Learn more about California red worms. How to breed and grow American red Californian worms brought from the USA in our home conditions Growing Californian worms at home

Fishing enthusiasts know well that an indispensable condition for a good bite is the right bait, which today can be purchased in specialized stores. Professionals use Californian worms for this purpose. However, not everyone knows that they can be used not only as bait.

Earthworms: varieties

Worms are the most common type of invertebrate animals. Their habitat excludes only Antarctica. There are many species and subspecies of these creatures.

Depending on behavior in the natural habitat, biologists distinguish three types:

• Epigeic.
• Endogeic.
• Anecic.

Worms that belong to the latter type live on the surface of the soil. They dig burrows only vertically and feed on organic matter. The activity of this category immediately fades away if it moves from its usual habitat. This is why they are difficult to breed. This type of worm plays an extremely important role in the process of soil formation. Their practical use is limited to soil formation. They can also be used as fishing bait.

The second type of worms live in soil rich in minerals. They require less organic matter to support their life. They dig holes horizontally, but do not like to be on the surface. They process the soil and thereby saturate it with various nutrients, and also enrich it with oxygen.

Epigeic worms tolerate artificial living conditions well, so they are most often used for breeding for economic gain. This type of worm prefers the top layer of soil, rich in organic matter. They thrive in the remains of bark, trees and leaves. The conditions for breeding the California worm provide for a number of subtle points.

Worm breeding business

To understand the basics of worm breeding, you must first understand the main concepts used by professionals. Compost is a fertilizer made from organic waste. It is obtained with the participation of microorganisms. The most common sources for the production of this fertilizer are manure, peat, foliage and bird droppings. The product of compost processing by earthworms is called vermicompost. The California worm can be used at home to improve the quality of fertilizers.

Worm breeding: main areas of activity

One of the main directions of the California worm breeding business is the creation of vermicompost. This product is in high demand both among farmers and private households. This type of fertilizer is in demand even abroad. Agree, there is something to think about if you are planning to expand your business in this area. Vermicompost today is a fairly profitable investment.

Vermicompost

This fertilizer is actively used for growing various vegetable crops. This applies not only to greenhouse vegetables, but also to root vegetables, such as carrots or potatoes. When using vermicompost, you can increase productivity by 40%. Vermicompost is incredibly effective when growing berries such as wild strawberries. This fertilizer is in high demand today. This means that you can make a good business selling it. Importers of vermicompost are currently quite rich countries, such as the United Arab Emirates.

The use of this fertilizer makes it possible to obtain high yields several times a year even in fairly aggressive climatic conditions. High-quality fertilizer is valued. Today they can offer about $2,000 for a ton of products. Of course, in Europe it does not cost so much, but the price of 600 euros is also quite good. This means that with the right approach you can make good money selling vermicompost. In order to not only get into this market, but also to gain a foothold in it, you will have to try hard.

Economic expediency

This review mainly discusses how to breed California worms. First of all, you should study the main advantages of using this type from an economic point of view.

Many believe that Californian worms have some incredible characteristics that distinguish them from other varieties. It is believed that they can live 15-16 years. This is wrong. Life expectancy is exactly the same as that of their domestic relatives, and the maximum is 6 years. There is also an opinion that Californian worms are able to survive in extreme temperatures (from 2 to 40 degrees). This is also not true: worms begin to die when it gets below 4 degrees outside, and in hot climate conditions above 35, they lose activity. However, despite the huge amount of unreliable information, this type has certain advantages.

Positive points

The real advantages that distinguish Californian worms include the fact that they remain active even in the cold season. It is also worth emphasizing the compactness of populations and the high level of reproduction compared to simple earthworms. Here the numbers indicated in the advertisement do not lie at all. So there are obvious advantages to using this type.

Breeding

Why are California worms so good? Breeding at home usually takes place on the territory of a simple garden plot. In this case, this work can be a good source of additional income. To properly breed worms, it is necessary to organize activities in a certain way and strictly follow instructions. Let's consider the main features of creating a business within a private sector.

How to breed worms in your summer cottage?

