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How to Grow Worms in Your Home

Keeping worms in your home can be interesting, educational and useful. The worms can be used to compost kitchen scraps, turning garbage into valuable fertilizer almost before your eyes. This is a great project for kids and teaches them how things are recycled in nature. Red wiggler worms are readily available from bait suppliers and are the ideal worm choice for this project.

Things You'll Need

Plastic bin with lid, minimum 8 qt.
Drill including ¼- and ¾-inch drill bits
Razor blade
Adhesive suitable for plastic surfaces
Fiberglass screen, 2-inches by 2-inches, 24
Newspaper, no colored or glossy paper
Bucket
Small amount of soil
Kitchen or garden scraps
Tray large enough to hold the bin

Instructions

- 1
  Drill 12 holes, 3/4-inches in diameter for air holes in the lid of the bin, spread evenly over the surface. Scrape the underside of the lid around each hole with the razor blade, to rough up the surface. This helps the adhesive grip better. Be careful when using the razor blade.
- 2
  Make a thin bead of glue on the underside of the lid around each of the air holes. Place a square of screen over each hole and press it firmly in place. Allow the adhesive to dry completely before using the lid.
- 3
  Turn the bin upside-down and make 12 drainage holes, 1/4-inch in size, in the bottom. Put one near each corner and space the others evenly over the area. Scrape the plastic around each hole on the inside of the bin. Apply adhesive around each hole and press a square of screen in place to cover it. Allow the adhesive to dry completely before using.
- 4
  Rip the newspaper into strips that are 1/2-inch to 1-inch wide. The width is not critical. Put the strips in a bucket of water to soak. Remove a handful and squeeze to test the moisture content. If only a few drops of water come out, the strips are just right to use for worm bedding.
- 5
  Fill the worm bin almost to the top with strips of newspaper for bedding. Don't squeeze the strips before putting them in, just pile them in loosely. Spread some soil, one or two handfuls is plenty, over the top of the bedding. This gives the worms grit to help them digest their food.
- 6
  Place 1 lb. of red wiggler worms in the bin. These worms can tolerate variable temperatures and adapt well to living in a bin. Place the bin in an area that stays about 65 degrees Fahrenheit to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep it out of the direct Sun. The worms will die if they get too hot or too cold. If the worms will be indoors, set the bin on a tray to catch any water that may leak from the bottom.
- 7
  Feed the worms about 3 ½ lbs. of kitchen and garden waste each week. Don't give them meat, grease or dairy, but any kind of plant scraps, coffee grounds or tea bags is fine. They will also eat coffee filters and tea bags.

Insects & Science