Arizona Worm Farm

08/26/2026

Yep, there is a giant worm farm in Phoenix. Want a VIP backstage tour? We have one of those coming up on September 19th (register here: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=23178578&appointmentType=25566775)

Worm farmers come here from all over the world to see our operations. You can too!

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/FfGX2EHPlT8

Worm farmers from around the country gathered in Phoenix to learn b...

08/24/2026

If you are a commercial worm farmer (or want to be), we have a conference for you! Here is a report from our second conference in 2022 and we have just got bigger and better every year.

This conference sells out every year - so if you are interested, sign up soon. We already have worm farmers coming from across the US and even some from Europe and the UK.

Registration is now open: https://wormbusinessconference.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aokMjxL5Yig

Video Summary: I attended the 2022 Worm Business Conference for cur...

08/21/2026

The biggest change for Phoenix area gardeners is a shift in tomato season. Historically, we waited until mid-February to plant tomatoes, knowing that we want them in the ground as soon as the threat of a hard frost has passed to get the longest fruiting season possible - while avoiding the devastation that a freeze brings to tomatoes. It seems clear to me that the likelihood of an extended hard freeze in the Phoenix metro area is now quite small - small enough to risk planting tomatoes now (when they will get good growth in our warm Fall) to have tomatoes all winter and spring.

This is a calculated risk. You can protect your tomato plants for a day or two. But, three or four weeks of overnight temperatures at or below freezing will wipe them out.

Unlike in prior years, we now have a full range of tomato starts available for you, and we will continue to have them available into the Spring.

Yeah, it's hot outside...but it will be tomato weather in September - maybe all the way through to May!

Here is what's available:

Tomato:
Beefsteak
Big Beef Plus
Brandywine
Black Krim
Yellow Brandywine
Celebrity
Cherokee Purple
Early Girl
Indigo Cherry
Jolene
Japanese Black Trifele
Sun Gold Cherry
Super Sweet 100 Cherry
San Marzano
Roma
Pink Berkeley Tie Dye
Red Pear
Yellow Pear
Goldie Husk Ground Cherry

Legumes:

Amethyst bush bean

Dragon’s tongue bush bean

Tepary Beans

Cowpeas

Python Long Beans

Herbs:

Basil: Genovese, Winner Amethyst, Cardinal, Holy Tulsi, Lemon, Thai

Fernleaf Lavender

Mexican Oregano

Rosemary

Sage

Peppers:

Anaheim green chili

Green Bell

Red Bell

Cayenne

Chiltepin

Hungarian Hot Wax

Jalapeño

Sweet Banana

Poblano

Tomatillos- Verde & de Milpa

Cucumber:

Armenian: Striped & Pale

Cucamelon

Greens:

Amaranth Red Leaf

Red Malabar Spinach

Flowers:

Amaranth

Celosia

Cosmos

Gomphrena

Globe Mallow

Greg’s Mist Flower

Marigold

Milkweed

Portulaca

Ipomea Sweet Potato Vine

Eggplant:

Black Beauty

Galine

Squash:

Zucchini- Black Beauty & Grey Mexican

Zephyr

Patty Pan

Luffa

Butternut

Spaghetti

Pumpkin:

Kentucky Field

Jack o’ Lantern

Spookie

Melon:

Cantaloupe: Hale’s Best & Halona

Green Honeydew

Okra:

Emerald

Red burgundy

Clemson Spineless

Trees/ Shrubs:

Moringa

Mulberry Everbearing black

Fig - Kadota & Black Mission

Pomegranate

Sugar cane

Hopseed Bush

Cacti/ Succulents:

Nopales Prickly Pear

Ice plant

Aptenia

Elephant Food

Aloe Vera

07/31/2026

Our credit card fees continue to increase. We are very happy when you shop here - and we will cheerfully take any form of payment.

But, if you bring cash or a check, we will give you a discount that is equal to the amount we have to pay. We would rather give you the money than Visa or Matercard.

07/27/2026

Coming to the Worm Farm or Shamus O'Leary's Tropical Fruit Trees this week? A new development is closing 19th Avenue for 10 days. Please use 7th Ave to Dobbins or 23rd Avenue to South Mountain Avenue.

You can get here - it is just a bit of an inconvenience.

A bit of a whine (sorry). The developer never asked, the city never asked, the road guys never reached out. They are completely closing the road for 10 days when it sure looks like absolutely no work is happening (at least today). And, they told us no work was going on over the weekend - but they won't reopen the road for our classes on Saturday. I'm not sure why their projects take priority over our businesses.

07/24/2026

We appreciate 12News letting us share some of our story!

The Arizona Worm Farm transforms waste into sustainable food and gardening products using Red Wiggler Worms, fostering community engagement with education.

07/15/2026

It is looking like we are going to have a productive monsoon season this year (for the first year in a number of years). This should be a good year to get an early jump on Fall vegetables - getting them in the ground when the humidity is really high, ground temperatures moderate a bit, and the high heat is probably mostly past.

We have starts for you: Basil, Tomatoes, Tomatillos, Peppers, Beans, and Eggplant. Plus Okra and lots of pumpkins and other Fall Squash.

Last year, the tomatoes I planted in August made it all the way to May - and the indeterminates gave us hundreds of pounds of fruit over the year. I can't predict the weather......but, this year is shaping up to be a pretty good vegetable year.

If you are putting seeds in the ground - do it now. Corn, Cucumber, Basil, Okra, Squash, Winter Squash (including pumpkin), and all the beans: Tepary Beans, Pinto Beans, Lima Beans, Pole Beans, Bush Beans can all be planted now.