home Business blog What are California worms for? California red worm

What are California worms for? California red worm

Safe and useful fertilizer can be obtained not only from organic residues. California worms are producers of vermicompost, and growing them is not difficult at home. This profitable business, since its breeding requires only organic waste, and it reproduces quite quickly.

Biological features of the red Californian worm (RCW)

Due to its unpretentiousness and rapid reproduction, California worms began to be widely used in the production of vermicompost. They are characterized by the following features:

the habitat is an organic substrate,
life expectancy is 16 years, an individual is capable of laying up to 20 cocoons per season,
gluttonous: he eats more food than his weight in a day,
lives in a container where he is bred without leaving it,
The temperature differences in which the “underground inhabitant” can exist range from +4 to +40C.

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

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

contains a large number of beneficial soil microorganisms,
the amount of humic acids increases significantly,
there are biostimulants that have a positive effect on crop growth,
the amount of useful nutrients increases several times.

In connection with the peculiarities of growing KKCH as producers of vermicompost, the term “ vermiculture" - culture of growing worms. On an industrial scale or at home, they can be profitable.

It is enough to populate the compost with 1,500 to 3,000 individuals so that in a year they will process the substrate into biogmus, which will “ennoble” 3-4 acres of land. When favorable conditions are created for the worm population, during the warm season they produce up to 2 tons of high-quality humus.

For information: Growing "Californian" - profitable business: the costs are low and huge areas are not required. Without particularly complex skills, you can earn a good income. Worms are needed not only as producers of vermicompost. They are used for fishing, as food for birds and fish.

Necessary substrate and its preparation

Breeding Californian worms at home requires a prepared area (place) where they will live. These can be boxes or containers, compost pits or heaps. The boxes used are cardboard (lined with polyethylene inside), wood, and plastic. Plastic containers are easy to use.

Any waste of organic origin serves as food:

For information: You can grow worms either outdoors or indoors. Breeding in an open area is seasonal, since KKCH is not able to withstand cold climates. In indoor culture, vermiculture can be grown all year round.

Containers for breeding Californian worms

Using containers

Sequence of work when using containers:

Pour dry sand onto 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, add a 1cm layer of soil and moisten the substrate. We water regularly using 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 may vary, but the height should be 30-40cm. The worms initially feed and process the substrate in the lower container. We take it out and put a new one on top, with fresh substrate, into which the earthen individuals gradually crawl. By gradually changing containers, we obtain vermicompost rich in nutrients.

You need to remove vermicompost from the container three times (every week), while the worms crawl into a container with fresh substrate. Then the bottom layer of vermicompost is 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 worms get into a flower pot, the indoor culture is not in danger.

Important: After the sand at the bottom becomes wet, change it to dry. Boxes 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, top layer of soil. When grown 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: California worms can overwinter in areas with warm winters. At temperatures below +4C they fall into anabiosis (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 on top. When it gets cold, add more snow on top of the pile.

Rules for keeping “Californians”

We start breeding Californian worms by purchasing them. You can buy them at worm farms. Healthy individuals are red in color and actively move. If you buy weak worms, you may not get either vermicompost or growth of individuals.

The price of one individual is approximately 1-3 rubles. For 1 kb.m. 1-3 families of soil are needed. If worms are needed for reproduction, then the “brood stock” is up to 1,500 healthy CFCs or more. The main points of technology on how to breed Californian worms at home:

settling worms in a new habitat,
formation of nutritious vermicompost by earthen individuals,
reproduction process,
collection of humus and multiplied worms for sale.

For active reproduction and for individuals to reproduce 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 components are added to the substrate once every 2 weeks. You cannot add a lot of food at one time, as this may cause fermentation or a change in the acidity of the soil mixture. In an acidic environment, worms die.

Food must be added as the previous portion is processed. Periodically, you need to add an earthen mixture, crushed eggshells (reduces acidity) and sand to the substrate, which improves the digestion processes of KKCH.

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

How to breed Californian 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 holes by watering from a watering can. During the summer they reproduce well, but when the temperature drops they will hibernate. This is not scary, in the spring they become more active and will need increased nutrition. Therefore, you should take care of fresh substrate in the fall.

When growing “underground inhabitants”, do not forget about the following nuances:

Cover the box with California worms with a lid, hay or burlap.
The soil needs to be moistened and loosened twice a week: air and moisture must freely penetrate into 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 replace the substrate with fresh one.

“Californians” do not like humidity fluctuations or decreases. There will be no problems when growing using plant residues: they contain a lot of moisture. With a different diet, regularly moisten the substrate; excess moisture will drain into the lower layer of sand. If the substrate is squeezed in a fist, moisture drains from it: this is the substrate that our “underground inhabitants” need.

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

Features of the sale of “live products”

Wholesale sales are more profitable than retail sales because the price per worm is low. Therefore, it is advisable to establish relationships with major suppliers. They usually sell both worms and vermicompost. Pet stores and farms, fish farms, and fishing supply stores may be interested in these products.

