Are you new to vermicomposting or looking for the best worms for composting? You’ve come to the right place! Worm composting bins are a great way to create rich, healthy soil for your garden.
The process is simple! All you need is a worm composter bin (you could make your own DIY worm bin), worms and kitchen food scraps. The tricky part is deciding on the most suitable worms for your composting worm farming.
But not to worry, in this article I’ve put together a list of the best worms for composting. The good part is that I’ll also tell you where to buy them.
So let’s dive in!
For a complete beginners guide to vermicomposting, be sure to check out my Ultimate Guide to Worm Farming!
This article contains affiliate / compensated links. For full information, please see our disclaimer here.
5 Best Worms for Composting
1) Red Wigglers/Tiger Worms
Red wigglers, also known as tiger worms, have a ringed body that is reddish-brownish with a yellow tail. You can find red wigglers for sale in a lot of pet stores, garden centers near you, or online stores like Uncle Jim’s Worm Farm. They are the most common species used in worm farms worldwide.
In fact, as a beginner, you will love them for your first composting worm project. You can’t go wrong with red wiggler worms.
Why are Red Wigglers the most popular worm?
- Budget-friendly. Red wigglers are cheaper than night crawlers because of their availability.
- Small in size. If crawling worms give you goosebumps, you won’t encounter these guys very often in your yard.
- Hardiness. Wigglers can tolerate a wider temperature range than most worms.
Note: The smell! I won’t lie—these guys stink. I don’t mind too much because the scent alerts me when the worm bins need mixing. You could always plant a few herbs or flowers around the composting bin to offset the smell.
2) The European Nightcrawlers
Do you need a lot of compost, or do you have a large garden? The European nightcrawler might be the perfect worm for you. They are among the top converters of organic waste. They are easy to identify, as their bodies are a bluish-pinkish grey, and their tails have stripes.
Here are 3 reasons to love European Nightcrawlers:
- They consume over half their body weight daily in food, converting a large amount of organic matter into home compost.
- They breed slower than other species, so you don’t have to worry about overcrowding.
- Their smell is not as strong as the others, but still noticeable.
3) The Georgia or Alabama Jumper
The Alabama Jumper is a species that originates in Asia. It is now a common worm in many parts of North America in vermicomposting projects. They resemble the red wiggler in color but are larger than the red wiggler worm.
Fun facts about the Alabama Jumper:
- They can grow super big! Under conducive conditions, this worm can grow up to 7 inches long!
- These big guys eat a lot, producing more worm castings.
- Super fast at breaking down organic waste. You don’t have to worry about your kitchen scraps taking a long time to decompose.
- Double advantage. Jumpers are both burrowers and surface dwellers. They aerate the soil as they burrow and go to the surface to eat the waste. As a result, you have more to gain in your garden.
Caution: As the name suggests, these worms are jumpers! They can leap very high. Ensure your bin has a lid to prevent them from escaping to your garden. They can destroy the stems, leaves, and roots of other plants.
4) African Nightcrawlers
African nightcrawlers are another excellent choice for beginners. They are native to Africa but are now used worldwide as composting worms. With an unusual greyish-purple coloring, they can exceed 8 inches—more than twice as long as red worms!
What makes African night crawlers the best worms for composting?
- Enormous appetite. These worms love to eat, resulting in large amounts of worms casting – an excellent addition to any compost pile.
- Hardiness. African night crawlers have an impressive lifespan if well cared for.
- Fast growth and reproduction. Under the best conditions, they can mature in just one month!
Be warned: These worms can get pretty big! If you can’t care for a worm this long, skip these guys.
5) Indian or Malaysian Blue Worms
The Malaysian blue worm has a distinctive blue color when held up against the light. They originate from Asian countries. A lot of vermicomposters believe blue worms are the best composting worm for sale.
Why might Malaysian Blue Worms be the best composting worm for you?
- They’re small and perfect for a small worm bin if you have limited space. But the size does not match its ravenous appetite! These tiny worms can eat as much as red wigglers, producing many worm castings.
- Tolerance to cold temperatures. They can survive temperatures down to 45 F. You don’t have to worry about their survivability.
- Faster reproduction and maturity. Within a week, your bin can brim with blue worm cocoons, each of which might hatch to reveal a single young worm. That’s how fast these worms can multiply!
How to Choose the Best Worms for Composting
Now that we’ve covered the different worms and some of their pros and cons, it’s time for you to decide on the best spieces for your worm compost bins.
Before buying compost worms, be aware of the following factors:
Space Availability
The size of your worm composter will determine the type of worm you choose.
Did I mention that African nightcrawlers can get enormous and create a lot of compost materials? Great for large worm bins but not if you have small indoor worm composters.