Many people today are interested in such a topic as breeding Californian worms. Households will be quite sufficient to start this type of business. You must first purchase adult worms or fry. This mostly depends on your financial situation. For breeding on the site, it is necessary to prepare a square-shaped pit. Its depth should reach approximately 70 cm, and its dimensions should be one meter by one meter. To prevent the worms from spreading to the rest of the dacha community, the lower part of the pit is covered with boards and compacted well. After this, the nutrient medium is dumped into the pit. To obtain vermicompost, worms should be extracted. It takes several weeks for them to process the nutrient medium.

Extraction means adding a layer of substrate and loosening it. The worms will then crawl out to the top layer. This saturated material must then be transferred to a new pit to continue the vermicompost cycle. On average it takes approximately 3-4 weeks. The compost processed in this way is sifted and dried. In this form it can be sold. At the same time, the worms can calmly continue their work in the next pit.

What is the substrate made from?

Any waste on hand is suitable for this purpose: straw, paper, tops, organic filler. This mass must be placed near the worm pit and watered with liquid manure. Loosen the substrate once every two weeks.

The California worm, whose photo is probably familiar to many, has a special investment appeal. Breeding it does not require large investments. It is enough to show a little patience and interest in this activity. After all, not everyone will like to deal with unpleasant odors and creatures crawling in the ground.

Industrial breeding

When it comes to preparing vermicompost in large volumes, a number of nuances arise. If for a private farm you need Californian worms in a volume of 10-20 thousand individuals, then on an industrial scale a population of at least a million is usually taken. Also in this case, you will need a room with an area of ​​10 to 15 square meters, with artificial lighting and a constant temperature of 15 to 30 degrees. It is also desirable that the room have a natural water supply system. Particular attention should also be paid to protection against rodents. To accommodate worm colonies, you will need to organize shelving.

Conclusion

Breeding Californian worms is a profitable business that has a number of features. Although it requires a minimal investment, you will still need some degree of preparation and a desire to be directly involved in the production process itself.

Introduction
Even the farmers of Ancient Egypt saw earthworms as a guarantee of future harvests. Aristotle called them the intestines of the earth. And this is true: by passing earth and plant debris through their intestines, worms enrich the soil.
Vermicompost obtained from worm secretions has the following qualities:
An excellent fertilizer, in 1 gram there are 1.7 x 1017 all sorts of microorganisms, mainly actinomycetes and nitrogen fixers.
No pathogenic microorganisms
They have a stimulating effect on the plant due to the presence of biostimulants.
The concentration of calcium and magnesium increases by 2 times, phosphorus by 7 times, potassium by 10 times, the content of humic acids increases several times.
Only in the 50s of our century the question arose about breeding worms specifically as producers of a very valuable, environmentally friendly fertilizer. The concept of “Vermiculture” arose - the culture of breeding worms. The red Californian worm was bred, which is used to create vermiculture.

What is the California Worm?
The California red worm is a new breed of earthworm Eisenia foetida. It was obtained at the University of California, as a result of the hybridization of various breeds of earthworm, in 1959.

Features of the California worm:
1. Habitat - a special substrate rich in organic compounds (manure, composts, organic waste and garbage) but not soil.
2. Long-lived - lives 16 years, laying 20 cocoons per season.
3. He eats twice as much per day as he weighs.
4. Doesn't crawl out of the boxes in which he is bred.
5. The temperature range at which the worm normally exists is from plus 4 to plus 40 degrees.
Biohumus can be grown both on an industrial scale and in an apartment, on a balcony and in a summer cottage.

