Building a Worm Breeding System from Scratch 

Thanks We have really enjoyed your expertise and have learned much from you, thanks

Thank you so much, Peggy. You've got to be one of the most encouraging people on RU-vid! I'd love to read your worming autobiography sometime (in greater detail than you've shared in bits here and there). Perhaps you could write your story as an article for the Worm People newsletter? Drop me an email at matt@captainmattsworms.com if you're interested. I'm a subscriber to your channel and love the wisdom you're putting out into the world.

Agreed!

Thanks, Sandra. I love what you're doing on your channel and just subscribed. The world is changed by changing ourselves and our immediate surroundings... local is the future of vermiculture!

Thanks so much! I agree we can model good practices and help others get started. The worms make such a difference to our garden I can’t imagine gardening any other way now. ~ Sandra

Thanks Joe, your video will be out soon

Keep us posted William. Would love to see photos of your greenhouse setup - you can send to matt@wormpeople.com or share at discuss.wormpeople.com/space/882054414

Hey Troy! Thank you... I can't help myself sometimes - worm farming is exciting and meaningful work.. actually it doesn't feel like work at all for me.

You’re welcome… you can do it!

Thank you for the recommend!!

@@MemesWorms You’re quite welcome😉

Hey AV! Thank You! I've heard the same thing about Red Wigglers... that they remain active on the hook for much longer than typical nightcrawler bait. I definitely need to learn more about fishing worms and maybe talk to some fisherman for sure.

I'm no fisherman, but I have watched a few worm farming videos geared for anglers in which the basic aim is to demo how to grow them fat. It was in some of those videos where I heard about how the ENCs seem to be the worm breed of choice for bait because of their tendency to remain active for longer - making them more likely to draw the attention of hungry fishies :)

I’ve tried various worms and like the ENC’s best so far. I’d like to try ANC’s but the fish here prefer the ENC’s over CNC due to size so wonder how much of an issue that would be with ANC’s…still want some though!

Hey littlegreendude here's a good discussion on the topic discuss.wormpeople.com/post/612139204

Yes night crawlers live up to there name!!!

Hi Sindy! Great to hear about your interest in the mentoring program. I believe local is the future... every single person is a potential customer for home vermiculture or castings/tea. We’ll be sharing more information about the mentorship program through the Worm People newsletter, be sure to subscribe if you haven’t already wormpeople.com/subscribe/

Hey there! We're near Albany, upstate. Glad to help. People like you that research first are in a good spot!

Hey TL... yeah... we need to name this thing! Thanks for the encouragement.

Yes, when using breeder bins, they get top fed finely ground worm chow daily with a light misting to soften the chow, just enough chow for a 24-hour period. If the bin starts to run dry, moisture is applied to the bedding before top feeding with chow. When breeding worms using the batch method the worm chow is mixed in with the bedding at 3 cups per 5 gal. of bedding, with that method the equation is 150 3" breeders to a gallon of bedding, 125 3.5" worms per gal of bedding or 100 4" adults per gallon of bedding. With the batch method the cocoons from the Dendro's are collected every 21 days, during the 21 days the worms are left uncovered and undisturbed (the moisture has to be spot on). If the top is covered the worms will not work through and convert all the bedding. Using the batch method, the size and number of worms listed above is what will produce pure worm castings in the 21-day period, the only caveat is the bedding has to be pulverized/shredded and or sifted thru an 1/8" screen or smaller and the bedding has to be compost, peat (reed sedge) or aged animal manures. The batch method can be scaled from 1 gal to 50 gal, and the depth should not exceed 12". Enjoy worms and have a great Day!

That's the plan... Jaw. Looking to find the time for Mark to draw up schematics. We’ll be sharing more information through the Worm People newsletter, be sure to subscribe if you haven’t already wormpeople.com/subscribe/

Welcome, Rahiman! Glad to have you!

Love it… thanks for sharing your technique, Patty!

Hey Jacob, drop me an email at matt@captainmattsworms.com I’d love to see how I could help you get to that goal.

