We have never bought worms but we still end up with about 50/50 red worms to regular earth worms. The red worms (left) are the ones usually used for vermiculture. They are very active and voracious eaters. They prefer compost and stay near the surface and are therefore less likely to drown when the boxes get wet. They are native to Europe but pervasive on every other continent but Antarctica. I think ours have come with plants purchased from organic sources.
The earth worms (right) are slower and less voracious. They are native to North America (at least some earth worms are are and I assume ours are) and live at a deeper depth usually - in the earth rather than just compost. Seems like a good thing that there are more than one kind doing their thing a different levels.
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I understand Sepp Holzer breeds several varieties of worms for his property.
ReplyDeleteIt's the only use he has for a greenhouse, which is odd because he lives at a very high altitude.
I hear he's really weird about transplanting, though, and very good at season-extension via placement of stones and ponds.