Breeding California red worm
The “Californian” is a wonderful “pet.” It can be placed in a box made of wood or plywood, even in a cardboard box, but lined with polyethylene on the inside, in an old glass aquarium, in a plastic box. Closed joint stock company Fart recommends three plastic containers: the first with a solid bottom, the second and third with perforated bottoms. All containers are inserted into one another. Below - with a solid bottom.
The procedure for working with these containers is as follows:
Pour clean, dry sand into a container with a solid bottom. We place a holey container on it. In this container we put a layer of “living” soil (sold in stores, produced by the company “Fart”) or a layer of fertile garden soil - a 1 cm layer, put a food substrate on top with a layer of 3 - 5 cm, then dust the food layer with “new soil” (a product of the company “Fart”) or eggshell powder, on top a layer of “living earth” or soil - 1 cm. Worms are placed on the surface of the soil. The prepared substrate is moistened. A lump of substrate, if squeezed in your hand, does not crumble when you unclench your fist. Cover the top of the containers with a piece of polyethylene.
When the substrate is processed in a holey container, place a 3rd container on it, charged in the same way as the 2nd.
After 1.5 - 2 months, all the worms from the container will crawl into the 3rd container and begin to work in it. Biohumus has formed in the 2nd container, which can be used. Thus, by changing containers, we obtain fertile vermicompost.
The sand in the lower container becomes very wet after a while, and moisture accumulates in it as a result of the work of the worms. Sand with moisture is also a useful soil additive. Wet sand should be replaced with dry sand.
If it is not possible to purchase the containers described, you can get by with the above-mentioned containers. Sand must be placed at the bottom - it serves as drainage. Then a layer of soil 1 - 2 cm, a layer of food waste 3 - 5 cm, again a layer of soil 1 - 2 cm. A little ground eggshell is added to the food waste - “Californians” do not like an acidic environment. It is more difficult to separate vermicompost from such containers than from containers. You can keep the worms on a starvation diet for a while, and then put food in a certain place, all the worms will crawl to this place. It is convenient to use such containers for preserving the Californian worm in the winter, so that in the summer you can move it to the garden or vegetable garden.

What do you feed the California worm at home? Peels from raw vegetables, especially potatoes, must be thoroughly crushed (turned through a meat grinder), otherwise they will not be processed.
Perfectly processed:
banana skins;
citrus peel;
apple cores;
drunken tea and coffee grounds;
moldy bread, bread crusts and rolls;
leftover cereals, pieces of cheese;
rotten tomatoes, apples and other plant waste.
You can feed the worms grass and leaves. It is not recommended to feed worms with meat waste.

How to feed regularly?
When you have containers, feeding intervals are 1.5 - 2 months, i.e. We feed when we charge the container. In single containers we give a little at a time every 2-3 days, trying to feed in such a way that the unprocessed substrate does not accumulate.

California worms work “in the wild”
In the month of May, the “Californian” can be moved outside to a compost heap made from household garbage, rotted manure, and weeds. Recommended for a standard “bed”, on a bed measuring 2 x 1 m from 30 to 100 thousand worms. The worms are placed on a heap prepared in advance, made up of well-composted manure mixed with sawdust, straw, and weeds can be used to feed.
Feed is added every 10 days. Depending on the weather, water the compost 2-3 times a week. By the end of the season we get wonderful vermicompost. California worms must overwinter in a warm place. They are placed in warm sheds, special boxes, or they winter at home, in a city apartment.

conclusions
California red worms are not demanding to keep. If certain conditions are met, they reproduce well and produce fertile vermicompost.

Something to remember
1) Worms should be kept in warm rooms in winter, although they can live at temperatures from plus 4 to plus 40 degrees, they work actively at air temperatures of plus 15 - 25 degrees.
2) The mixtures in which the worms live must be moist. To retain moisture, cover the containers with a piece of polyethylene.
3) Feed only plant residues. Eliminate meat waste from the diet. Potato peelings must be chopped.
4) Crushed egg powder should be added to food; worms do not like acidic subtracts.
St. Petersburg Farmer Assistance Service
List of used literature
1) L. Genkin “Bioconversion is underway” w. Chemistry and life, number 4, 1991
2) M. Nadv “Worms are trump cards” w. Chemistry and life, number 12, 1990
3) “Let the worm work” Closed joint stock company “Fart” St. Petersburg 1995.

Vermicompost is a granular bioactive fertilizer obtained from organic waste processed by the red Californian worm. Its use ensures good development of plants, increasing yields by 30-70%. Set fruits are less affected by diseases. They are distinguished by more delicate pulp, pronounced taste and aroma. Producing vermicompost at home is not particularly difficult and does not require significant expenses.