Since the costs of organizing the production itself are relatively small (purchase of worms and containers), and there is no 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, if the start is successful, look for larger markets.

The amount from sales is net profit, because production itself is not expensive. Therefore, try to create a business from scratch. Having studied necessary literature, having received practical advice from the Internet or from knowledgeable people and having suitable 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 are low and you don’t need huge areas.

Video of breeding Californian worms at home:

Organic fertilizers are not the only source of substances beneficial to plant crops. California worms contribute to the formation of vermicompost. You can grow them at home. All you need is organic waste. Animals reproduce quite quickly, so business with them is considered quite profitable.

Biological characteristics

Californian worms are widely used in the production of vermicompost due to their unpretentiousness and tendency to reproduce quickly. When trying to figure out what requirements California worms have for their living conditions and how to breed these animals at the dacha, you should take into account many nuances. Especially important points are:

use of organic substrate as a habitat;
life expectancy, which is 16 years;
ability to lay up to 20 cocoons in 1 season;
gluttony, which is expressed in the ability to eat an amount of food that exceeds its own weight;
living in a container containing red worms, without having to leave the container;
the possibility of the existence of individuals under significant temperature changes.

Any worms living in the ground pass the substrate through their own intestines. At the end, it is saturated with useful microelements. California worms are capable of producing large volumes of vermicompost over a limited period. This is their difference from simple earthworms. In my own way appearance they are quite similar.

The substrate that worms create has many positive characteristics. These include the presence of:

a large number of mineral compounds in the composition;
presence of humic acids;
the presence of biological stimulants that provoke the growth of plant crops;
a significant increase in the level of useful nutritional components.

The peculiarities of growing Californian breed of worms as vermicompost producers led to the formation of the term vermiculture. This is the name of the culture of growing worms. These animals are capable of generating income at home or on an industrial scale. To process three acres of land to enrich the soil with humus, it is enough to place about one and a half thousand individuals in compost.

If the worm population gets everything the necessary conditions for development, they are capable of producing up to 2 tons of humus of excellent quality over the summer. Growing Californians is profitable due to low costs and no need for large areas. Even if you don’t have specialized skills, you can make good money in such a business. Worms are needed not only as material for humus. They are also used as food for birds and fish.

Preparing the substrate for settlement

It is not enough to simply buy Californian worms. Breeding, rearing, and feeding of these animals must be studied especially carefully.

Site preparation is a mandatory step in working with Californian and worms. The soil can be placed in a container or box. A compost bin is also suitable. Boxes must be made of cardboard. It is lined with polyethylene inside. It is also allowed to take plastic and wooden containers. The first ones are most convenient for such work. To successfully raise Canada worms, you need to know what to feed them. The following are suitable food for them:

Meat waste is completely unsuitable for feeding such animals. Even if you throw peelings into the soil, you should crumble them thoroughly, otherwise the worms will not be able to cope with them.

The red Californian worm, the breeding of which is extremely simple, thrives ideally in moist soil. The soil should never be dry.

It is not necessary to place the container with the substrate in the fresh air. You can place them indoors. Breeding in open areas is seasonal, as worms do not do well in frosty weather. Vermiculture can be grown indoors. It is permissible to keep them here all year round.

Application of containers

When using containers, it is advisable to adhere to a certain sequence of work. First, pour dry sand onto the bottom. The top of the container is covered with a box with pre-arranged holes. Fertile soil is poured into the second container. The layer should be 1 cm thick.

A food substrate is laid on top, the thickness of which should not exceed 5 cm. To deoxidize the soil, eggshells must be added. 1 cm of soil is poured on top. After this, you need to water the soil using a ruler. The worms must be distributed on the surface and covered with a piece of polyethylene or burlap.

Containers can vary in size, while the height remains constant and does not exceed 40 cm. Initially, the worms cultivate the soil in the lowest container. This is where they get their food. It must be pulled out and a new container placed on top, adding fresh soil.

Subsequently, the containers are changed to obtain vermicompost rich in minerals. You can pick up the finished material from the boxes after a week. In general, this is done 3 times. When the worms move into a container with fresh soil, a lower layer of vermicompost is poured, but a certain number of individuals still remain in it. In total, their number is no more than 5%.

They feed on substances that enter the soil with water. They come from the upper tiers during irrigation. You can use them together with the nutritional mixture. If animals move into a pot with an indoor flower, no harm will be done to it. As soon as the sand at the bottom is wet, change it to dry material. Nails and metal staples should not be present on containers. These inclusions adversely affect animal performance.

Rules for using worms

California worms can be bred in regions where winter is relatively warm. As soon as the thermometer drops below plus 4 degrees, they go into a state of hibernation. If severe frosts occur, they will die. If you keep them in a compost pit, you need to put a layer of thermal insulation on top or lay a 50 cm layer of compost. If frost hits, pour more snow on top.

Buying the worms is the most important step. You can buy them at specialized farms. How to distinguish healthy individuals? They crawl actively and have a red tint. If you buy weak individuals, you will not get a well-established production or high-quality humus.

