A compost worm feeder tube is used in the garden to distribute kitchen scraps, garden trimmings etc in an expedited manner to a population of red wiggler compost worms. The worms will crawl into the feed tube to eat fresh food scraps and then crawl out into the garden soil pooping and spreading their worm castings around to feed your plants.

This is extremely easy to make, I recycled sanitizing wipes containers though you could make it out of most anything as long as the top is not transparent, the worms like it dark.

  1. Cut the inner parts of the lid out to make it easier to get food into the worm feed tube.

  2. Drill holes all around the tube to allow the worms to pass in and out.

  3. Bury the tube in the middle of the garden bed or row with the lid just above the surface.

  4. Add starter worm bedding like shredded paper, a little garden soil, coconut coir, peat moss etc.

  5. Add a starter population of red wiggler composting worms.

  6. Pile in some fresh kitchen scraps and garden trimmings and let them feast.

Benefits of Compost Worms in the Garden

One nice thing about the feeder tubes vs a worm bin is that your scraps go out and straight into the garden, your work is now done. As the worm population grows they will spread throughout the garden enriching soil as they go.

Worms are excellent at converting debris to bio available nutrients for the plants in your garden, worm castings are rich in nitrogen along with a barrage of other nutrients.

It’s not just all about nutrient rich worm poop also called worm castings. Earthworm burrows have been shown to improve soil aeration and even water filtration.

Like little fertilize as you go garden tillers worms are good for not only preventing compaction in soil they can even be used to repair already compacted soil.

How Do Red Worms Reproduce?

Although red worms are hermaphrodites having both male and female reproductive organs they still need other worms to successfully reproduce. Worms wrap around each other secreting mucus containing the genetic material needed to reproduce. Yep thats right worms mate so don’t spread out your worms they like to live in colonies or clusters!

How Fast does the worm population double?

The red wiggler composting worm population could theoretically double approximately every 60 days, however it would be more “normal” conditions to see the population of your red compost worms double about every 90 days.

If you cut a Worm in half will 2 worms grow?

In short no, if the cut is below the worms band or ring it will regrow a new tail but the severed tail section will not grow a new head section. That band also contains the reproductive organs of the worm.

What should you feed compost worms?

Compost worms love most raw food scraps from your kitchen, ie. carrot, potato, squash, greens, even seeds rinds peals all the produce scraps from your food. Worms can even have leftover starches like crackers, rice, bread etc.You can even feed them paper just don’t go too overboard with dry stuff.

What should you not feed compost worms?

Be careful about too much citrus, garlic and onions or extremely hot pepper products.

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