Properties and composition of vermicompost, its advantages

Biological humus is a fertilizer that is superior in composition and nutritional value to ordinary compost and manure. Its addition to the soil in a ratio of 10-20% of the total volume makes it possible to improve the health of depleted soil or soil containing a large amount of salts. During the processing process, the organic masses are completely disinfected and cleaned of helminth eggs. Vermicompost contains many useful components in an optimally balanced form:

• Mineral elements in a form that is easily absorbed by plants.
• Enzymes. They ensure the conversion of organic residues into nutritional compounds.
• Substances that prevent the proliferation of pathogens.
• Phytohormones. They improve plant growth and stress resistance.

This type of environmentally friendly fertilizer contains 4-8 times more humus than cow manure or compost obtained from plant residues. Its advantages include good moisture capacity, friability, compatibility with other types of organic fertilizers, and the absence of the need to use significant energy costs during production and use. The ability to sell surplus products allows you to recoup costs and receive a certain income.

Components for the production of vermicompost

Before you start producing vermicompost at home, you should prepare a substrate for vermicompost and the necessary equipment. The substrate includes:

1. Rotted cow dung and
2. Plant tops in fermented (silage) or dried form (hay).
3. Vegetable peelings, leftover unused food.
4. Rotten sawdust, tree leaves.
5. Peat and lime (2% of the total weight of the mixture) to improve the quality of vermicompost.

Californian worms are also needed for vermicompost, whose function is to process the nutrient mixture. The equipment you will need are boxes made of wooden planks or plastic, a spatula for collecting the substrate, and a sieve with cells with a diameter of 2 mm.

Features of growing Californian worms

Californian worms are practically no different in appearance from ordinary earthworms. But they process organic substances into a form convenient for absorption by plants much faster. When using them, you can get ready-made fertilizer in 1-1.5 weeks. The cost of one individual varies in different regions of the country: from 25 kopecks to 1 ruble. The following rules should be followed when using vermicompost:

• Breeding at home requires maintaining certain temperature values. Its lower limit should not be below +4°C, and its upper limit should not be above 40°C. Lower and higher values ​​can lead to the death of biological material.
• In winter, the worms are placed in containers with a nutrient substrate and brought into a room with the required air temperature or covered with insulating material. It ensures free flow of air into the soil mixture.
• For the normal functioning of this type of invertebrate, it is necessary to maintain the humidity of the compost heap at 70-80% by regular irrigation with water in hot weather. In addition, they should be protected from direct sunlight by placing them in the shade.

To prevent the death of California worms in severe frosts, covering the place where they are kept with the arrival of autumn with a layer of compost 40 cm thick or more. After snow falls, additional protection will be provided by insulating the embankment with a thick snow cover.

Preparation of nutrient substrate

Producing vermicompost at home requires special preparation of the substrate before introducing worms into it. First, a wooden box, plastic container or hole in the ground is prepared. It is recommended that their depth be from 70 to 100 cm. You can prevent the penetration of technological worms beyond the pit by finishing its bottom and walls with some natural material.

Then a mixture prepared from well-rotted manure, mature compost, rotted plant tops, and food waste is placed in a container or hole. The substrate must mature. To do this, keep it for the required time, regularly moistening it with warm water and stirring every 2-3 days. Initially, under the influence of processes occurring in the mixture, the temperature will rise to 40-50 °C. Upon completion of fermentation of the components, its values ​​decrease and remain stable.

Vermiculture technology

When the substrate is completely ripe, Californian ones are added to it at home, allowing you to obtain them in sufficient quantities for the required volume of the mixture. The laying rate is 700-1500 pieces per cubic meter of substrate. You can determine the suitability of the mixture for launching worms by first placing 50 individuals in it. If they feel good, add the rest, evenly distributing them over the surface of the substrate.

The acidity of the prepared mixture should be within 6-8 points. Periodic gentle loosening will provide free access to the internal layers of air necessary for the worms to breathe. Regular irrigation with settled water heated to 20 °C will create a sufficiently humid environment. To maintain optimal temperature and humidity values ​​of the substrate, the container is covered with a layer of straw.