The cost of one individual varies from 1 to 3 rubles. In total, from 1 to 3 cm are required per square meter of soil. If worms are bred for subsequent resale, up to 1,500 healthy animals or more will be required. What nuances are most important:

settlement of individuals in a new place;
formation of nutritious humus by earthworms;
reproduction;
collection of biomaterial and worms that have multiplied in the soil for sale.

To ensure the growth of animals, a temperature range of +15 to +25 is required. It is important that the temperature is neutral. Air humidity should range from 75 to 85%.

It is necessary to pay attention to the cleanliness of fertilizers. It has a direct connection with the number of individuals, season and soil quality. Fresh components must be periodically added to the substrate. It is enough to do this once every two weeks.

Do not offer too much food at one time. This can lead to fermentation or a change in the acidity of the soil mixture. An acidic environment is destructive for worms. Feed must be added as soon as the previous portion has been processed. From time to time, crushed egg shells are poured into the earthen mixture to reduce acidity, as well as sand, which normalizes digestion in animals.

Any new worm food products must be introduced with caution. If the transition is rapid, mature individuals may be seriously harmed. Young worms get used to the new food gradually. It is better to give 10% at a time, mixing with your usual diet.

The nuances of breeding in the country

It is necessary to equip a compost pit on the site. It is lined with a layer of polyethylene. It also houses underground inhabitants. Individuals are regularly fed before the onset of frost. To do this, remove the top layer of the substrate and add a new one.

Some part is passed into the ground to enrich the area with minerals. It is necessary to regularly moisten the substrate by watering it with a watering can in dry weather. Summer is their prime time. In the warm season they reproduce well. In winter, animals hibernate, but there is nothing to worry about. Already in March they will be active. During this period, you will have to take care of enhanced nutrition. The substrate must be fresh. This issue must be resolved in September.

The box with California worms must be covered with hay or burlap. A suitable sized lid is also suitable. The soil is watered and loosened twice a week. This is necessary to ensure good drainage. If the temperature drops to minus 5 degrees, take straw and insulate the box. The layer should have a diameter of up to 100 cm.

If for some reason the activity of the worms has decreased, this indicates the need to change the substrate to a new one. Californians are quite sensitive to decreased humidity levels. If you use plant residues in your work, the owner will not have to face such a problem. They contain a lot of water.

On the other hand, the substrate will need to be regularly moistened if other feeding options are chosen for them. In this case, the water will move into the sand below. How to determine that the substrate has optimal humidity? It is enough to take a small amount of it and squeeze it in your fist.

If moisture drips from it, then everything is in order. Excess water is enriched with nutritional compounds when passing through vermicompost. This is a valuable product containing nutrients and humic acids. It is called vermichaim. This product is very useful for watering seedlings and indoor flowers.

If you don’t want to invest a lot of money in your business, but want to make good money on sales, California worms are ideal. Breeding these animals at home is so simple and labor-intensive that it will suit even the laziest person.

Wholesale sales are more profitable than retail sales. The cost of one worm is not high. This is why it is recommended to establish relationships with large suppliers. They usually sell both vermicompost and worms. Clients can be found among owners of pet stores and fish farms, farms, fishing goods stores. Since there are others on the market who want to sell this kind of product, it is necessary to be able to advertise your product correctly.

You can use an online ad, print flyers and post them in suitable places, or organize direct deliveries. The money that can be raised from the sale can be considered net profit, since production does not require any costs. This is why you can create a business from scratch.

Why do they keep and breed such seemingly unattractive creatures as earthworms?

Mainly for the production of vermicompost. Vermicompost is a valuable organic fertilizer, the main waste product of worms. The worms themselves can also be used as food for various pets (fish, amphibians and reptiles, as well as some species of birds and rodents). But since my pets (cat and Japanese finch) categorically refused to eat worms, I keep worms exclusively to obtain vermicompost. The bulk of the worm population lives on my summer cottage. There is a special worm hutch equipped there, which is covered with spruce branches and film for the winter. But I also keep some worms in my city apartment.

They live in a terrarium, in the bottom of which a number of holes are made so that excess moisture does not accumulate. Naturally, the terrarium should stand on some kind of pallet. The terrarium is located in a dark corner under the table because the worms do not like light.

Worms feed on almost any organic matter - potato peelings, various kinds of kitchen waste, used tea and coffee infusions, bread crusts, soaked newspapers, etc. You should not overuse citrus fruits (lemon, orange and tangerine peels), they strongly acidify the substrate. It is also better to refrain from using animal waste - meat, egg whites and yolks, etc. - mainly for two reasons, firstly, because of the unpleasant odor that occurs when animal protein decomposes, and, secondly, if you breed worms in the country, meat and other animal waste can attract rats and mice. Worms do not eat animal fats (milk, etc.).

