We recently (as of June 2026) decided to stop selling bulk worms - worms sold by weight - and have instead chosen to focus on worm starter cultures. The decision was a long time in coming, and not one we took lightly, but it was 100% the right decision for us. It’s a new direction that is much more in line with our company values and the core philosophies at the heart of everything we do.
When you make a big change like this - especially when new alternative products are made available - education becomes even more important than it already is. So, you may notice that we have been zoning in on this topic quite a bit.
Our goal with this article is to clear up some of the confusion people may have about the “normal” way to buy composting worms vs this “starter culture” approach.
To provide some initial context, let’s review the Pacific Composting worm-selling timeline:
- For nearly 3 years, we sold Red Wiggler Worms by weight (what we are referring to as “bulk worms”). As a result, we were able to help a lot more Canadians move forward with worm composting projects - something we’re very happy about. We're also very proud of the level of care - along with the unique (biology-centric) approach - we brought to the table (and the incredible feedback we received let us know we were on the right track). In the end, however, we realized this approach simply wasn’t long-term-sustainable, or as in-line with our company foundation as we needed it to be.
- In early May of 2026 we stopped selling Red Wiggler Worms by weight (and stopped including them in our Worm Starter Kits). We made sure to honour outstanding bulk orders (even tossed in a few extra orders to help people out), but the transition took place very quickly.
- In mid-May we launched a brand new product called Living Material (which has been in the planning stages for quite some time, and is based on a concept we’ve been writing about since our launch). The original goal with this product was never to promote it as a starter culture. We simply saw this transition away from bulk worms as an opportunity to highlight a potential benefit of the product (and then decided to release a Plus version to take it one step further).
- We are in the process of preparing to roll-out a much more robust starter culture product (name to be announced closer to launch) - hopefully in fall of 2026. We will explain what we mean by “much more robust” further along in this article.
- On that note, let’s now look at the key topics we want to expand on here: 1) Bulk Worms, 2) Worm Starter Cultures, 3) Living Material vs Our Upcoming Starter Culture Product.
Bulk Worms
- Again, we use this term to refer to composting worms that are sold by weight (or counts) - but as we explain below, other people may use the term differently.
- These are worms that have been separated from most or all of their original habitat material and concentrated (often at the same time)...
- Then added to some form of bedding or temporary habitat material, before being shipped or handed over to the customer.
- This is by far the most common way for composting worms to be sold, and it is closely tied to the decades-old “vermicomposting 101” doctrine focused on the quantity of worms (supposedly) needed to start up a worm composting system - something we will address further along.
- While this approach does offer the convenience of providing customers with a lot more worms in a much smaller package, it is a more expensive option that can cause much more stress for the worms (especially when shipped) - potentially leading to more serious issues during shipping or early on in the start up of a new system.
NOTE: It’s important to mention that many suppliers who sell worms by weight actually use the term “bulk worms” to refer to even larger quantities of worms (than the typical ½, 1, 2 lb etc orders), so it is always important to be clear on how someone is using the term.
Worm Starter Cultures
This term, as we use it, refers to a mix of composting worms - usually containing cocoons as well - along with their habitat material and associated ecosystem. It contains worm densities much closer to “natural” levels.
The key points of distinction here (in relation to bulk worms) are:
- Worms (usually all ages) + cocoons + ecosystem
- Usually includes the rich habitat material they are already living in (not sterile bedding they are added to)
- Densities are closer to “natural” (not concentrated gobs of worms)
What you miss out on in terms of worm abundance (and maybe convenience) you make up for with a healthy population of worms, “future-population” inoculum, along with a lot more rich, living habitat material!
That said - it’s very important to note that not all worm starter cultures are created equal - so, it is always important to make sure you are buying from highly-reputable suppliers, and that you are very clear on the type of culture you are purchasing.
Which brings us to…
Living Material vs Our Upcoming Starter Culture Product
An analogy that may help you to wrap your head around these different types of starter cultures is to consider the difference between seeds and established plants.
Lots of people love buying seeds ahead of gardening season (us included…maybe a little too much 🤣). It’s inexpensive and it gets you working towards growing a garden before you put a single plant in the ground. The trade off, of course, is that you are responsible for turning those seeds into seedlings (and beyond) and, as such, you also need to be a fair bit more patient before you enjoy the fruits of your labour.
Many people (even the seed-obsessed among us) enjoy the convenience of buying some garden plants that are already established. Depending on how well-established they are, these plants are obviously going to cost you a lot more than the seeds used to grow them!
The BIG difference is that someone else took care of the ‘dirty work”, and made sure you ended up with a product that will help you hit the ground running more quickly!
You can think of Living Material (especially the standard version) as something much closer to “vermicomposting seeds”. Yep, you can simply toss it into a bin with no other composting worms and gradually work towards ending up with a well-established vermicomposting system. Patience and care is definitely needed - but the trade-off is that you get to be involved in the process of nurturing that worm population, and you are likely going to spend less money to get started!
With our upcoming starter culture product, WE are the ones taking care of that initial inoculum for several months, so that once we hand the culture over to you, there will be a much more established population of worms (and other organisms) ready to go!
The BIG Myth of Worm Composting
For decades there has been a widely circulated myth that you “need” to start a typical worm bin with a pound of worms…even as much as 1 lb of worms per sq ft of bin surface area!
Sadly, this idea has been championed by some of the biggest names in the worm world over the years, which understandably has only served to establish it even more firmly as a vermicomposting foundational “fact”.
What’s funny is that it’s actually not true at all!
Even back when we promoted and sold bulk worms in a more serious way, we always recommended that people get started with smaller quantities - such as ¼ or ½ lb - since it more closely resembles the “natural” way that composting worms establish themselves in a new, resource-rich environment.
The irony is that lower worm densities, contained in much more rich, living habitat (and associated beneficial inoculum) can serve as the ultimate new-system-kickstart that even helps you avoid some of the most common beginner hassles and headaches!
Bottom-Line…
We’re never going to slam the “bulk worms” approach or actively try to discourage people from heading in that direction (in fact, we are still very happy to support anyone starting their system that way). We simply want to offer an alternative - one that supports the health of the worms and the worm composting ecosystem as a whole, while also helping new vermicomposters avoid some of the common pitfalls associated with this quirky hobby!
Our Living Material Plus is a great option for anyone who is happy to nurture their own thriving population of composting worms over the course of a few months (don’t worry - you can still add waste materials during this time).
Our upcoming (“more robust”) starter culture product will effectively eliminate much of the “patience” requirement - while still offering all the same amazing system benefits (and then some).
As always, don’t hesitate to get in touch with ANY questions, comments or concerns you may have about any of this (or anything else)! We love hearing from you!
Other Resource to Check Out:
Living Material Resource Guide
Using Living Material as a Starter Culture
Buy Living Material