Californian earthwormsare highly valued producers of vermicompost, or biohumus, which is a very valuable natural fertilizer. In the conditions of a home or allotment garden,Californian earthwormcultivation can be carried out in a composter, thanks to which the composting time is shortened and the obtained fertilizer is much more valuable than ordinary compost. See what other benefits will bring youCalifornian earthworm breeding , as well as what to feed earthworms and what conditions must be provided for them!
Californian earthworms - great producers of vermicompost
California earthworms in a composter - advantages
1. We obtain better quality fertilizer
Californian earthwormsfeed on organic matter intended for composting. Their food can be basically all the leftovers that we normally put into compost. The eaten organic remains are excreted in the form of the so-called coprolytes, which are a very valuable fertilizer - vermicompost, otherwise also known as biohumus. Thus, they increase the quality of the fertilizer obtained from the composter, and also accelerate the composting process.
Vermicompost, obtained with the participation ofCalifornian earthworms , compared to traditional compost, has a better effect on the yield-generating properties of the soil and increases its biological activity. Such fertilizer used in the garden better relieves stresses when transplanting plants, counteracts damage caused by plant diseases and pests, and improves the quality of crops.
2. We accelerate the composting process
If we do not have a thermo-composter that accelerates the composting, it takes up to two years to obtain compost from an ordinary pile. Thanks to the presence ofCalifornian earthworms in thecomposter, this time can be reduced to 1 year.
And why isCalifornian earthwormbetter than other species of earthworm that naturally occur in our gardens? First of all, they are not picky about food, eat a lot and multiply quickly, thanks to which their effects in the composter are much better than in the case of other earthworms. Besides, many other species of naturally occurring earthworms prefer to look for something to eat in the garden soil and quickly escape from the composter. Throwing ordinary earthworms caught in the garden into the composter is therefore often a Sisyphean job. In the case ofCalifornian earthwormsis different, because the best are found in a compost heap and they will not escape from there.
Worth knowing!
Our reader, Mrs. Władysława, posted on Facebook a recipehow to encourage earthworms to stay in the composterIt is about naturally occurring earthworms, thanks to which we will avoid the need to import California earthworms, and we will be helped by a very common weed. According to the recipe, whole dandelion plants (dandelion) are covered with lukewarm water (approx. 40 ° C) and left until the next day. We pour the prepared macerate over the compost heap. It's worth doing this several times a season.
Breeding Californian earthworms in a composter
When deciding togrowing Californian earthwormsin a composter, we must remember about 3 elements - ensuring them adequate food quality, temperature and humidity.
1. How to feed Californian earthworms?
When it comes to food,Californian earthwormseat anything compostable - vegetable garden waste, thin twigs and shavings from thicker plant branches, leaves and shoots, unused parts of fruit and vegetables, dry grass after mowing the lawn, as well as kitchen waste such as egg shells or tea grounds.We just have to remember that the high content of cellulose in the composted material is also very important, because this component is necessary inthe reproductive process of Californian earthworm(cellulose is needed to build cocoons with young earthworms). Sources of cellulose can be egg compacts, shredded cardboard and paper. However, remember that it cannot be newspaper paper covered with printing ink, as this is very toxic to earthworms!
Note!Walnut leaves, pine needles and larger amounts of acidic waste, as well as fats and meat scraps, must not be added to the California earthworm compost.
Temperature in Californian earthworm breeding
The next element is temperature. Here is revealed a certaindisadvantage of the Californian earthwormin our climate, because it is not able to survive the winter in freezing temperatures. Thanks to this, however, it also does not pose a threat to the environment, there is no fear that it will spread without control.The optimal temperature forCalifornian earthwormsto feel best is around 20 ° C. For winter, we can move a small container with composted material and some earthworms to a frost-protected room, or in spring, simply buy a new batch of earthworms to populate our composter. The latter is quite simple, asCalifornian earthworms are widely availableas a bait used by anglers, and their price is not excessive - 100 earthworms can be purchased for around PLN 10, and around 500 (150g) for PLN 40. We can let them into the compost from March, when the inside of the compost heap is already warming up enough.
If you have a large composter, you can also tryto winter the earthworms in thecomposter by covering it with a layer of straw and sawdust. This creates a chance that the temperature inside the pile will remain positive, allowing the earthworms to survive. However, a lot depends on how cold the winter is.
Moisture Needed by Earthworms
The last thing that is importantin Californian earthworm farmingis to maintain continuous moisture. This is important as earthworms can only ingest food in a semi-liquid form. Therefore, the composted material should be sprinkled with water regularly, and the composter should be located in the shade so that the compost does not dry out due to sun heating.
Note! A well-kept compost heap should give off a mild smell of fresh earth. If it smells of ammonia or rotten eggs, aerate the compost as soon as possible, turning it over, e.g. with a fork.
What composter for Californian earthworm cultivation
If we want togrow Californian earthworms in the composter , we must remember that the bottom of the composter must be separated from the soil by at least a metal mesh, so that moles cannot reach our earthworms. It is also worth covering the composter from the top with a net so that the earthworms are not eaten by birds.
A two-chamber composter is very helpful forof Californian earthwormbreeding. First, with the partition closed, fill one of the parts with composting waste and let the earthworms in there. When the material is composted, we start filling the second part of the composter, and then open the partition for about a week so that the earthworms can migrate towards the new food source. When they pass, we close the partition and we can freely use the obtained compost. Meanwhile, in the second partition, the earthworms continue to produce another portion of valuable fertilizer.