Some people say that you shouldn't feed animal protein to worms because worms are vegetarians. But they are more likely to be scavengers than vegetarians. In my opinion, decomposed vegetable protein is not very different from decomposed animal protein. Although it is possible that worms prefer plant protein, they are also capable of eating animal protein. After all, they feed on the simplest nematodes. There are very few animals in nature that have strict dietary restrictions; There are very few absolute vegetarians or absolute carnivores. Cats and dogs, being carnivores, enjoy eating grass. Cows, along with grass, absorb a sufficient amount of animal protein in the form of insects and other small animals. The absence of strict food restrictions allows animals to adapt to changing environmental conditions. As an example, we can cite pigs, whose ancestors are known to have been predators. But let's get back to the worms.

From time to time the worms need to be given eggshells and fine sand. Sand serves worms in the same way as pebbles serve chickens - to improve digestion. Of course, all food given to worms must be put through a meat grinder or crushed in another way, since worms do not have teeth and cannot chew food. In addition to all this, you should not forget about watering, since if the substrate humidity is less than 35%, your worms will die within a week. Under no circumstances should you use chlorinated water for irrigation. Chlorine is poison for worms. Either rainwater or well-settled water is used.

I add food periodically in small layers. When the terrarium is full, I transplant the worms with part of the old substrate into another terrarium, and start everything over again. And vermicompost from the old terrarium is ready for use. Worms can be transplanted manually, but this is a rather tedious task. It is better to stop feeding the worms for a while and let them get hungry. Then place on top straw cuttings or torn paper soaked in a sugar solution. You can use the pulp of vegetables and fruits. In two or three days, most of the hungry worms will rise up to new food, from where they can be collected. In one day, one worm can process an amount of organic matter equal to its own weight. And the average weight of an earthworm is 0.5 g. I don’t presume to say what the optimal density of worms in a worm house (terrarium) should be. IN natural conditions The density of worms ranges from 100 to 20,000 individuals per square meter.
I use vermicompost produced by worms for indoor flowers and seedlings. This way I save money and get a product that I have confidence in. Because you can never say exactly where the soil you bought in the store came from. From the items that I found in bags of flower and garden soil, one could make a fairly extensive exhibition - stones, sticks, bones, and even an entire anthill with live ants and ant eggs. If you use vermicompost for indoor flowers, individual worms or their cocoons may accidentally get into the flower pot. Some gardeners, for some reason, are afraid of this. However, worms cannot cause any harm to flowers. They do not gnaw roots, because, as I already said, they do not have teeth. They can only eat a rotten root, but with rotten roots the plant will die even without worms. But if you are uncomfortable with the idea that there are worms living in your flower pot, then it is easier to simply pick them out by hand than to try to poison them with something or, as some people advise, to put the pot in water and wait for the worms to choke. This can only destroy the plant. Worms can live in water for quite a long time (up to a week).

Some unpleasant moments that can arise when breeding worms.

This is, firstly, the smell from the waste that you feed the worms, and, secondly, the appearance of all kinds of foreign insects. Ready-made vermicompost does not have an unpleasant odor; it smells like ordinary earth. In addition, the worms secrete certain substances that serve as a kind of deodorant. However, newly placed food that the worms have not yet begun to eat may emit an odor. Much here depends on the type of food; soaked newspapers or tea leaves do not emit a special smell, but coffee leaves even have a quite pleasant smell. But if the food contains animal protein, the smell can be quite disgusting. In this case, the new food should be sprinkled with ready-made vermicompost. Some, however, use EM preparations, like Baikal or Vozrozhdenie, to combat unpleasant odors. Personally, in the fall I bring a certain amount of soil from the dacha and periodically sprinkle the substrate with it. I think that this is also good for seedlings, since vermicompost is similar in its properties to the soil in which the seedlings will grow in the summer.
As for insects, most often the substrate contains fruit flies, and sometimes fools. By themselves, these creatures are completely harmless. They cannot harm worms. Quite the opposite. It is known that worms feed on protozoa nematodes, bacteria, fungal spores and other microflora and microfauna. True, I don’t know whether the worms eat the eggs and larvae of fruit flies or worms. Be that as it may, it’s unlikely that anyone will like the presence of various midges in the apartment. Since the appearance of these insects is primarily associated with the increased humidity of the substrate with which you feed the worms, you can fight them by reducing watering (but without stopping completely, so as not to kill the worms). As someone suggested to me on one forum, you can use sticky fly tape to kill fruit flies if you stick it in strips on the lid of the terrarium. Podur can be caught using a piece of raw potato. They love it very much and gather on it in large numbers. You should not use pesticides; you can poison worms.

Where to get worms?
1. buy red Californian worms.
2. buy specially bred Russian (for example, Vladimir)
3. dig up in the garden, in the forest, collect on the street after rain.