Climate Conditions
Worms have different temperature needs. Ensure that your region’s average temperature falls within the worm survivability range. They need to stay alive, right?
The African worms do well in warm climates, while the blue worms do not. Blue worms prefer cold regions.
The Behavior of the Worm
Each type of worm has a different adapted lifestyle. For example, the jumper worm can squirm violently and leap from your hand. These worms are also invasive to other plants. If you don’t have a closed bin, don’t opt for this one. You don’t want them to eat your other garden plants!
Soil Conditions
The type of soil you have in your garden will determine the type of worm you will keep. Some worms thrive in light, sandy soil, while others thrive in dense, clay-like soil. For example, the jumper thrives well in dense clay-packed soil because they are super strong to burrow through it.
Can Any Earthworm Be Used for Vermicomposting?
You can’t just use any earthworm for your composting-related projects. Not all worms you see in your garden are best for worm farming. There are three categories of worms: anecic, endogeic, and epigeic worms. Each type of worms has different behaviors and habitats.
Let’s look at this more closely.
Anecic Worms
Anecic worms live deep in the soil and make permanent burrows. These trenches can be deep; some can go as deep as 5 meters below the ground’s surface! They come to the surface to eat but drag the food downward.
These worms are not the best choice for worm farming as composting always occurs near the surface.
Endogeic Worms
Endogeic worms live in the upper layers of soil. They dig horizontal trenches and prefer to hide and eat in the soil. They only appear on the surface after it rains. The moist soil prevents them from drying out.
Epigeic Worms.
Also known as “surface dwellers,” epigeic worms live and feed on the surface or in the top shallow layers of soil. All the worms I have talked about earlier in this article are epigenic worms. They are the best worms for worm farms!
So, the next time you start a worm composting project, remember that epigeic earthworms are your best bet.
Where to Find Composting Worms for Sale Online
It is time to buy compost worms now that you understand the different types of worms you can buy.
Finding composting worms for sale near you should be easy. First, start with your local pet store or gardening center. But if you can’t find what you’re looking for there, the internet is rife with the best worms for worm farming.
Below are a few options for online retailers where you can buy compost worms:
Wrapping Up the Best Worms for Composting
Now that you know the top 5 worms for composting and where to find red wigglers for sale along with the others, you can start your worm farming project!
Hopefully by learning about the different worms it has made your decision a lot easier.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can Red Wigglers, Indian Blues, and Night Crawlers Live Together in a Worm Bin?
The answer is yes, but not happily. These worms have different temperatures and moisture level requirements for growth and reproduction. Nightcrawlers may also try to feed on Red Wigglers or Indian blues.
What’s the Difference Between Garden Worms and Vermicomposting Worms?
Garden worms are anecic; they live and burrow deep in the soil. They come to the surface to eat then return to the soil.
Vermicomposting worms are epigeic, living close to the surface. Being on the surface enables them to turn organic materials into compost and makes harvesting worm castings possible. Examples of this type of worm are red wigglers.
Can I Use Regular Earthworms for Composting?
The answer is no. Garden earthworms don’t do so well in worm composter bins. Earthworms burrow deeper in the soil whereas worm composting worms come to the surface to compost waste.
Garden worms also don’t tolerate high compost heat like vermicomposting worms.
Are Worms Good for Compost Bins?
Yes. There are so many benefits to having worms in your compost bin. They ingest a good deal of the waste in the bin and produce castings full of nutrients. They also aerate the pile, creating pockets of air that help bacteria break down waste.
Where Can I Get Composting Worms for Sale Near Me? Where Can I Buy Compost Worms?
You can usually buy compost worms and other urban worm farm products at your local pet store, garden center or online. Uncle Jims Worm Farm is one of the most popular places in America to buy worms online. There is also Brothers Worm Farm on Amazon.
What Worms Are Best for Soil Composting?
Red wiggler worms, also known as tiger worms, are the most popular vermicomposting worm. Almost every worm shop worldwide has a red wiggler for sale. They are cheap, hardy, and quick to reproduce. They also produce plenty of worm castings despite their small size. Creating the perfect organic fertilizer!
Can Red Wigglers Live in the Garden?
It is not advisable. Red wigglers are better suited to living in worm farms but they can survive in the garden. Be aware that they can bite plants with tender leaves, stems, and roots if introduced into the garden.
About the Author
Elle Reed is a passionate gardener and advocate for teaching beginner gardeners how to grow their own food. Elle’s mission is to inspire and empower people to get back to basics, grow their own produce, and embrace a sustainable lifestyle. “Whether it’s a few herb pots in an apartment, a potager or a full garden plot, we can all ‘start somewhere’ to grow our own food, and in doing so, provide healthier food for ourselves and those we love”.