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How California Worms Reproduce. Breeding California worms. Red California worm for breeding at home

Not having impressive investments at their disposal, entrepreneurs try to choose those ideas that require a minimum of funds to start a business. And there are plenty of such options - for example, breeding Californian worms at home. Having organized a worm farm (this is how such a “farm” will be called), you can start earning decent amounts without special skills, because worms are in demand on the market. The advantages also include the simple technology of their breeding. California worms are used as bait for fishing, as food for birds and fish, as a useful fertilizer for growing fruit crops and vegetables.

Our business valuation:

Starting investments - from 5000 rubles.

Market saturation is average.

The complexity of starting a business is 3/10.

Cultivation of Californian worms, if you create optimal conditions for growth for the "pets" and correctly organize the marketing process, will very soon reach the break-even point, starting to bring consistently high profits. And in order to minimize financial markets, it is worth starting small - with a home worm farm. And over time, when things go uphill and a wide circle of regular customers is recruited, you can invest in the large-scale production of the California worm. In this case, the costs will be much higher, but they will quickly pay off.

How to breed California worms? Consider what means an entrepreneur will have to use in order to organize a profitable business.

Where to breed California worms?

What is good about this direction is that the entrepreneur does not need large areas. It’s great if the property has its own suburban area or a house with a cellar - then all problems will be solved, since this is where you can start your business.

Vermifarm organization technology allows you to grow worms in 2 ways:

Outdoors.
Indoors.

If worms are bred in a country house in an open area, then the business will be more seasonal in nature, since individuals cannot withstand extreme cold, which means that activities will have to be suspended until spring. But keeping the worms indoors (in the same cellar or barn), subject to optimal temperature conditions, you can conduct your business all year round.

When planning to launch a vermi farm in an open area, it is necessary to carefully fence off the involved area, and even better, partially concrete the adjacent area. Otherwise, the invasion of pests (for example, moles) cannot be avoided.

To make it possible to breed and sell Californian worms, you will need to prepare “homes” for them. For this, wooden boxes or a plastic container can be used. The containers can be of different volumes, but it is better to keep a range of 30-40 cm in height. In order not to spend extra money, the boxes can be made independently from strong boards. Yes, and many in their dachas have large plastic barrels idle, which can be cut in half and used for their own purposes.

After the containers are prepared, it is necessary to fill them with a nutrient substrate so that the maintenance of the worms is carried out in accordance with all the rules. So what and how to grow Californian worms? At the bottom of the box lays a layer of soil with healthy individuals. And in order for them to have something to eat, a substrate is laid on top, which may consist of humus, food waste, manure, and rotten leaves. Thus, optimal conditions for growth and development are created for the worms - they are warm and satisfying here.

It should be ensured that there are no metallic inclusions in the earth layer. This can negatively affect the fertility of individuals.

And when the worms are "inhabited" in the boxes, it is necessary to provide them with proper care - feeding and optimal temperature.

Features of the content of Californian worms

An important question that should be decided in advance is where you can buy Californian worms. If you purchase low-quality "planting material", all the work of the entrepreneur may be in vain - he will not receive the expected increase. And they get worms on the same vermifarms. When making a deal, you need to make sure that all individuals are exactly red and actively moving.

Practice shows that the breeding stock should be more than 1500 healthy individuals. It will take 1-3 families to "settle" 1 m 3 of soil. The wholesale cost of 1 worm is 1-3 rubles.

Californian worms as a business are attractive, first of all, by simple farming technology. In short, the main steps are:

"Settlement" of livestock in a box with a substrate.
Processing by individuals of compost into nutritious biohumus.
Reproduction of individuals.
Collection of humus, worm tea, live individuals for the purpose of further sale.

And in order for the Californian fishing worm to actively breed, it is necessary to maintain the optimum temperature within + 15 ... + 25 ˚C. But individuals can withstand lower temperatures. Soil acidity should be 7 pH, and air humidity - 75-80%. There are some nuances that should be observed when deciding to put the case on stream:

It is better to cover the top of the box with a lid, hay or burlap.
Twice a week, the soil should be loosened to allow oxygen to enter the deep layers of the soil.
If the temperature drops to -5 ˚C, the compost is additionally covered with a layer of manure and straw. The height of such a warming layer should be at least 100 cm.
If individuals are lethargic and do not hide from harsh light, they need to be transferred to a new substrate.

