Growing worms for fishing as a business. Breeding worms at home as a business. How to breed California worms in the country

The soil, rich in plant and animal organic matter, is the most fertile. This is achieved through the activity of ordinary earthworms. It is they who process the remains of organic compounds, turning them into the most valuable fertile soil, which is called “humus”. Western scientists have developed a special kind of worms that multiply and work much more efficiently than their counterparts. Due to this, worm breeding can be considered as a business that does not require investments. In the article, we will step by step analyze how to open an earthworm breeding business.

What worms to choose?

For breeding such living creatures at home, “pedigreed” individuals are not required. Local worms that are accustomed to their habitat will fit perfectly. They easily adapt to the closed conditions of the farm and will multiply much faster. Therefore, it is better to collect worms yourself. To do this, a small hole is dug in the ground and covered with manure or rotting leaves. The resulting filler is moistened (in moderation) and covered with a board and cardboard. In a week the first batch of worms will be ready. Please note that their relocation to the box is carried out with a part of the soil in which they lived. To breed worms per 1 m 2 of a nursery, it is enough to collect about 1 kg - this is an average of about 1000 individuals.

Room selection

There are no special requirements for the selection of premises for the farm, the main thing is that its area meets the needs of the entrepreneur. It is better to place the worms in a heated area - in a garage or cellar, otherwise, when the ambient temperature drops below + 4 ° C, the worms hibernate and you can forget about doing this business in winter. If the breeding of worms is expected all year round, then the area of ​​​​the farm is calculated taking into account a large increase in their number. On large farms that grow worms, their number reaches hundreds of thousands.

Nursery containers

Earthworms are bred in boxes that you can make yourself. The dimensions of the container are taken as necessary for each specific case. There are several options for making containers for breeding worms:

  • Wooden box. It is made from boards with a thickness of at least 2.5 cm. The optimal size of this container is 1x2x0.5 m. The bottom of the box is drilled, and the box itself is placed on wooden bars with a slope, which ensures the outflow of valuable liquid (it will be discussed below). All seams and corners are upholstered with tin tape to prevent penetration of rodents. Remember about the cover, which can be made from boards or a sheet of plywood. The main thing is that it has a hole for air access;
  • Plastic container. It is advisable to acquire this type of “home” for worms to a businessman who has already gained experience in this area. This acquisition is very costly and in case of failure, the loss of money can upset. When choosing just such a nursery, its complete airtightness is taken into account. Holes will have to be drilled on the cover and side surfaces. Also, when breeding worms in plastic containers, it is necessary to have a hole for the outflow of liquid;
  • Old refrigerator. Some experienced entrepreneurs use an old refrigerator as a hotbed. It is installed with the door up, and all the internal contents are removed as unnecessary. The door of the refrigerator and its walls are provided with holes for air circulation. All boxes for breeding worms, including the old refrigerator, are installed on bars with a slight roll;
  • Cardboard box. This is the best option for a hotbed tank for beginner businessmen. The size of the box must exceed the dimensions of 40x30 cm. Cardboard is an environmentally friendly material that worms sometimes feed on. It also has great breathability. The only drawback of this material is the fragility of such a “dwelling”, but this is not scary. The damp box will begin to be eaten by worms, so it can easily fit into another container. It can also be pasted over with fresh cardboard;
  • Vermicomposter. Such farms are purchased from specialized companies and are the most convenient of all possible options. However, the cost of vermicomposters is very high.

Worm Breeding Business Secrets

When growing worms, the characteristics of their natural habitat are taken into account, so the soil in which they live is conventionally divided into 3 layers. The upper layer is rich in organic remains of animals and plants and serves as a place for eating. The lower tier of the habitat of worms serves to accumulate the products of their vital activity - humus and that very valuable liquid called worm "tea". Between these layers of soil, worms feel most comfortable, so their bulk lives there.

Filling the nursery

The process of filling the nursery occurs according to the following technology:

  • Half of the prepared container is filled with humus and it is mixed with crushed newspapers or cardboard. This mixture is moistened, but at the same time, the release of free moisture is prevented during its compression. For the first 2-3 days, the compost filler intensively releases ammonia, so it is better to wait with the colonization of worms until the corrosive gas is completely removed;
  • About 1 kg of worms is needed for 1 m 2 of nursery. Based on this calculation, they are planted in a recess made in the prepared soil, with a part of the land where they used to live. The landing site is leveled, moistened and covered with cardboard;
  • The next 2-3 days do not disturb the worms, allowing them to adapt to new living conditions;
  • If the worms began to spread throughout the nursery, then it is concluded that the acclimatization was successful. After that, it was time to feed;
  • We must not forget about the regular moistening of the soil in the nursery, but excessive consumption of moisture by it threatens the death of worms. They breathe with their skin and begin to suffocate from a large amount of moisture - it is for this reason that worms appear on the surface of the soil after rain in search of an opportunity to enrich their simple organism with oxygen;
  • the breeding place is made quiet and calm, excluding the possibility of vibration and strong noises.

