with burlap or straw. The next day, the worm should be moistened. In the future, the worm is watered in the same way as with warm water.

Feed worms can be food waste, such as potato or other vegetable peels, moldy bread, tea leftovers, coffee grounds. You can also use last year's, hay, fresh.
Worms are vegetarians, so it is better not to add meat waste to top dressing. At worms there are no teeth, so the food must first be crushed. This can be done with a meat grinder, and then mix the resulting mass well. Then the feed is laid out on the surface of the soil in a uniform layer.

note

Do not use pesticides in the soil to avoid the death of worms.

Helpful advice

Be sure to loosen the soil of the worm to avoid overdrying the top layer and enrich the soil with oxygen.

Before going fishing, having a good fishing spot and excellent tackle, you should not forget about nozzles. Among the most famous and favorite baits of fish are ordinary earthworms, from which red dung, white earthen and cherry leaflets are isolated. But what about in the cold season? You can grow it at home without much difficulty.

You will need

- worms;
- wooden box;
- manure;
- dark breathable fabric;
- household waste;
- peat;
- food waste;
- watering can.

Breeding California worms. California Worms: Breeding as a Business

How to start breeding California worms

California worms love to be cared for

Testing biohumus in practice - in your garden

Benefits of biohumus

Earthworm food

Earthworm Care

Wintering of earthworms

The use of biohumus

Worms for breeding

California worms for breeding from the manufacturer

There are worms of different ages in the box

Number of worms in a container and transportation

California worms breeding at home

Who benefits from purchasing the California worm population

Plastic perforated container for breeding worms

Packing worms

Instructions after the acquisition of breeding stock

The use of earthworms

Benefits of biohumus

Conditions for breeding earthworms

Earthworm food

Earthworm Care

Breeding California worms at home

Exemption from worms of ready biohumus

Wintering of earthworms

Features of breeding earthworms in the apartment

The use of biohumus

Plant growth stimulator BioVit

Breeding California worms at home.

The basic rules for preparing the substrate (compost) for the further colonization of worms:

Growing earthworms in the garden and in the apartment

Compost pile dimensions:

Favorable conditions for breeding the California worm:

Industrial breeding of Californian worms

Bed preparation

Stock orientation

indoors

substrate (food)

How to grow California worms at home?

Organic Substrate Formulation

Substrate fermentation

Growing worms in winter

California worms

What do California red worms look like?

Fertility

CALIFORNIA WORM

Optimal temperature

Advantages and disadvantages

Buy California Worms

Biological features of the red Californian worm (RCH)

Necessary substrate and its preparation

Using containers

Rules for keeping "California"

How to breed California worms in the country

Features of the sale of "live products"

"Prospector"

Earthworm

Dendroben

Muckworm

Red California worm for breeding at home.

flour worm

What does the California red worm look like?

Different lifespan and fecundity of the forest earthworm and red Californian worm.

Rules for breeding Californian worms

Temperature conditions for cultivation of the Californian worm

Advantages and disadvantages

About breeding worms as a business in the country or in a private house

Advantages of a business idea with minimal investment

What worms are best for breeding?

"Prospector"

Earthworm

California (red) worm

Dendroben

Muckworm

flour worm

Conditions for breeding worms

Ways to sell finished products

California worms

What do California red worms look like?