Collection of vermicompost

During the first 1-2 months, the worms adapt to the new environment. Then they begin to actively multiply and process the components of the mixture into vermicompost. Every 10 days it is necessary to additionally add a nutrient substrate as a top dressing. After 3-4 months, you need to check the number of worms. If it has increased significantly, you can begin to separate them and use the finished fertilizer for its intended purpose.

There are 2 ways to free vermicompost from the worms in it. One of them involves sifting the substrate through a sieve. The worms are then transferred to another container. In the second method, the application of fertilizing is delayed for several days. Then pour a new portion of the substrate onto the surface of the box. When the hungry worms rise up, they are separated and moved to another place.

Application of vermicompost

Producing vermicompost at home has certain benefits. It can be used not only to fertilize a garden or summer cottage, but also sold. The cost of obtaining this environmentally friendly and highly effective material will be reduced by the presence of domestic animals, which provide the technological process with a sufficient amount of manure.

Excess vermicompost can be sold to neighbors in the country and farmers. With a significant volume of production - on the market or in wholesale quantities in your own online store. Worms can be in demand by fish and poultry farms. In order to sell vermicompost, the price of 1 kg of which ranges from 10 to 20 rubles, it should be offered to potential buyers in easy-to-use packaging.

Product packaging

When dry, vermicompost is packaged in polyethylene bags. When producing liquid humus in concentrated form, the best option is to bottle it in plastic bottles. Like the widely used “Em” preparations, they contain many beneficial soil microorganisms that improve soil fertility and ensure high yields using the most environmentally friendly methods.

When packing in bags, you should first weigh the vermicompost. The price per 1 kg may be indicated on the label or not in case of wholesale sales of the material. The cost of goods in different regions varies significantly. Just like liquid preparations "Em", it is desirable that the packaged vermicompost contains instructions outlining the properties of the material and the rules for its use.

Instructions for use

Vermicompost is in demand not only for growing fruits and vegetables. It is widely used in floriculture to restore depleted soil that has lost its natural properties. It can also be used to reduce the number of harmful insects, since the microorganisms included in the drug are capable of breaking down the chitin of their exoskeleton.

In what quantities and how best to use vermicompost - the instructions cover in detail all the issues that arise when using fertilizer. The time for its application to the soil is not limited. The drug has a prolonged action, giving good results for several years. Concentrated vermicompost is diluted three times. It is recommended to add it to water when watering plants and spraying trees.

Features of application

The drug is used for preparing soil mixtures. Vermicompost is especially useful for seedlings. It is enough to add 1 part of the product to 3-5 parts of peat. Before planting grown plants in the ground, approximately 150 g of fertilizer should be added to the holes, mixed with soil. The planted bushes are watered abundantly, and the surface of the soil around the seedling is mulched with a small layer of vermicompost.

You can protect plants from damage by insect pests by adding the product to the soil or by surface treating their vegetative parts with an aqueous solution. Regular fertilizing of vegetables, trees, shrubs and flowers has a good effect. For these purposes, it is enough to apply 0.5 kg of vermicompost per 1 m2 to the plants every 30 days.

Using vermicompost to restore soil

Vermicompost quickly increases the nutritional value of the soil, supplementing it with a complex of substances necessary for the good development of plants. The soil microorganisms it contains help convert plant and animal residues into easily digestible compounds.

Adding vermicompost to soil that has lost fertility due to excessive application of chemicals increases the content of useful elements in it, improves the soil structure, and neutralizes high acidity. This allows you to create an environment in which those involved in the formation of the fertile soil layer can live. Increasing the concentration of humus most directly affects the quantity and quality of the resulting crop.

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. Particularly 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 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 receives all 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 the owners of pet stores and fish farms, farms, and fishing supply 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.

I provide information about Californian worms from Vitaly Zabudko’s blog ( moyhytor.wordpress.com/2015/07/12/red-California-worm) :

California red worm

Even the farmers of Ancient Egypt saw earthworms as a guarantee of future harvests. Aristotle called them the intestines of the earth. And this is true: by passing earth and plant debris through their intestines, worms enrich the soil.