And what to feed Californian worms? It does not require special costs, since individuals can literally eat leftovers from the table - used tea leaves, soaked paper, food leftovers. Cow and pig manure for feeding can be used only after six months after its receipt (but no later than 2 years), but rabbit or goat - immediately. Soil with worms should be watered occasionally using a watering can.

How often worms will be fed depends on the number of individuals, the time of year and the type of food. On average, the nutrient substrate is updated every 1.5-2 weeks.

Features of the sale of Californian worms

Selling California worms in bulk will bring the entrepreneur much more profit than selling individuals to retail buyers. Given this, the first step is to establish contacts with permanent
big clients.

And since the business involves the sale of not only the worms themselves, but also those waste products that they form, the following buyers may be interested in the worm farm:

private summer residents and fishermen,
farms,
pet stores,
fishing stores.
fish farms.

And since the price of the Californian worm and related products is low, many transactions will be carried out in wholesale lots, which will only increase the income of the entrepreneur. And so that as many customers as possible learn about the vermifarm operating nearby, you should take care of its advertising.

What marketing methods can be used here?

Direct sales.
Ads on the Internet, newspaper and "on the fences".
Flyers.

How profitable is the business?

Knowing where to buy Californian worms for breeding and how to organize the process itself, you can start earning very soon. The purchase of breeding stock will take no more than 5,000 rubles. And if you do not take into account the boxes that will be required, then this is all the cost of the business, since the worms do not need any special feed.

You can start small by selling natural fertilizer and live worms to your neighbors. And when the vermifarm grows, it will be possible to think about entering larger markets.

It is rather difficult to calculate the exact income that the "farm" will bring. But you can still catch the main economic trend if you consider how much the red Californian worm costs - and this is about 1-3 rubles per piece. Note that the amount from sales is almost completely and will be the net profit received by the entrepreneur, since large variable costs are not expected here.

Why do they keep and breed such seemingly unattractive creatures as earthworms?

Mainly for the production of biohumus. Biohumus is a valuable organic fertilizer, the main life product of worms. The worms themselves can also be used as food for various domestic animals (fish, amphibians and reptiles, as well as some species of birds and rodents). But, since my pets (cat and Japanese finches) categorically refused to eat worms, I keep worms exclusively for biohumus. The bulk of the worm population lives in my summer cottage. There is equipped with a special worm shelter, which is covered with spruce branches and film for the winter. But I also keep some of the worms in a city apartment.

They live in a terrarium, in the bottom of which a certain number of holes have been made so that excessive moisture does not accumulate. Naturally, the terrarium must stand on some kind of pallet. The terrarium is in a dark corner under the table, because the worms do not like light.

Worms feed on almost any organic matter - potato peels, various kinds of kitchen waste, used tea and coffee brewing, bread crusts, soaked newspapers, and so on. Do not abuse citrus fruits (lemon, orange and tangerine peels), they strongly acidify the substrate. It is also better to refrain from using animal waste - meat, egg white and yolk, etc. - mainly for two reasons, firstly, because of the unpleasant odor that occurs when animal protein decomposes, and secondly, if you breed worms in the country, meat and other animal waste can attract rats and mice. Worms do not eat animal fats (milk, etc.).

Some say it's not worth feeding animal protein to worms because worms are vegetarians. But they are more scavengers than vegetarians. In my opinion, decomposed vegetable protein is not very different from decomposed animal protein. Although it is possible that worms prefer vegetable protein, they are also able to eat animal protein. After all, they feed on the simplest nematodes. There are very few animals in nature that have strict dietary restrictions; there are very few absolute vegetarians or absolute predators. Cats and dogs, being predators, eat grass with pleasure. Cows, along with grass, absorb a sufficient amount of animal protein in the form of insects and other small animals. The absence of strict restrictions on food allows animals to adapt to changing environmental conditions. An example is pigs, whose ancestors are known to have been carnivores. But back to worms.

From time to time, worms need to be given eggshells and fine sand. Sand serves worms as well as pebbles for chickens - to improve digestion. Of course, all food given to worms must be minced or ground in some other way, since worms do not have teeth and cannot chew food. To all this, one should not forget about watering, since with a substrate moisture content of less than 35%, the worms will die within a week. Under no circumstances should chlorinated water be used for irrigation. Chlorine is poison for worms. Either rainwater or well-settled water is used.