Worms food

When preparing food for worms, a compost heap is organized. For this, food waste is used - vegetable and fruit peelings, flour products, egg shells, tea leaves and coffee grounds, as well as leaves, grass and manure. The waste products of cats and dogs, manure fertilizers in the treatment of animals for worms, garlic, onion and citrus peels, as well as oils, fats, dairy products, meat and fish waste are excluded from the diet.

Ready food is placed about once a week in a layer 10 centimeters thick. The degree of food deficiency for worms is determined using ordinary newsprint or toilet paper, placed and moistened on top of fresh food. If the worms begin to feed on this paper, then this indicates that the food supply has run out and a fresh portion needs to be added.

reproduction

The worms reach sexual maturity at the age of two to three months and for the next 4 months they lay cocoons every week. One cocoon matures within 2-3 weeks. Up to 20 individuals appear from it, which after 2 months begin to breed. As a result, after 5-6 months, the number of worms in one nursery will increase 50 times! If the number of worms per 1 kilogram of soil exceeds 50 adults, then some of them are relocated or receive the first profit when it is sold. If this is not done, then the worm population will naturally decrease.

Possible ways of implementation

Worms are sorted every 4-6 months. To do this, the upper part of the soil in the nursery is placed on one side, and the habitat layer of worms and humus are removed. Then they start sorting the worms - mature individuals are sold or set aside to expand the business, and small ones are returned to the nursery and the process of growing worms resumes.

Beginning entrepreneurs sometimes have no idea where to sell finished products. To do this, you can advise the following:

  • Fishing. This is the first thing a novice entrepreneur who is about to breed worms thinks about. This is not surprising, because the worm is a very popular type of bait. In modern society, few are willing to spend their time digging in the ground to get the required amount of bait. It is easier to purchase it in specialized fishing stores, where worms are supplied. To try to work directly with anglers, an independent search for a client base is required. The cost of one worm in the store reaches 2 rubles;
  • Fish farms. Worms serve as a delicacy for fish grown in artificial reservoirs. Usually such enterprises require a large amount of feed in the form of worms;
  • Pet Shop. Here, too, worms are in demand. They are fed to birds, fish and other lovers of such "dishes";
  • Humus. This waste product of worms is used to improve soil fertility on the land. Humus will fit for your own use or for sale to summer residents and gardening associations;
  • Worm tea. This is the most valuable product in breeding worms. To collect it, a drain is made in the bottom of the nursery tank. The demand for eco-products is increasing every day, so environmentally friendly, natural fertilizers are constantly in demand. To assess the real value of worm "tea", let's give an example - tomatoes increase productivity by almost 2 times after they are fed with this substance.

Economic efficiency

For one year of competent work on breeding worms, about 20,000 individuals and more than one ton of humus are hatched from a nursery area of ​​2 m 2. If we calculate the profit from the sale of worms alone at 2 rubles apiece, then about 40,000 rubles are obtained per year. This does not take into account the cost of worm "tea" and humus, and also does not take into account large areas of nurseries. With minimal investment and waste-free production, the economic efficiency of growing earthworms is obvious.

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 (KCH)

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:

  1. Pour dry sand at the bottom as drainage. Place a container with holes on top.
  2. 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.
  3. Add crushed eggshells to deoxidize the soil, a 1 cm layer of earth and moisten the substrate. Water regularly with a watering can.
  4. 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:

  1. settlement of worms in a new habitat,
  2. the formation of nutritious biohumus by earthen specimens,
  3. breeding process,
  4. 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:

  1. We close the box with Californian worms with a lid, hay or burlap.
  2. The soil needs to be moistened and loosened twice a week: air and moisture must freely penetrate the soil.
  3. If the temperature drops to -5C, then we additionally insulate the box with straw (layer up to 100cm).
  4. 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 business of breeding worms, or vermibusiness (from the Latin word "vermes" - the name of the invertebrate species that worms belong to) is a relatively new line of business in our country. What is worm farming and whether it makes sense to engage in it for profit, we will consider in the article.

business concept

The concept of the vermi business is to make a profit from the sale of the biomass of purchased worms, which has increased many times over, as well as from the sale of soil fertilizer obtained as a result of their vital activity. The demand for the products of the worm farming business depends on several factors. First, the location of the vermifarm. For example, in a large city on the river bank, where fishing is developed, the demand for worms will be much higher than in a small town located far from large reservoirs. Secondly, on the degree of soil fertility in the region where the worm breeding farm will be located. The less fertile the soil, the higher the demand for fertilizer. Thirdly, the level of competition in this business area.