Before discussing these three options, I will make one important aside. Whatever option you choose, you still won’t be able to find exactly the same food for the worms that they are used to. And the main advantage of keeping worms is that you can get valuable fertilizer from your free waste. There are different opinions about how easily worms switch to new food. Professor Igonin used to be of the opinion that worms have a rather difficult time getting used to new food. Some of his colleagues believe that this is not such a significant issue. And Anatoly Mikhailovich himself (after he started selling “Vladimir Prospectors” :) now speaks less categorically. Judging by my experience, I can say that it is not worth suddenly switching worms to a new food. You can lose, if not the entire population, then most of it. It is good if by this time the worms have already laid cocoons. Young, newly born worms become accustomed to the food they tried at birth. If it is still necessary to transfer the worms to a new food, then this should be done gradually, gradually mixing it into the old one.
From this point of view, consider all three of the above options. Since the ability to adapt to new conditions depends to a large extent on the worms themselves. If you decide to buy "Californians", then make sure that they are selling you really Californian worms, and not ordinary ones dug up right here under the fence. Sometimes nematodes are sold under the guise of juvenile worms. The seller must have a permit to sell worms issued by the quarantine service. California red worms have high performance, but are quite picky about the substrate and the conditions of detention. They are only suitable for home keeping, that is, they live only in warm conditions. If you want to place them in your dacha, then most likely they will freeze in the first winter. As for Vladimir worms, they are undoubtedly more adapted to our conditions. This is a good option if you don't mind spending money on worms. If you are going to keep worms not only at home, but also in the country house, or only in the country house, then, in my opinion, it is better for you to dig them up in a nearby forest or field. And move them to your worm shed. These will be the worms most adapted to your conditions. Just remember to dig them up along with the soil, and gradually add your new food to this soil. The most adaptable of those I have seen, in my opinion, are the Moscow worms, which I picked up on the street after the rain. Apparently they are so accustomed to living in difficult urban conditions and eating all sorts of rubbish that they are not so easily killed.
Well, perhaps, in short, that’s all. Read more about worms in the book by A.M. Igonin "How to increase soil fertility tens of times with the help of earthworms."

Dmitry Lyalin.

More about vermicompost

Composition of vermicompost and its properties
The main product of compost processing using technological worms is the humic organic fertilizer vermicompost - worm compost.

Vermicompost with 50% humidity contains 12-15% humus.
The agrochemical value of dry vermicompost is as follows:
. humus - 25-35%;
. nitrogen - 0.8-2%;
. phosphorus - 0.8-2%;
. potassium - 0.7-1.2%;
. magnesium - 0.3-0.5%;
. calcium - 2-3%;
. acidity pH = 6.9-7.2;
. microflora - 2*10**12 cells/g;
. fulvic, humic acids;
and all this in a balanced way.

Vermicompost is also a microbiological fertilizer. Adding it improves the soil health. Biocompost exceeds manure and composts in humus content by 4-8 times. Vermicompost contains a large amount of enzymes, vitamins, soil antibiotics, plant growth hormones and other biologically active substances. The duration of action of vermicompost is 5 years.

Unlike manure, vermicompost is not inert - plants react immediately to it. When using vermicompost, the growing season for plants is reduced by 1.5-2 weeks. It has been proven that the humates contained in vermicompost are non-toxic, non-carcinogenic, non-mutagenic, and non-toxic to embryos. Vermicompost does not contain weed seeds. Vermicompost has no odor and is pleasant to hold in your hands.
During storage, vermicompost may even dry out, but will not lose its qualities.

Using vermicompost
Vermicompost can be applied in the spring when digging, it can be poured into holes for seedlings, into rows for sowing seeds.

Vermicompost is added to planting mixtures for growing seedlings and indoor plants.

It is impossible to “over-salt” the soil with vermicompost; the more you add, the better.

Vermicompost can be infused in water and watered with the infusion on plants.

The use of mineral fertilizers mixed with vermicompost is extremely effective.

Norms for applying vermicompost
Since vermicompost has to be saved, its application rates are as follows:
. when planting seedlings in the ground, add 1-2 handfuls of vermicompost to the hole;
. when planting tomato seedlings, add 0.5-1 liters of vermicompost to the hole;
. for potatoes, 0.5-1 liters of vermicompost with each potato;
. mulch the soil under the cucumbers with vermicompost in a layer of 1-2 cm;
. mulch the soil under the strawberries with vermicompost with a layer of 1-2 cm;
. Do not dig up the soil under fruit trees, but mulch annually with a 2-3 cm layer of vermicompost;
The Master Ground company, which supplies vermicompost fertilizer, recommends the following application rates:
. flowers - 0.5-1.5 kg/sq.m;
. vegetables - up to 2 kg/sq.m or 150 g/linear m;
. berry - 0.5-1.0 kg per bush;
. fruit - 1-2 kg for each tree;

Water infusion of vermicompost
An aqueous infusion of vermicompost is used for soaking seeds, watering seedlings, indoor plants, and garden crops.
Mix 1 cup of dry humus fertilizer in 1 bucket of water and let it sit for 24 hours. The water takes on the color of tea. The sediment can be used to feed indoor flowers.
The resulting infusion is used to soak the seeds of cabbage, cucumbers, and tomatoes for 12 hours.

To water the plants, the infusion is diluted with two more parts of water.