I add food periodically in small layers. When the terrarium is full, I transplant the worms with part of the old substrate into another terrarium, and start all over again. And biohumus from the old terrarium is ready for use. Worms can be transplanted manually, but this is a rather tedious task. It is better to stop feeding the worms for a while, let them get hungry. Then put on top straw cutting or torn paper soaked in a sugar solution. You can use the pulp of vegetables and fruits. In two or three days, most of the hungry worms will rise up to the new food, from where they can be collected. In a day, one worm is able to process an amount of organic matter equal to its own weight. And the average weight of an earthworm is 0.5 g. I don’t presume to say what should be the optimal density of worms in a wormhole (terrarium). Under natural conditions, the density of worms is from 100 to 20,000 individuals per square meter.
I use biohumus produced by worms for indoor flowers and for seedlings. This way I save money and get a product that I am confident in. Because you can never tell exactly where the land you bought from the store came from. From the items that I found in bags with flower and garden soil, one could make a fairly extensive exposure - stones, sticks, bones, and even a whole anthill with live ants and ant eggs. If you use biohumus for indoor flowers, then individual worms or their cocoons may accidentally get into the flower pot. Some flower growers, for some reason, are afraid of this. However, worms cannot bring any harm to flowers. They do not gnaw on roots, because, as I said, they do not have teeth. They can only eat a rotten root, but with rotten roots, the plant will die without worms. But if you don't like to know that there are worms in your flower pot, then it's easier to just pick them by hand than to try to poison them with something or, as some advise, lower the pot into water and wait for the worms to choke. So you can only destroy the plant. Worms can live in water for quite a long time (up to a week).

Some unpleasant moments that may arise when breeding worms.

This is, firstly, the smell of the waste that you feed the worms, and, secondly, the appearance of all kinds of foreign insects. Ready biohumus has no unpleasant odor, it smells like ordinary earth. In addition, worms secrete certain substances that serve as a kind of deodorant. However, freshly laid food that the worms have not yet begun to eat may emit an odor. Much here depends on the type of food, soaked newspapers or tea leaves do not emit a special smell, and coffee leaves even have a quite pleasant smell. But if there is animal protein in the food, the smell can be quite nasty. In this case, the new feed should be sprinkled with ready-made vermicompost. Some, however, use EM preparations, such as Baikal or Vozrozhdenie, to combat unpleasant odors. Personally, in the fall I bring a certain amount of land from the dacha and periodically sprinkle the substrate with it. I think that this is not bad for seedlings either, since biohumus in its properties approaches the soil in which seedlings are to grow in summer.
As for insects, Drosophila, sometimes podura, are most often planted in the substrate. By themselves, these creatures are completely harmless. They cannot harm worms. Rather the opposite. After all, it is known that worms feed on the simplest nematodes, bacteria, fungal spores and other microflora and microfauna. True, whether worms eat eggs and larvae of fruit flies or fools, I don’t know. Be that as it may, it is unlikely that anyone will like the presence of various midges in the apartment. Since the appearance of these insects is primarily associated with the increased humidity of the substrate with which you feed the worms, you can fight them by reducing watering (however, without stopping completely, so as not to kill the worms). As I was told on one forum, you can use sticky tape for flies to kill fruit flies, if you stick it in strips on the lid of the terrarium. Podur can be caught on a piece of raw potatoes. They love her very much and gather on her in large numbers. Do not use pesticides, you can poison the worms.

Where to get worms?
1. buy red Californian worms.
2. buy specially bred Russian (for example, Vladimir)
3. dig up in the garden, in the forest, collect on the street after rain.

