How many Red wigglers do I need?
It is difficult to determine the exact figure of red wigglers that would be ideal for a composting bin for many small land owners.The setup costs and maintenance for an operation with 1-2 worm beds should be minimal.Family labor is enough for this kind of operation if there are enough materials for building the worm beds and feeding the worms.
The amount of food waste a person has access to affects the number of worms needed to start a worm composting bin.Compost worms consume 25%- 35% of their weight every day according to reports.Compost worms can eat up to 100% of their body weight according to other sources.It would be reasonable to assume that about 11b of red wigglers are enough for a person to start a composting bin.The figure is based on the amount of food waste the worms would eat.
The number of worms should be at least 1 pound per square feet.A 1.5 foot by 2 foot storage bin has a surface area of 1.5 square feet.The ideal size of red wigglers should be at least 31bs.A person would need between 5 and 7 lbs of food waste every week to maintain the earthworms.
It is possible to start a bin that is smaller than what is mentioned in the guide.It's important to make sure the earthworms have enough food and that the bin is big enough.The composting worms will eventually start to regulate their population once they grow to an optimal size.A person would find it easier to expand to a larger bin with more convenience as they see fit.