Spraying plants with infusion is effective. Spray fruit trees and shrubs after flowering, when the ovary falls, during the period of fruit growth and the formation of flower buds (early August). When spraying fruit trees and bushes with vermicompost infusion in combination with mulching the soil under the crowns with vermicompost, a layer of 1-2 cm, their fruiting becomes regular.

Spraying flower crops three times with an interval of one week accelerates flowering by 1-1.5 weeks.

Soil composition
The basis of the soil - soil minerals make up 80-90% of the weight. They, as a rule, contain almost the entire periodic table, but in a form inaccessible to plants. The smallest particles or flakes of minerals form clay soils, larger ones form loams, and even larger ones form sandy loams and sands. The smallest particles that form clay minerals are in the form of flakes, so their total surface area is huge and they are able to retain ions of elements on their surface in a form accessible for plant nutrition. Some soil microorganisms, with sufficient moisture and heat, are able to dissolve the mineral particles themselves, making them available to plants chemical elements, connected in them.
Clay - potentially fertile soil. Tatyana Ugarova calls it “virtually inexhaustible clay minerals.”
Another component of the soil is organic matter, and its most valuable part is humus - the smallest colloidal particles of organic matter, which have an even larger surface and even better retain ions of elements in a form available for plant nutrition. Humus is a repository of basic nutrients. Small clay and humus particles form compounds of the clay-humus complex, which retains nutrients. This is why it is so important to add some loam to your compost pile.
The third component of the soil is its living component - a community of various soil microorganisms - bacteria, fungi, ciliates, amoebas, algae, microscopic worms, etc. Their biomass in the upper 25 cm layer of soil can reach 1.0-1.5 kg/sq.m. soil and more. Soil microorganisms play a major role in the formation of soil fertility. Most microorganisms are bacteria.

Features of light soil
Light sandy soils are easily washed out; soluble nutrients, along with water, go to great depths and are lost for plants. Therefore, such soils usually lack potassium, magnesium, and microelements. But fertilizers should be applied to sandy soils not in the fall, but in the spring (the main filling) and in the summer (in the form of fertilizing), but in half the dose than on clay soils. Such soils dry out quickly, but are well aerated. Organic fertilizers on sandy soils quickly overheat (mineralize), so they need to be applied more and more often.
Sandy soils are less suitable for gardening than loamy soils. To improve the cohesion of sandy soils, in addition to manure, peat and compost are added. If possible, claying is carried out - surface application of clay or loam. When planting gardens in planting pits for fruit trees, it is very effective to make 2-3 screens of composted clay with manure with a layer of 2-4 cm every 20 cm.

Heavy soil and stagnant water
If heavy clay soils have little organic matter, they drain water very poorly. They can accumulate excess carbon dioxide, and although carbon dioxide dissolves some minerals, excess is harmful to plants.
If there are poorly permeable layers of soil at depth, then even small depressions on the soil surface can cause stagnation of water in the soil. The same thing happens when there is a close groundwater level. Stagnant water displaces the air in the soil, resulting in acidification (gleyization) of the soil, which is expressed in the appearance of blue spots with an increased content of substances harmful to plants. Beneficial soil microorganisms are inhibited, and harmful anerobic microflora develops. But if the garden is located on a slope and the water moves slowly through the layers of soil, then negative consequences does not arise.

Mandatory digging before winter, loosening and systematic application of organic matter - manure, peat, compost, and for acidic soils, the addition of lime improves the permeability and structure of clay soils.

Soil structure
Soil rich in microorganisms is glued together by mineral and organic colloidal particles into small lumps that do not fit tightly together, which allows air to penetrate deep into the soil and water not to linger on the surface and wet the soil. The humus-rich clay crumbles into small lumps. The passages of microscopic and earthworms, cavities of dead plant roots also improve aeration and permeability of the soil.

Adding lime to heavy clay acidic soil also improves its permeability and structure.

Soil microorganisms
Some soil microorganisms decompose organic matter introduced into the soil, promote the formation of humus, and make nutrients available to plants, others bind atmospheric nitrogen, synthesize organic compounds, and the next convert these compounds into forms accessible to plants. Soil microorganisms convert phosphorus into a soluble state, even decompose minerals, and first of all, practically inexhaustible clay minerals, delivering the entire “periodic table” to plants. Some plants are unable to develop normally without certain microflora. As a result of the activity of beneficial soil microorganisms, the soil becomes structured and crumbly.

The lifespan of bacteria and other soil microorganisms can be very short - from days to several hours. If there is food, warmth and humidity, they multiply very quickly, and die off very quickly if the “food” runs out. But their biomass and waste products constitute the very “nutrient broth” for plants, which includes not only simple compounds for plant nutrition, but also amino acids, vitamins, auxins, antibiotics and many other nutrients and plant growth stimulants.

Most beneficial soil microorganisms are most favored by a slightly acidic and neutral soil reaction of pH 6.5-7.0 in the presence of moisture, air and heat in the range of approximately 15-30°C. Organic matter is needed to feed soil microorganisms. There are two ways for organic matter to enter the soil - root excretions of plants with post-harvest residues and the introduction of organic matter into the soil from the outside, in the form of compost, manure, green manure, etc.