The main buyers of vermiferma products are:

  1. Shops selling fishing goods. Worms are ideal bait for many types of freshwater fish.
  2. Pet stores, terrariums, zoos, aquariums. Worms are indispensable food for some animal species, such as birds, fish, amphibians and rodents.
  3. Farmers and gardeners. Biohumus, vermicai and the worms themselves are purchased to increase soil fertility.
  4. pharmaceutical companies. Worms are used for the production of certain types of products.
  5. People who want to get into the vermi business.

In order for the worm breeding business to develop and bring in a stable income, you should carefully study all categories of potential buyers, as well as the prices and offers of the main competitors. It is possible that a free niche will be found in the region, in which supply does not satisfy demand. Then you should take this place under the sun.

Benefits and Risks

Worms breeding can be both an independent type of business and an important component of a full-cycle farm. In any case, this business has a number of advantages:

  • does not require large investments;
  • simple and labor-intensive technology for breeding worms;
  • low level of competition in the market.

If we consider the vermi business in a full-cycle farm, then we can highlight several more advantages:

  • the use of biohumus and vermicai to increase the fertility of one's own soil;
  • recycling;
  • bird feeding.

This type of business is most often successful, but there are certain risks in it. Firstly, some entrepreneurs are faced with the problem of selling vermi products. A thorough study of possible markets in your region at the stage of business planning and choosing the type of worms for seedlings will help to solve this problem. The fact is that some worms are better suited for reproduction, while others are better suited for the production of biohumus.

Secondly, non-compliance with the conditions for keeping worms can result in low activity and even death of invertebrates. Which will result in monetary losses. Therefore, before starting vermiculture, you should carefully study all the rules and subtleties of keeping exactly the type of worms that will be used.

Step-by-step instructions for starting a worm breeding business

Business registration

Another plus of vermiculture is that no special permits or licenses are required to run a business. It is enough just to register as an individual entrepreneur and open a bank account to work with buyers and suppliers by bank transfer.

Creation of a vermifarm

For successful breeding of worms, it is necessary to choose and prepare a suitable place. The best option would be a small room with the possibility of heating in the winter, since for the normal existence and high activity of worms, a temperature of +10 to +25 degrees Celsius is required. It is recommended to maintain air humidity of 70-80%. The acidity of the neutral medium is 7 ph.

An excellent option for opening a vermifarm would be a small heated room

Equipment and inventory

Worms should be kept in special containers that exclude the possibility of rodents getting inside and at the same time have small holes for air ventilation in the soil. For these purposes, you can use:


Costs for crates will be lower than for vermicomposters. The cost of one is 5 - 10 thousand rubles. However, the use of special equipment greatly facilitates the process of vermiculture. Most often, the dimensions of such a vermicomposter are 40x60x95 cm.

From the inventory you will need: shovels, forks with rounded ends, household gloves, watering cans with small holes. After arranging the premises and backfilling the soil, you can begin to choose the inhabitants of the farm themselves - worms.

Types of worms: Californian, prospector

In Russia, there are two main types of worms that are successfully used in vermifarming:

  • miner - has a high reproduction rate, one individual is capable of reproducing about 1500 offspring per year;
  • red Californian worm - is distinguished by a high rate of biohumus production, daily passes through itself an amount of feed equal to its own weight.

Feeding and caring for worms

Both types of worms are very unpretentious in nutrition. For these purposes, well suited:

  • waste from vegetables and fruits;
  • dry manure;
  • paper and cardboard;
  • hay and dry leaves;
  • tea leaves and coffee grounds;
  • other food waste, with the exception of food of animal origin and citrus fruits.

Large waste must first be crushed in a meat grinder. The frequency of feeding is approximately 1 time in 2-3 weeks. A new portion of food should be given only after the complete absorption of the previous one.

