| Earlier we've talked about the differences | | | | they can survive in water for several days at a |
| between compost bins and compost tumblers, | | | | time. |
| and let you, our wonderful composting audience, | | | | Night crawlers which are popular amongst |
| decide for yourselves on what you thought would | | | | fishermen can also be used as composting |
| work better for your needs. Well, let's put our | | | | worms. With the same performance level as red |
| differences aside and talk about worm | | | | worms, they're not really considered your number |
| composting, also known in the composting world | | | | one composting worm. One reason may be that |
| as vermiculture or vermicomposting. There's really | | | | even though they thrive in cool, shady areas, |
| not much to it, we use worms, right? Right, but | | | | they don't seem to fare too well if there's too |
| not just any worms; red wiggler worms or night | | | | much moisture; in fact, once they hit water they'll |
| crawlers are the preferred types of worms to | | | | pretty much just die. Unusually enough, fisherman |
| use. Why not earthworms, you ask? Well, I'll | | | | seem to like using night crawlers as bait probably |
| explain that in a second, but let me first tell you | | | | because they're pretty big and fat. |
| why red wigglers and night crawlers are so | | | | Using earthworms such as the kind that show up |
| beneficial to the composting process. | | | | when it starts raining is not recommended. |
| Red wiggler worms, also known as red worms | | | | Earthworms are great burrowers and excellent |
| and by their scientific name of Eisenia fetida, are | | | | soil aerators, but they won't digest the organic |
| recognized as the best kind of composting worm. | | | | matter and leave behind worm castings, which is |
| Thriving in darkness and swearing off light, red | | | | what you want. Your best bet is to stick with red |
| worms are hardy workers and can eat half of | | | | wiggler worms. Though not necessary, mixing red |
| their own weight. Additionally, they have hearty | | | | wigglers with night crawlers is okay, but you're |
| appetites and can live off of food scraps such as | | | | fine with sticking to one or the other. |
| banana peels and chicken mash (a yummy mix of | | | | Vermicomposting can be a fun activity for |
| cornmeal and chicken meat, this is usually used | | | | families, classrooms, or even just solo. Just be |
| only if you plan to raise your red worms as fish | | | | sure to feed your worms and watch them as |
| bait). Red worms also live well in damp places, and | | | | they do the work for you. |
| as fish bait, will wiggle around on the hook since | | | | |