Before discussing these three options, I will make one important digression. Whichever option you choose, you will still not be able to find exactly the same food for the worms that they are used to. And the main advantage of keeping worms is that you can get valuable fertilizer from your free waste. There are different opinions about how easily worms switch to a new food. Professor Igonin used to be of the opinion that worms get used to new food rather hard. Some of his colleagues believe that this is not such a significant issue. Yes, and Anatoly Mikhailovich himself (after he started selling "Vladimir Prospectors" :) now speaks not so categorically. Judging by my own experience, I can say that it is still not worth it to abruptly transfer worms to a new food. You can lose if not the entire population, then most of it. Well, if by this time the worms have already laid cocoons. Young, newly born worms get used to the food that they tried at birth. If it is nevertheless necessary to transfer the worms to a new food, then this should be done gradually, gradually mixing it into the old one.
From this point of view, consider all three of the above options. Since the ability to adapt to new conditions depends to a large extent on the worms themselves. If you decide to buy "Californians", then make sure that they sell you really Californian worms, and not ordinary ones dug up right here under the fence. Sometimes, under the guise of juvenile worms, a nematode is sold. The seller must have a permit to sell worms issued by the quarantine authority. Red California worms have high productivity, but are quite picky about the substrate and the conditions of detention. They are suitable only for home maintenance, that is, they live only in warmth. If you want to settle them in the country, then most likely they will freeze in the first winter. As for the Vladimir worms, they are undoubtedly more adapted to our conditions. This is a good option if you don't mind spending money on worms. If you are going to keep worms not only at home, but also in the country, or only in the country, then, in my opinion, it is better for you to dig them up in a nearby forest or in a field. And move them to your worm house. These will be the worms most adapted to your conditions. Do not forget to just dig them up along with the ground, and gradually add your new food to this ground. The most adaptable of those that I have seen, in my opinion, are the Moscow worms, which I picked up on the street after the rain. Apparently they are so accustomed to living in difficult urban conditions and eating all sorts of rubbish that they are not so easy to lime.
Well, in a nutshell, that's all. Read more about worms in A.M. Igonina "How to increase soil fertility tenfold with the help of earthworms."

Dmitry Lyalin.

More about biohumus

The composition of biohumus and its properties
The main product of compost processing with the help of technological worms is the humus organic fertilizer biohumus - worm compost.

Biohumus of 50% humidity contains 12-15% of humus.
The agrochemical value of dry biohumus is as follows:
. humus - 25-35%;
. nitrogen - 0.8-2%;
. phosphorus - 0.8-2%;
. potassium - 0.7-1.2%;
. magnesium - 0.3-0.5%;
. calcium - 2-3%;
. acidity pH = 6.9-7.2;
. microflora - 2*10**12 cells/g;
. fulvic, humic acids;
and all this in a balanced way.

Biohumus It is also a microbiological fertilizer. Its introduction improves the soil. Biocompost exceeds manure and composts in humus content by 4-8 times. Biohumus contains a large amount of enzymes, vitamins, soil antibiotics, plant growth hormones and other biologically active substances. Duration of action of a biohumus - 5 years.

Unlike manure, biohumus does not have inertia - plants react immediately to it. When using biohumus, the growing season of plants is reduced by 1.5-2 weeks. It is proved that the humates contained in biohumus are non-toxic, non-carcinogenic, non-mutagenic, non-toxic for embryos. Biohumus does not contain weed seeds. Biohumus has no smell, it is pleasant to hold it in hands.
During storage, biohumus can even dry out, but will not lose its qualities.

The use of biohumus
Biohumus can be applied in the spring for digging, it can be poured into seedling holes, in rows for sowing seeds.

Biohumus is added to planting mixtures for growing seedlings and indoor plants.

It is impossible to “oversalt” the soil with biohumus, the more you apply, the better.

Biohumus can be infused in water and watered with infusion of plants.

The use of mineral fertilizers mixed with biohumus is exceptionally effective.

Biohumus application rates
Since biohumus has to be saved, its application rates are as follows:
. when planting seedlings in the ground, add 1-2 handfuls of biohumus to the hole;
. when planting tomato seedlings, add 0.5-1 liters of biohumus to the hole;
. for potatoes 0.5-1 liters of biohumus with each potato;
. mulch the soil under the cucumbers with biohumus with a layer of 1-2 cm;
. mulch the soil under the strawberries with biohumus with a layer of 1-2 cm;
. do not dig the soil under fruit trees, but annually mulch with a layer of vermicompost 2-3 cm;
The company "Master Ground", which supplies biohumus fertilizer, recommends the following application rates:
. flowers - 0.5-1.5 kg / sq.m;
. vegetables - up to 2 kg/sq.m or 150 g/rm;
. berry - 0.5-1.0 kg per bush;
. fruit - 1-2 kg for each tree;

Water infusion of biohumus
An aqueous infusion of biohumus is used for soaking seeds, watering seedlings, indoor plants, garden crops.
Mix 1 cup of dry humus fertilizer in 1 bucket of water and let stand for a day. The water takes on the color of tea. The sediment can be used to fertilize indoor flowers.
The resulting infusion soaked the seeds of cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes for 12 hours.

For watering plants, the infusion is diluted with two more parts of water.