Working staff

The functioning of the vermi farm does not require a large number of workers. For the first time, one person will be enough. Who can combine worm care with other duties. Most often, such an employee is the entrepreneur himself. On the one hand, the worm farm does not require the constant presence of an employee on it, but on the other hand, the process of breeding worms must be under control. Therefore, the ideal option would be to open a vermi business as part of a full-cycle farm.

Additional sources of income for the vermi farm

As a result of the vital activity of the worms, vermicompost is released. It is a unique organic fertilizer that significantly increases soil fertility. Biohumus is becoming more widespread every year and is widely used in agriculture.

Biohumus - environmentally friendly fertilizer to improve soil fertility

In addition, as a result of the vital activity of worms, vermicay is obtained. It is also used to fertilize the soil and increase yields by up to 50%.

Sales options for vermibusiness products

As a result of the successful operation of the vermi farm, three products are obtained for sale: worms, biohumus and vermicai. Consider the implementation options for each of them.

Worms can be sold in two ways: retail and wholesale. At retail, worms are sold through fishing shops. Usually they are packed in containers of 30-40 pieces.

Worms for fishing shops are packed in a simple and convenient way

You can also find individual customers who are fishing or keep animals whose diet includes live worms. The biomass of worms is bought by summer residents and farmers for the production of biohumus on their own plots, as well as large pet stores and zoos or beginner vermi farmers.

As a rule, a small vermi farm produces several tons of biohumus per year. This fertilizer can be sold both in bulk to large farms and retail in suburban communities. Vermicay is also in demand among summer residents.

Advertising

A very important point in running a worm breeding business is advertising. The effectiveness of any advertising message depends on the accuracy of hitting the target audience. For the vermibusiness, the target audience is:

  • fishermen;
  • breeders;
  • small farmers and summer residents;
  • medium and large agricultural enterprises.

The best option would be to place an ad in newspapers and on Internet resources. With large volumes of production, it would be advisable to create and promote your own website. You can personally meet with the owners of large farms and offer them your goods on more favorable terms than the suppliers with whom they already cooperate.

Costs and projected income

Let's calculate the initial investment for opening a small 20 m² vermi farm, equipped with special vermicomposters, located in a room with heating in the cold season and with one employee.

Table: initial investment

Thus, the initial investment for opening an average worm farm in a rented room is approximately 160 thousand rubles. By opening a business in your own premises and equipping it with wooden or plastic boxes, the initial costs can be significantly reduced.

Table: monthly expenses

Monthly expenses amount to approximately 30 thousand rubles. per month or 360 thousand rubles. in year. They will be significantly lower if:

  • vermibusiness opens in a complex with other types of farming;
  • own premises are used for breeding worms;
  • the employer is the employee.

Table: vermifarm income

We calculate the annual income of a 20 m² vermi farm based on the assumption that all products of the vermi business are in full demand on the market.

Thus, the income of the average vermifarm will be 480 thousand rubles. per year or 40 thousand rubles. per month.

Profitability of production

We calculate the profitability of the worm breeding business according to the formula: P \u003d B / Cp * 100%, where P is the total profitability, B is the revenue from sales of products for the year, Cp is the fixed costs for the year.

In our case, the following data take place: B = 480 thousand rubles, Zp = 360 thousand rubles.

Р=480/360*100%=133%

In this case, the profitability of the project will be approximately 130%. This is a fairly high figure for agriculture.

Payback period

To calculate the payback period of the project, we use the following formula: T = I / P monthly, where T is the payback period of investments, I is the amount of initial investment, P monthly. - profit.

Since the payback period for a project with a small investment of capital is calculated in months, it is first necessary to calculate the monthly profit from the project:

P eat. = D monthly. - Z zhem., where D zhem. - average monthly income, 3 monthly. – average monthly expenses.

P eat. \u003d 40,000 - 30,000 \u003d 10,000 (rubles).

Then, T = 160000/10000 = 16 (months).

Thus, the payback period of the project is 16 months.


Below we will tell you in detail how to breed worms, how to care for them and earn a good income.

To be able to work with large wholesale buyers, your business must be formalized. The most common options are IP and LLC.

In our case, the simplest is IP, registration will take about a month and require a minimum cash investment (70-90 dollars).

Worm breeding technology

It is necessary to organize the cultivation of worms in several stages:

  • Preparation of the premises in which your "wards" will live;
  • Acquisition of livestock for rearing;
  • Preparation of "housing" and settlement in it of the purchased "family";
  • Caring for "pets";
  • reproduction;
  • Collection of biohumus, vermichaya, sale of adult worms.

Then another layer of nutrient bedding is added and the whole process starts all over again.