Thanks, Khalid! I look forward to hearing about your success!

Since nobody has had a chance to answer I’ll give you my 2cents. AFC’s are very large and can easily outgrow a bin. If they are too crowded they won’t breed as much or as quickly. I breed ENC’s, which are smaller, and find that 140 in a 2 sq ft bin works best for me, less and they produce the same per worm-more and they produce 1-2 less per worm. It’s a balancing act. Each person will have a slightly difficult results, but they shouldn’t be off by much. I hope that helps.

Hey Ketil... we just had an article in the last WormPeople newsletter about fruitfly and gnat control. You can subscribe at wormpeople.com/subscribe/. ... drop me an email at matt@captainmattsworms and we'll get you that back-issue.

Where did you purchase the breeder bin? Thanks. Love your channel

Lowes or Home Depot. Cost a out 9.00 each. I plan to build racks like this.

I get mine on Amazon

@@TheGardenAndWormLady are they the same as the ones in the video? If so could you drop a link thanks

What do you use for bedding in your breeder bins?

@@theresemenez4964 I use peat moss mostly but at the moment I’m using coconut coir because Pete moss I really can’t get till spring

Glad to have you as part of the Worm People, JN!

Great to hear from you, Robert. Sure... if you'll do pickup. I don't ship worms. Looks like you're 1.5 hrs from me. Drop me a note if you're interested at wormpeople.com/contact/

Sign up for the newsletter at WormPeople.com and join community.wormpeople.com - we’ve got a herd of people helping each other.

Lowes. Mortar tubs

These are cheap and available at any store that sells cement mix. The last batch I bought at Home Depot for around $6 USDea. Who knows how much they are these days with inflation.

@@ericcarve4476 Thanks. The only problem is that I’m in Canada and Home Depot shows the bin as “not available in your area”. It really sucks. Other similar store are the same. Therefore, I was wondering if there was a special supplier somewhere. Thanks for your response.

Hey Stuart... temperature is the most challenging aspect to regulate. I'd suggest you start in a place you can regulate temps year round (from extremes).

Concrete trays from Home Depot/Lowes - some folks also use restaurant bus bins from restaurant supply store

Hey Neighbor! So great to hear! Would love to hear more about your setup. Feel free to drop me a note and/or pics to matt@captainmattsworms.com

Thanks for reaching out. Will do. If anyone else would like your language enabled for subtitles, please let us know. It is a manual step for each language - but glad to do so if helpful.

80F

HaHa...Keeps it simple - eliminates choices - like STeve Jobs only wearing black turtlenecks.

Good eye their mate, “Waterford Harbor Visitors Center”. I have a tour business on the Hudson River.

Thanks for the encouragement, Terrie!

Greenville, TX, here. I wish we were closer!

Hey Brian... great to hear of your interest. We’ll be sharing more information about the mentoring program through the Worm People newsletter, be sure to subscribe if you haven’t already wormpeople.com/subscribe/

Lowes/Home Depot called morter trays.

Hey Patty... I was joking a bit about them breaking the ice to fish... ice fishing in the winter is huge in our area... and ramps up even more in the warmer months. Not sure if worms are ever used for ice fishing... would love to hear from someone who knows!

@@CaptainMattsWorms I lived in Albany and Troy in the 70s. The Hudson River iced over completely in the winter. Does it still? It wasn't smooth ice, either. It froze in thick, wave-like, dirty layers.

@@texaspatty4697 Small world! The river is much cleaner these days... but still freezes like that as the layers of ice pile up.

@@CaptainMattsWorms In my area the diehard worm people use Canadian nightcrawlers in the winter. Most fisher people use Wax Worms (bee moth larva), Mousies (drone fly larvae), Spikes (blue bottle fly larvae/maggots) and Mayfly larvae for pan fish and use minnows for game fish when ice fishing. As soon as the ice melts the fisher people go back to sized Canadian nightcrawlers and minnows.