Effectively spraying plants with infusion. Fruit trees and shrubs are sprayed after flowering, when the ovary falls off, during the period of fruit growth and the laying of flower buds (in early August). When spraying fruit trees and bushes with biohumus infusion in combination with mulching the soil under the crowns with biohumus, a layer of 1-2 cm, their fruiting becomes regular.

Spraying flower crops three times with an interval of one week accelerates flowering by 1-1.5 weeks.

Soil composition
The basis of the soil - soil minerals make up 80-90% of the weight. They, as a rule, contain almost the entire periodic table, but in a form not available to plants. The smallest particles or flakes of minerals form clay soils, larger ones form loams, and even larger ones form sandy loams and sands. The smallest particles that form clay minerals are in the form of flakes, so their total surface is huge and they are able to hold element ions on their surface in a form accessible to plant nutrition. Some soil microorganisms, with sufficient moisture and heat, are able to dissolve the mineral particles themselves, making the chemical elements bound in them available to plants.
Clay is potentially fertile soil. Tatyana Ugarova calls it "practically inexhaustible clay minerals".
Another component of the soil is organic matter, and its most valuable part is humus - the smallest colloidal particles of organic matter, which have an even larger surface and even better retain element ions, in a form accessible to plant nutrition. Humus is a storehouse of basic nutrients. Small clay and humus particles form compounds of the clay-humus complex, which retains nutrients. That is why it is so important to add some loam to the compost heap.
The third component of the soil is its living component - a community of various soil microorganisms - bacteria, fungi, ciliates, amoebas, algae, microscopic worms, etc. Their biomass in the upper 25 cm soil layer can reach 1.0-1.5 kg / sq. Meter soil and more. Soil microorganisms play the main role in the formation of soil fertility. The majority of microorganisms are bacteria.

Features of light soil
Light sandy soils are easily washed, soluble nutrients, along with water, go to great depths and are lost to plants. Therefore, such soils usually lack potassium, magnesium, and trace elements. But fertilizers should be applied to sandy soils not in autumn, but in spring (main dressing) and summer (in the form of dressings), but at half the dose than on clay soils. Such soils dry out quickly, but are well aerated. Organic fertilizers on sandy soils quickly overripe (mineralize), so they need to be applied more and more often.
Sandy soils are less suitable for gardening than loamy ones. To improve the cohesion of sandy soils, in addition to manure, peat and compost are introduced. If possible, claying is carried out - surface application of clay, loam. When planting orchards in the planting pits of fruit trees, it is very effective to make 2-3 screens of clay composts with manure with a layer of 2-4 cm every 20 cm.

Heavy soil and stagnant water
If there is little organic matter in heavy clay soils, they pass water very poorly. They can accumulate excess carbon dioxide, and although carbon dioxide dissolves some minerals, excess carbon dioxide harms plants.
If there are poorly permeable soil layers at depth, then even small depressions on the soil surface can cause stagnant water in the soil. The same thing happens when there is a close level of groundwater. Stagnant waters displace air from the soil, resulting in souring (gleying) of the soil, which is expressed in the appearance of blue spots with a high content of substances harmful to plants. Beneficial soil microorganisms are inhibited, and harmful anaerobic microflora develops. But if the garden is located on a slope and the water moves slowly through the layers of soil, then there are no negative consequences.

Mandatory digging before winter, loosening and systematic introduction of organic matter - manure, peat, compost, and for acidic soils, the introduction of lime improves the permeability and structure of clay soils.

Soil structure
The soil rich in microorganisms is glued together by mineral and organic colloidal particles into small lumps that do not fit tightly to each other, which allows air to penetrate deep into the soil, and water not to linger on the surface and wet the soil. Clay rich in humus crumbles into small lumps. The passages of microscopic and earthworms, the cavities of dead plant roots also improve the aeration and permeability of the soil.

The addition of lime to heavy clayey acidic soil also improves its permeability and structure.

Soil microorganisms
Some soil microorganisms decompose organic matter introduced into the soil, promote the formation of humus, make nutrients available to plants, others bind atmospheric nitrogen, synthesize organic compounds, and the following convert these compounds into forms available to plants. Soil microorganisms convert phosphorus into a soluble state, even decompose minerals, and first of all, practically inexhaustible clay minerals, delivering the entire "Mendeleev's table" to plants. Some plants are unable to develop normally without a certain microflora. As a result of the vital activity of beneficial soil microorganisms, the soil becomes structural, crumbly.