Is it worth buying worms

You can buy invertebrates at any worm farm, which is not difficult to find via the Internet. The average cost of a thousand heads is 22-40 dollars, depending on the chosen type and volume of purchase. For a business to be profitable, you need to start with at least 2-3 thousand worms.

If you are going to breed ordinary rain, you can not even spend money on a purchase and take them in the yard of your own house. First you need to dig a not very deep hole and fill it with manure or moistened rotting leaves. Then the "bait" is closed with a board or cardboard. In a week, the first invertebrates will start in this place. They must be transferred to the box along with the soil in which they lived.

The best types of worms

Each type is good in its own way. By providing proper climatic conditions and good nutrition for your wards, you can breed several species at once.

Earthworm

He has the best adaptation: both to climate change and to life on a closed farm. But his activity, in comparison with other "breeds", is somewhat lower. It gives less offspring and forms biohumus more slowly than its "brothers".

California red

One of the most popular species due to its mobility and rapid reproduction. California red gives excellent vermicompost and is not very picky about food. But it is sensitive to temperature. If it drops below +10 degrees, you may lose livestock.

worm prospector

An excellent choice for beginners. This species is active, quickly processes food and substrate. Prospector feels good at a temperature of +9…+28 degrees.

Room for breeding worms

For a vermifarm, you need a minimum of space, literally a few square meters. You can equip it in a garage, cellar, attic or in an outbuilding.

Even a dacha can become a springboard for growing invertebrates. In this case, it is necessary to comply with some requirements:

  1. So that in winter the business does not “freeze”, you need to take care of heating in advance;
  2. The room should not be too humid, but not dry;
  3. The farm should be located in a quiet place, away from the road, noise, vibrations.

housing for worms

For comfortable keeping of pets, it is best to build special boxes. They can be made on your own from wooden or plastic containers.. The wall thickness of the wooden box must be at least 25 mm. The standard parameters of the nursery are 1x2x0.5 meters. From the bottom of the box, you need to make holes to collect humus and tea, put a tray. From above, the nursery is covered with a lid with holes.

To save space, boxes are installed on racks that can be made from metal profiles.

There are several more ways to build a home for worms with your own hands:

  • From an old refrigerator. It is necessary to remove the internal contents from it, make ventilation holes in the walls and the door, install the refrigerator with the door up and at a slight slope.
  • From a cardboard box. The simplest and cheapest option, plus in the box, due to the natural thin material, there is very good air circulation and enough oxygen for invertebrates. As soon as the "creeping workers" began to eat pieces of damp cardboard, the box must be replaced.
  • From a plastic container. Any plastic container can become a “house”: from a flower pot to a basin. The main thing is not to forget about ventilation and collection of humus and vermicai.

If desired, you can purchase a fully equipped vermicomposter, its cost is about $ 200.


Conditions for growing worms

Pets should be settled based on the norm of 1000-1500 individuals per cubic meter. This will ensure optimal nutrition and processing of the substrate. There are certain requirements for the maintenance and care of these creatures.

The soil

The substrate should consist of three layers. The top one is the most nutritious, that is, the soil must be enriched with organic matter. In the middle layer, invertebrates spend most of their time.

And in the lower one accumulate worm tea and biohumus. Worms will breed well only in high-quality soil. How to prepare it?

  1. Choose a container for maintenance and fill it with humus by half, add a little shredded newspapers. The mixture needs to be moistened a little, the total humidity level should be no more than 80%;
  2. A few days later, depressions are made in the soil, where individuals are settled along with part of the soil in which they lived before transplantation;
  3. The soil is leveled, moistened, the dwelling is covered with cardboard and left for a couple of days;
  4. When the "residents" adapt, you can add food to the soil.

There is a great way to check the quality of the substrate. Place 50-100 individuals in a small container with prepared soil and watch them during the day. If they are alive and remain mobile, then the acidity and moisture of the soil suits them. The required level of acidity is 6.5-7.5 pH. Tops, straw, sawdust increase the level of acidity. Lower - limestone, chalk, ground eggshell.

Temperature for keeping worms

Best of all, these creatures feel at a temperature +15…+25 degrees. Critical indicators: +4 degrees (individuals will hibernate or die), at + 36C and above, invertebrates also die.

At the right temperature, your wards will multiply well and produce vermicompost.

Feeding the worms

Feeding should be done once a week. Food is placed on the ground with a thickness of 10 centimeters. Lay a piece of newspaper or toilet paper on top of the food. Once your wards have started eating it, you can re-feed them and lay down a new layer of compost.