Root discharge
Plants do not remain indebted to microorganisms - living plants feed soil microorganisms with their root secretions, and not just with dying post-harvest residues, although roots also make up about a third of the plant's mass. Tatyana Ugarova gives a figure - up to 20% of the total mass of plants is root secretions. The composition of root secretions includes organic acids, sugars, amino acids and much more. According to T. Ugarova, a strong plant abundantly feeds soil microorganisms, and a massive proliferation of rhizosphere (root) beneficial microflora occurs. Moreover, plants stimulate the development of predominantly microflora that nourishes plants, produces plant growth stimulants, and suppresses microflora harmful to plants.
Composting is an art
- this is how the exceptional importance of compost for the garden is now assessed. Unfortunately, we still pay very little attention to the proper preparation of compost (if they prepare it at all). And properly prepared compost is the basis, the key to the future harvest.
When making compost, it is important to add some loam (clay garden soil). Loam also serves as a source of soil microorganisms - a “starter” and binds nutrients formed during compost maturation as part of clay-humus complexes. In particular, clay-humus complexes arise when soil particles are mixed in the intestines of an earthworm, which is why the effectiveness of worm compost - vermicompost, which is also enriched with beneficial microflora from the worm's stomach - is so great.
Briefly, the sequence of layers of the compost heap: 15-20 cm of grass and similar waste, sprinkle with ash, dolomite or lime 300-600 g/sq.m. meter, and sprinkle everything with clay garden soil - approximately a 2cm layer. And so on several times. The compost should be watered through a sprayer (or from a watering can) to keep the pile constantly moist.
Adding compost to the surface of the beds enriches the soil with microorganisms, revitalizes it, and does not at all come down to a simple conversion to nutrients. elements N-P-K(nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium). Be sure to prepare compost for your garden!

It is curious that in the Mitlider method using boxes without a bottom filled with a mixture of sawdust and sand, by the end of the first season the sawdust turns into crumbly, humus-rich loose soil, saturated with soil microorganisms, which in its effect on the underlying soil and plants is very similar to a layer of compost in the garden! (But remember - you cannot dig up fresh sawdust with soil!)
Beds after harvest
Loose, humus-rich soil should not be left bare, not covered with plants or a layer of organic mulch, which provide food for soil bacteria and create conditions for their life, protecting the soil from drying out and weathering. Therefore, if you have bare beds left after harvesting, sow any crop as a ground cover, like green manure. In the spring, mow the plants - place the tops in compost, and the roots remaining in the beds, which have absorbed nutrients, will give them back to the soil, preserving its fertility.

conclusions
. All beds, including Mitlider's narrow soil beds, require the introduction of humus - well-rotted manure or compost, vermicompost, which enrich the soil with beneficial soil microflora and humus, which increases the soil's ability to retain nutrients.
. Thus, a combination of organic and complex mineral fertilizers can increase soil fertility faster than using each type of fertilizer separately.
. Vegetables are most beneficial when grown without nutritional deficiencies. But over time, a nutritional deficiency of some macro and micro elements may arise, even if at first there was plenty of everything. Each area may have its own shortage of macro and micro elements. Therefore, fertilizing with corrective fertilizers is necessary.
. Most beneficial soil microorganisms are most favored by a slightly acidic and neutral soil reaction of pH 6.5-7.0, in the presence of moisture, air and heat in the range of approximately 12-30°C.
. Very light, sandy soil requires the addition of peat and clay - claying, peaty soil - sand and loam. Excess water should be removed by carrying out drainage work.
. The ground should not be left bare - the soil should be covered with either plants (or lawn) or a layer of organic mulch. The addition of compost and manure humus to the beds plays an extremely important role in enriching the soil with microorganisms.

The California worm is ideal for breeding at home.

He does not require special food. The worm feeds on organic food, so kitchen waste is the best option.

This activity is very profitable, because as a result of breeding, environmentally high-quality fertilizer is obtained.

Also, due to the fact that the worm multiplies very quickly, it can be sold to fishing shops or agricultural enterprises for feeding to birds and animals as a protein supplement.

The most popular type of worm is the Californian one. When purchasing individuals, you should pay attention to their color (red) and mobility.

In order for the worm to get used to the new food, it should be left in its native substrate.

For optimal growth and the development of the broodstock of the Californian worm, the family should be at least 1.5 thousand.

California worms are bred in boxes, compost pits or beds. They usually feed on plant tops, straw, manure, and wood chips.

You can also feed fallen leaves, food waste, sawdust, and paper.

Substrate for California worms:

1.It is definitely forbidden to use chlorinated water to moisten the compost, since chlorine is poisonous to worms.

Or chlorinated water should be kept for several days until the chlorine evaporates. It is recommended to use soft water after rain;

2. You cannot use unrotted droppings. The death of the worm is inevitable due to the fact that the burnout process will begin and the temperature in the humus will rise to 80°C;

3. And vice versa, you cannot use humus that is more than 3 years old; it will not have the properties necessary for the development of individuals.