The life span of bacteria and other soil microorganisms can be very short - from days to several hours. If there is food, it is warm and humid - they multiply very quickly, and die off very quickly if the "food" is over. But their biomass and waste products make up the same "nutrient broth" for plants, which includes not only simple compounds for plant nutrition, but also amino acids, vitamins, auxins, antibiotics and many other nutrients and plant growth stimulants.

Most beneficial soil microorganisms thrive in a slightly acidic and neutral soil pH of 6.5-7.0 in the presence of moisture, air and heat in the range of approximately 15-30°C. Organic matter is essential for the nutrition of soil microorganisms. There are two ways for organics to enter the soil - root excretions of plants with post-harvest residues and the introduction of organics into the soil from the outside, in the form of compost, manure, green manure, etc.

Root selections
Plants do not remain indebted to microorganisms - living plants feed soil microorganisms with their root secretions, and not just dying post-harvest residues, although the roots also make up about a third of the plant's mass. Tatyana Ugarova gives a figure - up to 20% of the total mass of plants are root secretions. The composition of root secretions includes organic acids, sugars, amino acids and much more. According to T. Ugarova, a strong plant abundantly feeds soil microorganisms, while mass reproduction of the rhizosphere (root) beneficial microflora occurs. Moreover, plants stimulate the development of predominantly such microflora that nourishes plants, produces plant growth stimulants, and suppresses microflora harmful to plants.
Composting is an art
- this is how they now evaluate the exceptional importance of compost for the garden. Unfortunately, we still pay very little attention to the correct preparation of compost (if at all). And properly prepared compost is the basis, the guarantee of the future harvest.
When making compost, it is important to add some loam (clay garden soil). Loam also serves as a source of soil microorganisms - "sourdough" and binds nutrients formed during the maturation of compost as part of clay-humus complexes. In particular, clay-humus complexes arise when soil particles are mixed in the intestines of an earthworm, which is why the effectiveness of worm compost - biohumus, which is also enriched with beneficial microflora from the worm's stomach, is so great.
Briefly, the sequence of layers of the compost heap: 15-20 cm of grass and similar waste, sprinkled with ash, dolomite or lime 300-600 g/sq. meter, and sprinkle everything with clay garden soil - approximately a 2 cm layer. And so several times. Compost should be watered through a sprayer (you can use a watering can) so that the pile is constantly wet.
The addition of compost to the surface of the beds enriches the soil with microorganisms, revitalizes it, and does not at all come down to a simple conversion to N-P-K (nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium) nutrients. Be sure to compost your garden!

It is curious that in the Mitlider method using bottomless boxes filled with a mixture of sawdust and sand, by the end of the first season, the sawdust turns into crumbly, loose earth rich in humus, saturated with soil microorganisms, which, in terms of its effect on the main soil and plants, is very similar to a compost layer. in the garden! (But remember - you can’t dig up fresh sawdust with the soil!)
Beds after harvest
Do not leave loose, humus-rich soil bare, not covered with plants or a layer of organic mulch, which provide food for soil bacteria and create conditions for their vital activity, protect the soil from drying out and weathering. Therefore, if you have bare beds left after harvesting, sow any crop as a ground cover, like green manure. In the spring, mow the plants - put the tops in the compost, and the roots remaining in the beds, which have absorbed the nutrients, will give them to the soil, preserving its fertility.

conclusions
. All beds, including Mitlider's narrow soil beds, need the introduction of humus - well-rotted manure or compost, biohumus, which enrich the soil with beneficial soil microflora and humus, which increases the soil's ability to retain nutrients.
. Thus, the combination of organic and complex mineral fertilizers can increase soil fertility faster than the use of each type of fertilizer separately.
. Vegetables are most beneficial when grown without nutritional deficiencies. But over time, there may be a nutritional deficiency of any macro and micro elements, even if at first everything was in abundance. Each locality may have its own lack of macro and micro elements. Therefore, top dressing with corrective fertilizers is necessary.
. Most beneficial soil microorganisms thrive in a slightly acidic and neutral soil pH of 6.5-7.0, with moisture, air and heat in the range of approximately 12-30°C.
. Very light, sandy soil needs the introduction of peat and clay - claying, peaty - sand and loam. Excess water should be drained by drainage work.
. The ground should not be left bare - the soil should be covered with either plants (or lawn) or a layer of organic mulch. An extremely important role in the enrichment of the soil with microorganisms is the introduction of compost and manure humus into the beds.