Only in the 50s of the 20th century the question arose about breeding worms specifically as producers of very valuable, environmentally friendly fertilizer. The concept of “Vermiculture” arose - the culture of breeding worms. The red Californian worm was bred and used to create vermiculture.

What is California Worm?

Among all the species of earthworms existing in the world, only a few can be cultured under artificial conditions.

But the most universal in their characteristics and the most economically attractive are the worms belonging to the “Red Worms” species.

The red earthworm usually has the commercial name “California”, since it was in the state of California in the United States of America that its intensive cultivation began in the fifties of the last century.

Among the various species obtained as a result of various selections, the red worm obtained by the American Barrett as a result of selection of a common dung worm is widespread and successfully reproduced.

The California red worm is a new breed of earthworm Eisenia foetida. It was obtained at the University of California, as a result of the hybridization of various earthworm breeds, in 1959.

Its length is up to 10 cm, diameter is 3-5 mm, body weight is about 1 g, the appearance of a new generation in 21 days, the onset of puberty in 90-120 days. The offspring of two worms can reach 1.5 thousand individuals per year. After 40 days, the worm population doubles.

Worm biomass contains a whole complex of biologically valuable substances and is used to feed all types of animals and fish, both raw and processed.

The value of feed when adding worm biomass increases by 20-25%. The worm is also processed into protein meal containing 67% protein and 20% fat. In addition to other amino acids, flour contains especially valuable ones - 8% lysine, 3% methionine.

Protein flour is most effectively used for the production of animal feed, as a food additive.

Features of the California worm:

DIFFERENT LIFESPAN AND FERTILITY OF THE FOREST RAINWORM AND THE RED CALIFORNIA WORM.

1. Title; 2. Life expectancy, years; 3. Frequency of copulations, days; 4. Number of newborns in the cocoon.

California red worm - (16) (7) (2-21);

Forest earthworm (8000 different species) - (4) (45) (1-4);

The habitat is a special substrate rich in organic compounds (manure, composts, organic waste and garbage), but not soil.

Long-lived - lives 16 years, laying 20 cocoons per season.

He eats twice as much per day as he weighs.

Doesn't crawl out of the boxes in which it is bred.

The mixtures in which the worms live must be moist. To retain moisture, cover the containers with a piece of polyethylene.

Crushed egg powder or lime should be added to food, since worms do not like acidic subtracts.

They can be bred both on an industrial scale and in an apartment, on a balcony and in a summer cottage.

Breeding California red worm.

The “Californian” is a wonderful “pet.” It can be placed in a box made of wood or plywood, even in a cardboard box, but lined with polyethylene on the inside, in an old glass aquarium, in a plastic box.

Closed joint stock company Fart recommends three plastic containers: the first with a solid bottom, the second and third with perforated bottoms. All containers are inserted into one another. Below - with a solid bottom.

The procedure for working with these containers is as follows::

Pour clean, dry sand into a container with a solid bottom. We place a holey container on it.

In this container we put a layer of “living” soil or a layer of fertile garden soil - a layer of 1 cm, put a food substrate on top with a layer of 3 - 5 cm, then dust the food layer with “new soil” or eggshell powder, on top of a layer of “living soil” or soil - 1 cm.

Worms are placed on the surface of the soil. The prepared substrate is moistened. A lump of substrate, if squeezed in your hand, does not crumble when you unclench your fist.

Cover the top of the containers with a piece of polyethylene. When the substrate is processed in a holey container, place a 3rd container on it, charged in the same way as the 2nd.

After 1.5 - 2 months, all the worms from the container will crawl into the 3rd container and begin to work in it. Biohumus has formed in the 2nd container, which can be used. Thus, by changing containers, we obtain fertile vermicompost.

The sand in the lower container becomes very wet after a while, and moisture accumulates in it as a result of the work of the worms. Sand with moisture is also a useful soil additive. Wet sand should be replaced with dry sand.

If it is not possible to purchase the containers described, you can get by with the above-mentioned containers. Sand must be placed at the bottom - it serves as drainage. Then a layer of soil 1 - 2 cm, a layer of food waste 3 - 5 cm, again a layer of soil 1 - 2 cm.

A little ground eggshell is added to food waste - “Californians” do not like an acidic environment.

