How to Raise Bigger Earthworms

Raising earthworms is a rewarding experience for young and old alike. Many people keep a worm farm to produce compost naturally. Others grow worms for sale or use as bait. Either way, larger earthworms can mean more effective earthworms. Follow a couple of guidelines to set up a worm farm and produce large, healthy earthworms.

Things You'll Need

  • Drill
  • Wood box (2 feet by 3 feet)
  • Shredded newspaper (10 pounds)
  • Garden or potting soil (1 gallon)
  • Water
  • