Where to buy composting worms
Some links on this page are Amazon affiliate links. If you buy through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I do not sell worms myself.
Live composting worms are easy to find online. The hard part is finding a supplier who ships healthy worms quickly, in the right species and count. After nearly 30 years of worm farming, here’s my advice before you order.
Which worms to buy
- Red wigglers (Eisenia fetida) are the best choice for most home bins. They’re hardy, eat a lot and breed fast.
- Eisenia andrei is a close relative that’s often sold mixed with red wigglers. That’s fine.
- Don’t use garden earthworms or nightcrawlers for a bin. They live deep in soil and won’t thrive in compost.
How many worms to start with
A starter pack of about 250 worms is enough for a small household bin. The worms multiply, so if you treat them well you’ll probably never have to buy worms again. If you produce a lot of kitchen scraps, or you’re impatient, start with about 500–1,000.
Temperature check: compost worms cope with roughly 5–29 °C (41–84.2 °F), and do best at 15–25 °C (59–77 °F). Order when the weather lets the parcel arrive within that range, and get your bin ready before the worms arrive.
A supplier with a long review record
Before you order, read the customer reviews. A seller who has been reviewed hundreds of times over many years and still scores well must be doing something right.
Uncle Jim’s Worm Farm 250 Count Red Wiggler Composting Worms on Amazon
Plan your bin before the worms arrive
- Use the free worm farm planner to size your bin and work out how many worms you need.
- Get the free worm farming starter checklist.
Happy worming!
Stephan Kloppert