It is more difficult to separate vermicompost from such containers than from containers. You can keep the worms on a starvation diet for a while, and then put food in a certain place, all the worms will crawl to that place.

It is convenient to use such containers for preserving the Californian worm in the winter, so that in the summer you can move it to the garden or vegetable garden.

What do you feed the California worm at home??

Peels from raw vegetables, especially potatoes, must be thoroughly crushed (turned through a meat grinder), otherwise they will not be processed.

Perfectly recyclable:
banana skins;
citrus peel;
apple cores;
drunken tea and coffee grounds;
moldy bread, bread crusts and rolls;
leftover cereals, pieces of cheese;
rotten tomatoes, apples and other plant waste.

You can feed the worms grass and leaves. It is not recommended to feed worms with meat waste.

How to feed regularly?

When you have containers, feeding intervals are 1.5 - 2 months, i.e. we feed when we charge the container. In single containers we give a little at a time every 2-3 days, trying to feed so that the unprocessed subtract does not accumulate.

Life of a worm in the wild.

In May, the “Californian” can be moved outside to a compost heap made from household garbage, rotted manure, and weeds. Recommended for a standard “bed”, on a bed measuring 2 x 1 m from 30 to 100 thousand worms.

The worms are placed on a heap prepared in advance, made up of well-composted manure mixed with sawdust, straw, and weeds can be used to feed. Feed is added every 10 days.

Depending on the weather, water the compost 2-3 times a week. By the end of the season we get wonderful vermicompost.

Breeding on a livestock farm

What is the best way to produce vermicompost??

The substrate should consist of approximately 2/3 manure, 1/3 peat plus the addition of green manure or straw. In this case, the yield of vermicompost will be the largest.

Wintering

For the winter, it is imperative to cover the “wormhouse” with a half-meter layer of straw, since, unlike its Russian relatives, the Californian does not go deep into the winter and can freeze out if measures are not taken.

Another serious danger to worms are mice and moles, which readily eat worms. It makes sense to keep a safety stock at home or in a warm room in winter.

Substrate processing cycle

The cycle of substrate processing in trays is usually about 5 months, with the number of worms increasing five to ten times, depending on the care taken to maintain optimal conditions. If adult worms are separated every 2 months, the reproduction of vermiculture can be further accelerated.

Advantages and disadvantages

The California red worm reaches sexual maturity at three months of age, when it can be considered fully mature.

Two earthworms per year can produce an average of 1,500 young worms under fairly normal temperate climate conditions. Thus, one pair produces 3,000 young worms annually over five generations.

This pair, grown in an optimal environment of constant average temperature, constant and controlled humidity, adequate food and sufficient water, can produce 7 to 10 young worms per capsule and up to 20 to 21 young worms when reared in a greenhouse.

The Californian earthworm differs from the ordinary earthworm by its higher vital activity and the ability to process food faster and more completely. As a result of processing one ton of substrate, about 600 kg of vermicompost is obtained, and the increase in worm biomass is 100 kg.

As noted above, the only drawback of the California worm is that it is too heat-loving.

Its instinct of self-preservation is weakened at subzero temperatures, and therefore, when its habitat cools, the California worm does not go deep into the ground to the freezing depth, but gathers in one place in large quantities and freezes safely.

So, if you are going to breed this type of worm, you should take care of a good worm cage with a positive temperature in winter, or you will have to insulate the clamps well when growing them outside.

Here is some essential useful information:

note

It should be borne in mind that it is very difficult for adult worms to get accustomed to new food. This is firmly connected with their biological feature - worms are programmed to consume food immediately after birth, so they can no longer get used to another.

Therefore, when buying technological worms, you need to take this risk into account. New substrates should be populated only with cocoons of worms; then, upon hatching, the worms will be configured to process only this type of food.

Helpful advice

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

I don’t believe that in central Russia Californian worms will survive under a layer of leaves 50 cm thick - you can check if you don’t mind the worms.

I think it is worth trying to grow Californian worms to get a personal feel for them, but you should mainly focus on growing native earthworms, Prospector worms and Dendroben worms.

I invite everyone to speak out in