About Eco Worm Farms
Find out what makes us special, and learn some interesting facts from Professor Worm :)
About Eco Worm Farms...
Eco Worm Farms has been operating for 17 years, and is the brainchild of Esther, a horticulturalist by profession.
Esther and her team pride themselves on their excellent after-sales service, and are always willing to help anyone with their worm farms. Esther's extremely passionate about her worms- they're like an extension of the family household!
Esther has a wide and varied range of clientele all over South Africa. Her passion for and knowledge of vermiculture shines, and is something she delights to share with all who are interested in learning more. But she is definitely not all talk! Just pay a visit to her home office and you will see the evidence of the work she and her worms put into her garden- vibrant flowers, fragrant roses, crisp veggies, succulent fruits... its a gardener's dream (See photo below)!
Today's society is far more conscious of protecting our earth. Having a worm farm is an ideal way to do your part in caring for the environment, since worms are Artistes when it comes to recycling.
Worm farms are suitable for all ages, young and old alike, as a family hobby, science project, or just a way to decrease waste and help the environment. And you're guaranteed to find the results to be very gratifying.
Esther Bourke-Wright
"The worms bring me endless joy, and will do the same for you and your family!"
ecowormfarmsontv.mp4
Our Team
Esther
Owner, Vermiculturist & Horticulturist
Michette
Assistant in Worm Care & Sales
Prof. Worm
The Star of EcoWorm Farms
Now for some interesting worm facts!
About our Worms...
The Red Wriggler (Eisenia Fetida) is a reddish-pink coloured compost worm which turns our kitchen waste into "gold dust" while eating up to 95% of organic food waste. They are native to Europe, but have spread throughout the globe by various means.
The Wriggler is quite resilient, can live for up to 4 years and produces 2 to 3 cocoons full of offspring per week! But while these worms are hermaphrodites (having both male and female reproductive organs), they still require a partner to produce offspring.
Two worms can potentially make 192 worms within 6 months! The length of time it takes for the baby worms inside the cocoon to mature and “hatch” out, and the number of young in each cocoon, depend on environmental conditions, but this usually takes up to 3 weeks.
They do not survive in the open, hence the concept of a "worm farm" - an enclosure used to house, control, and care for their well being. With a nice worm farm to call home, these little guys are very easy to take care of.
As worms breath through their skin, it's very important that they be kept moist and cool. If they dry out they will suffocate - and no one wants that!
Some of the worms' favourite foods are pumpkin, butternut, and mango, because these soft foods are easily slurped up. And of course a dose of good old filter coffee grinds is a great way to boost their metabolism. Make sure to chop up other food very finely as worms don't have teeth to chew with! You can read a list of the worms' likes and dislikes here
The Red Wriggler was first noticed by Charles Darwin in about 1832 and only in more recent years have been afforded the respect they so richly deserve. They are now widely known as the world's best composters!
Did you know? The longest earthworm was found in King Williams Town in 1967 which measure 7 meters long!
You can purchase Compost Worms from Eco Worm Farms! Click here for pricing.
"Sometimes I am even rewarded by witnessing a worm 'giving birth' to a cocoon, which not many people have seen!"
Worm Cocoon.mp4Watch this footage of a worm cocoon!
About VermiCompost...
Save on time, labour, and cost!
Vermicomposting is similar to normal composting, but with one very special difference: the worms are helping speed up the decomposition process of organic plant waste. The worms also produce "castings" (poo) which make up a large percent of the final product.
The resulting mixture is a pH-neutral soil amendment which is loaded with nutrients for your plants. And since Vermicompost has an extremely high humus concentration it acts like a sponge by absorbing and retaining water and minerals. These are then slowly released back into the plant's roots, keeping it well-hydrated and healthy.
One only needs a small amount of Vermicompost per plant. And unlike many composts and fertilisers, Vermicompost has very little to no odour :)
Any viable seed or sapling will grow and thrive in our VermiCompost! Have a jar of pickeled peppadews? Collect the seeds, dry them for a day or two, and plant them in some Vermicompost... You'll be amazed as you watch them grow!
You can purchase pure VermiCompost from Eco Worm Farms! Click here for pricing.
"Your worm farm is an investment, and if correctly looked after, will last a lifetime while paying for itself over and over."
About VermiTea...
Or "Liquid Gold" as Esther likes to call it, VermiTea is a nutrient-rich byproduct of worm castings that can be collected and used in the garden. It has a systemic action, being absorbed by the roots and circulated through your plants.
VermiTea also acts as a mild deterrent to bugs and fungi, preventing bug infestations and plant diseases like powdery mildew and black spot. But it is also gentle enough that it will not burn your plants. And that's not all- it's also totally organic!
We at Eco Worm Farms supply Vermitea stimulators to assist in getting you started, which is all part of the process and package of our worm farms. Esther will happily teach you how to make and use Vermitea.
Vermitea needs to be "recycled" throught the worm farm from 3-5 times before it is ready. You will know when it is ripe when you notice a subtle oily layer on the surface of the tea. Your tea should have no odour - if it does, tht means it has gone bad and needs to be disposed of (do not pour spoiled tea on plants).
The neat tea when diluted 1 part tea to 10 parts water and given to your plants will yield phenomenal results from your flowers and veggies. Try it and see the amazing difference for yourself!
You can purchase pure VermiTea from Eco Worm Farms! Click here for pricing.
"I delight in experimenting with the wonderful properties of Vermitea and Vermicompost, and noting the effects on seedlings and cuttings as we go!"