These creatures feed on decaying organic debris.. The diet of worms must be formed from the following products:

  • Plant residues: skins, vegetables (boiled), potato peelings, etc.;
  • Bakery;
  • ground eggshell;
  • Food waste;
  • Water with the remains of kefir or sour cream;
  • tea leaves;
  • Straw, leaves, grass;
  • Cow and horse manure, chicken droppings. It is important that the manure is of medium freshness, containing a lot of nutrients. Very fresh manure will increase the temperature of the soil, and the livestock will die.

Do not under any circumstances use meat waste, citrus fruit residues, peels from fruits and vegetables.

Reproduction of worms

Proper maintenance of worms implies the creation of favorable conditions for their reproduction. They begin to give offspring at the age of two to three months.

For 4 months, cocoons are formed, ripening in a few weeks. One cocoon is 15-20 new worms. If we roughly calculate the dynamics of reproduction, it turns out that in six months the number of invertebrates in one box will increase 50 times.

It is very important to regularly seat individuals in new containers.. With a high population density, they simply stop multiplying.

Worm breeding equipment

Equipment needed for growing:

  1. boxes or other containers;
  2. Shelving;
  3. Sieve;
  4. Wheelbarrow, shovel and pitchfork, bucket;
  5. Scales, thermometer, a device for measuring soil temperature and its acidity.

Sales of worms

Your farm on several points at once: from the sale of live individuals, the sale of biohumus and vermicai. "Young growth" and biohumus for sale are collected every month and a half. To whom to sell?

  • Live individuals to pet stores for animal feed, fish farms, for breeding;
  • Biohumus and vermichay for farms for soil fertilization and plant nutrition.

You can create your own website and do retail on your own.

Costs and profits

If you equip grow containers yourself, then the main costs will be inventory (no more than $ 100) and the purchase of three thousand individuals ($ 80-100) to start.

Materials for "houses", food, soil will require no more than $ 50. Cooking food does not require special expenses. In total, together with registration, the amount of investments will be about 350 dollars.

For 3 thousand individuals, two or three cubic meters of soil are needed. Every month and a half they will give about 30 thousand worms for sale (900 dollars) and approximately 1000-1500 kg of biohumus (700-800 dollars). You can earn about $600 more by selling vermicai. Monthly income will be 1500-2000 $.

Growing worms is quite simple and very! These creatures live a long time, are largely unpretentious, and the cost of arranging a worm farm is minimal.


Their longevity and incredible productivity, which is twice that of their relatives, are the main reasons for their breeding. But every case has its own subtleties. And, it would seem, such a simple activity as breeding worms still requires some knowledge in the field of vermicultivation.

Description

But red California worms are also capable of this, despite the fact that they were bred artificially. Due to their performance, they are in demand in industrial production.

It is red Californian worms that produce, which helps to recover both after radiation and after “heavy” crops.

Basic growing rules

California worms are picky creatures, and you should not worry about how to breed them in the country. If you change their diet, then do it gradually. And their fertility depends on comfortable conditions. To create them, you can add a little sand to the substrate, and pour a little shell under the straw, which will play the role of the worm's roof.

Location selection

Worms are unpretentious to the place of settlement. The only exception is the cold or unstable season - from November to April. During this period, the worm hole must be either well insulated or moved to a place where the temperature will be above 0 ° C.

So, the family is settled in any convenient container. It can be a self-built wooden structure or a large flower. In general, everything that will be well ventilated and does not take up much space.

Important! The worm can not be placed in the sun in the summer, otherwise your wards will die from the drying of the substrate.

Choice of a worm

The design itself should have approximately the following parameters: a width of 1–1.5 m and a height of 40–50 cm. But they can be correlated depending on the number of your worms.
The California worm is a hardy animal and sometimes does not need artificial breeding conditions at all, so here's what you need to know about wormhole:

  1. This may be an ordinary hole in.
  2. The place of settlement should not be treated with chemical agents in the past.
  3. A safe place where pests are excluded (and this,).
  4. Ability to insulate during the cold season.
  5. A ventilation system of any kind so that the worms do not rot along with.

home improvement

Can accommodate 20 units. If 5 of them die, this will mean that the substrate has a high level of acidity or alkalinity. To lower it, you need to add it to limestone.

Feeding

The average individual weighs approximately 0.5 g. The worm processes such an amount of food per day that is equal to its weight. With a minimum settlement of worms (50 individuals per square meter), 5 kg per year will be processed. Here are examples of than necessaryfeed california worms at home.