Nightcrawlers--worms--like moist non-compacted soil. They also like nitrogen-based, non-acidic organic material to eat. In exchange they aerate our soil and release much-needed nutrients (called castings) that plants thrive on--and they are a wonderful bait when fishing. Raising these little marvels is easy and takes up very little space. A worm farm can be a very complex and elegant multi-storied affair or it can be a much simpler box farm. With just a little care, your nightcrawler farm can produce thousands of nightcrawlers a month for your own personal use or to give or sell to others. Follow these steps.
Instructions
1. Buy a simple plastic box approximately 7 inches deep by 9 inches wide and 14 inches long. Your box can be a different size--whatever is convenient for you. Your box should not be clear. If it is clear, cover it with newspaper to keep the light out.
2. Shred newspaper and place in plastic box. Spray the shredded newspaper (black and white pages only) with water from your spray bottle until the paper is damp, but not dripping wet.
3. Add garden soil to the box and thoroughly mix the soil and the shredded newspaper. Spray with the water bottle to moisten the soil. Do not pack it down.
4. Crush two or three cooked (not raw) eggs shells and mix them into the soil and newspaper.
5. Add red worms or tiger worms. Garden worms and true night crawlers do not do as well in a worm farm. Bait shops and many hobby store sell worms. Place the box in an out of the way place away from the light. Never set the box in direct sunlight. Keep the box at room temperature.
6. Add a few table scraps to your worm farm. Pieces of fruit and vegetables are good. Citrus fruits have too much acid and are not good. Coffee and tea also have too much acid and should not be added to your farm. Do not add salty products such as potato chips.
7. Harvest approximately half of your worm farm every month. If you continue adding crush cooked egg shell, your worms will reproduce with abandon. Approximately half to three quarters of the soil can be removed each month and used as fertilizer. Add new shredded newspaper and garden soil each month to make up for the soil you remove. Spray with water every couple of days to keep the farm moist but not soaking wet.
Tags: shredded newspaper, with water, worm farm, each month, garden soil, have much