Waste should be placed in small piles and be sure to be moistened. So they should rot within 30-90 days.

California worm box

The length of the box can be whatever you want. Width no more than 2 meters. This is necessary so that the soil in the box with California worms can be freely turned over. Wall height 200-300 mm.

The California worm easily gets used to any food. But in order to experiment with food, it is better to conduct a test population.

To do this, do not put very much substrate into the prepared box and place from 50 to 100 individuals there.

If nothing happened to the California worms within 24 hours, then the rest of the worms can be added to this compost.

It may happen that about a dozen individuals die. The cause of death may be be excessively alkaline or acidic.

If the alkalinity is high, then you can add tops, dry grass or sawdust.

If there is increased acidity, then you need to add a small amount of chalk or limestone.

The optimal criteria for breeding the California worm will be about 80% fertilizer moisture, the temperature should be between 16 and 22°C, and the subacidity level PH should be between 6.5 and 7.5.

Breeding the Californian worm is practiced by enthusiastic summer residents in order to obtain an excellent fertilizer - vermicompost. Its use on the site promises to increase the yield of all vegetables significantly, and in addition, it is free of all kinds of chemical additives, pathogens, and so on.

Vermicompost is a super fertilizer!

Adding vermicompost to the soil has a versatile effect: it neutralizes the influence of harmful salts and phytotoxic substances, heavy metals, helps maintain the structure of the soil and the optimal balance of minerals contained in it, reduces the leaching of elements necessary for plant nutrition. If you compare the effectiveness of this with, then you can painlessly replace 15 tons of manure fertilizer with 1 ton of vermicompost. In addition, it contains at least twice as much nitrogen as humus.

If these arguments in the collection of advantages of vermicompost over traditional manure are not enough for you, then here is another one: this fertilizer has a very prolonged effect, continuing to work to improve soil fertility for at least 3-5 years. An incomparable advantage is also that vermicompost does not contain weed seeds, so after applying it you will get 30% fewer weeds than when using the same amount of manure.

How to breed California worms at home

To produce a couple of tons of this valuable fertilizer, you will only need to purchase 1500-3000 California worms. Suppose you have already prepared a place of residence for your future pets and come up with an ideal diet for them (you can read about this in). Now you can proceed directly to breeding the Californian worm, which begins, naturally, with their introduction into the prepared substrate.

To begin with, pour a couple of centimeters of sand into a box of recommended sizes - it will act as drainage. Then pour the same amount of garden soil on it. This is followed by an organic substrate in a layer of 5-7 centimeters and again add a little soil from the garden on top.

The substrate prepared as described above should be left to stand for a week. During this period, it is subjected to mandatory and uniform moistening, which allows you to get rid of the residual amount of ammonia. The next step is to turn the bucket with small live bait onto the substrate and carefully distribute them over its surface.

Then, for 5-7 days, monitor the activity and viability of the worms: they should gradually “taste” the new food for them and completely move to their new home. If this does not happen and the Californians look lethargic and inactive, then most likely the substrate you prepared turned out to be of low quality or containing toxic components.

If your pets have settled well into their new home, then further care for them will consist of timely moistening of the composted mass, regular feeding and loosening.

Loosening the substrate is necessary to saturate it with oxygen and becomes important once it reaches about 20 centimeters in height. This operation is carried out twice a week using special vermicompost forks with rounded ends and they try to loosen the organic matter to the full depth of the worms.

The Californian worm is fed for the first time a couple of days after settling in the substrate.

This is done as follows: spread the fertilizer in a layer of 3 to 5 centimeters on a quarter of the composted organic matter and carefully distribute it over the rest of the surface. After a couple of weeks, the fertilizing is repeated, but the thickness of the layer should be 5-7 centimeters and it is immediately scattered evenly throughout the box.

The frequency of fertilizing depends on the breeding conditions of the Californian worm ( temperature regime), and from their original quantity. In general, a fresh portion of food may be required every 2-3 days in the future.

From the moment the Californians move in and the box is filled under the lid with highly valuable vermicompost, 3-4 months usually pass. After this, the worms are evicted from the finished fertilizer as follows. They are kept on a starvation diet for a week, and then the usual portion of food is laid out in a layer of 5-7 centimeters, into which the hungry worms happily move. This procedure must be repeated 3 times within three weeks in order to lure all Califonians and their offspring formed during this time out of the box.

The remaining processed substrate has a loose structure and a rich dark color. Before packaging for storage, it is dried (up to 40-50%) and sifted through a sieve. Prepared vermicompost is stored at temperatures from -20 to +30 degrees, but keep in mind that when frozen it will lose part of its biological activity.

Breeding the California worm is not difficult to organize in a city apartment, but this, of course, will require finding enough space for a compost bin and forcing your household to put up with such an unpleasant neighborhood.

But in conditions of a shortage of high-quality manure, this option for cultivating garden soil seems to me to be perhaps the only alternative. What do you think?

Well, if you want to try to breed a Californian in a summer cottage, I recommend watching a short video instruction.