Reln Worm Factory Instruction Manual
A GardensOnline Product Test Drive featuring the Tumbleweed Worm Cafe - worm farming and composting. Benefits: Recycle organic waste to create nutritious fertiliser for your garden. Black 100% recycled plastic. Round, fly proof, ventilated lid. 2 round large capacity working trays. Ventilated collector tray, with worm mound, tap and sump. Instruction booklet.
Worm Farming Ineke Veerkamp gives an introduction to the subterranean world of worms Species:- There are at least 3500 different species of worms in the world. In Australia there may be more than 500 species, 350 species identified including imported ones, & 300 species of indigenous earthworms. To identify a worm use only mature specimens as many of the superficial identifying characteristics do not emerge until maturity. Agricultural worms vs Commercial worms Agricultural worms; native worms tend to disappearwhen pastures are improved and imported worms ultimately replace them. The reason for their disappearance is not fully understood a popular theory is that the native worms have evolved over millions of years in relatively poor soils and they simply cannot stomach the richer diet in improved soils. So worms usually found in a garden or pasture will most likely be of European in origin. Commercial worms are worms that thrive in crowded environments, achieve sexual maturity quickly ie a matter of months.
Of the worm species found in Australia Lumbricus rubellus (Reds), Eisenia fetida (Tigers) and Perionyx excavatus (Blues) are easily bred in captivity and easily farmed. They are all imported. Disease Worms are subject to so few diseases you can say they dont catch any. Disease - producing bacteria find life very difficult in an earthworm environment because the bacteria fostered in the worms guts and excreted with their castings are benevolent and produced in such overwhelming numbers. Antibiotics are found in the environment created by earthworms. Streptomycin was once thought to be an earthworm secretion but it is the production of soil (fungi like) bacteria named actinmycetes, that seem to be forstered in an environment created by earthworms. Other antibiotics found in soil are Terramycin and Erithromycin.
Most disease producing Bacteria require an oxygen free (anaerobic) environment but the earth worms create a very oxygen rich (aerobic) environment. True worm castings are very low in disease producing bacteria.
Vermicasts Worms eat half or more of their own weight daily and as they do they will till, aerate and ferilise the soil. The castings produced by worms act as a fertiliser. This table shows a typical analysis of cattle manure before worm ingestion and after, which clearly shows an increase in availability (ppm= parts per million.). Ammonium nitrate%%%% Before: 117.1 ppm 8.8 ppm 0.19 0.11 0.35 0.05 After: 141.5 ppm 259.4 ppm 0.41 0.18 0.59 0.08 A 90% dilution of the vermicast resulted in less than a 5% fall in the fertility index, as much because of the work of the bacteria which released the locked up minerals in the soil as the plant-available nutrients already in the vermicast. Tests in France at the Sovadec Ecotechnologie, Montelimar produced the following results; Test soil was rated a fertility index of 22 A mix of horse and cow manure was rated 24 Vermicast produced from the manure mix was rated 52 A mix of 10% vermicast and 90% parent soil was rated 48 Anatomy.
The clitellum is a saddle or ring sometimes raised or wider than the body, sometimes not. It denotes sexual maturity. Contrary to popular belief worms do not mate between species. They cant because generally the sexual organs of two species dont correlate so cross fertilisation simply cannot occur. Also differing species are genetically incompatible. There are no known hybrids or crossbreeds.
The act of reproduction varies considerably between species as does the frequency and the number of young produced. All worms are hermaphrodites (they possess male and female organs). Reds and Tigers always need two worms to reproduce. Blues can do it alone ie parthenogenesis. On the anterior of the clitellum are two nerve endings, photoreceptors. These are extremely sensitive to light. A worm has thousands of nerve endings over the length of the body.
These are particullarly sensitive to light, especially ultra violet light, (exposure to which will kill worms) They act as a warning system and send the worm burrowing for cover. Jaikoz Audio Tagged Mac Crack Torrent more. Worms have 3-5 hearts need all to survive. If cut in half they die. Blues can rebuild themselves and survive but usually end up shorter.
Worms live a long time eg Red kept in isolation for 15 yrs then killed and dissected - no sign of aging found. Some species live only for a year. Source: Edwards, C. & Neuhauser E.F.,'Potential of Earthworm Composts as Plant Growth Media.'
NB Yates garden guide analysis of cow manure figures are totally different to these. Notes on Vermiculture Breeding • Bed temp must be between 10 degrees and 27 degrees in order for the worms to keep breeding. • pH preferred by worms 5.5 - 8.5, 6.5 ideal. Food • Worms eat half or more of their own weight every day. • Worms eat anyhing that was once living. • For intensive farming manure is best due to its availability.
• Worms like pig, then horse, cattle and sheep manure in this order. • Match application of food just ahead of the rate of eating Building Beds • Must be drained well so the worms dont drown. • Temp 15-18 degrees in temperate climates.
Watering • A light misting spray for one or two minutes every hour. • Moisture content should be maintained at 30-40% ie a handful of bedding squeezed firmly produces one or two drops of water. Danger • Overfeeding combined with overwatering will displace the oxygen in the bed.
The uneaten food below turns anaerobic and sour. • Immediately turn bed and aerate it stop feeding until future check shows castings only. • Worms dont like citrus foods and onions. References • Earthworms in Australia - David Murphy Hyland House 1993 • Welcome to the worm factory - Reln Worm Factory instruction manual.Australian Worm Growers Association Inc - newsletter J26 Winter 99.