The worm breeding business is characterized by a high level of profitability and low capital costs. Among other things, you can even do this at home or in an apartment (having allocated only one room).

Wastelessness of production.

"Prospector"

Earthworm

Dendroben

Muckworm

The advantages of this type of worm lie in the distinctive characteristics for vermicultivation. Previously served as the basis for breeding species such as Prospector and Red California Worm.

Red California worm for breeding at home.

On the basis of the dung worm, a new population can be developed, characterized by greater voracity, growth and reproduction rate, depending on the needs of buyers.

flour worm

loosening the soil;
timely feeding;
watering the soil.

Among all the types of earthworms that exist in the world, only a few can be bred in artificial conditions.

But the most versatile in their characteristics and the most economically attractive are the worms belonging to the species "Red worms".

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 the selection of the common dung worm, is widespread and successfully reproduced.

What does the California red worm look like?

Red California worm - dark red (brown-red with purple-pearl tones), the body of the worm is elongated, cylindrical, flattened from the side of the abdomen and divided into segments, each of which has two bristles on each side. Cultivated individuals are 6 to 9 cm long and 3 to 5 mm thick. The weight of an adult worm is in the range of 0.2-1.0 g. Body temperature 19-20°C.

The California worm is very prolific, and its life expectancy is 4 times the life expectancy of the "wild" earthworm.

Different lifespan and fecundity of the forest earthworm and red Californian worm.

Rules for breeding Californian worms

Each capsule or cocoon contains between 2 and 20 worms, and on average 7 young worms are born from each individual of the common earthworm in the climatic conditions of southern Europe.
The number of young worms depends very much on the temperature outside the cocoon in the habitat, however, it can be simplified to say that the sexual activity of this worm decreases in the cold months and reaches a maximum fecundity in the temperate season and decreases again in especially hot months.

Temperature conditions for cultivation of the Californian worm

It should be emphasized that one of the main concerns of the beginner worm breeder is to maintain a constant bed temperature. Optimal conditions, i.e. humus production and sexual activity, are achieved at a bed temperature of 19 to 20 °C.
The California worm is afraid of both excessive cold (0 ° C) and too much heat (over 42 ° C), so measures must be taken to protect it from adverse climatic conditions.

Advantages and disadvantages

The California red worm reaches sexual maturity at the age of three months, when it can be considered fully mature. Two individuals of an earthworm per year can produce an average of 1500 young worms under fairly normal conditions of a temperate climate. Thus, one pair annually produces 3,000 young worms in five generations.
This pair, grown in an optimal environment with a constant average temperature, constant and controlled humidity, the presence of acceptable food and sufficient water, can produce 7 to 10 young worms per capsule and up to 20-21 young worms when bred in a greenhouse.

From the usual earthworm, the Californian worm is distinguished by a 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 biohumus, a increase in biomass of worms - is 100 kg.

As noted above, the only drawback of the Californian worm is that it is too thermophilic. He has a weakened self-preservation instinct at low temperatures and therefore, when the habitat is cooled, the Californian 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 good a worm hive with a positive temperature in winter, or you will have to warm the piles well when grown outdoors.

The worm breeding business is characterized by a high level of profitability and low capital costs.

About breeding worms as a business in the country or in a private house

Among other things, you can even do this at home or in an apartment (having allocated only one room).

In addition to the fact that the worms themselves are a product of sale, they can provide additional income as fertilizer and worm tea, which significantly accelerate the development of plants.

This idea will be especially interesting as an additional business for gardeners and gardeners, poultry and fish farmers. This production will perfectly complement agribusiness with useful humus, and poultry and fish farms will be supplied with useful complementary foods at cost.

Advantages of a business idea with minimal investment

The business case for worm farming at home is based on the clear benefits of a profitable business with minimal investment.

Advantages of breeding worms:

The simplicity of the equipment used.
High reproduction rate.
The presence of a high level of demand, as well as ample opportunities to open new outlets.
Insignificant flow costs for care and feeding.
Wastelessness of production.

In just one year, an entrepreneur can get more than fifteen thousand individuals and up to one ton of fertilizer (with a nursery size of 2 m2). Having made simple calculations, you can see that the net profit from the sale of 15 thousand individuals will be about $ 700. In addition, the profitability of this business can be increased by selling the collected tons of worm tea and humus. In today's economic situation, the profitability of breeding worms for the production of humus reaches 145%, which is an excellent indicator for such a low initial cost.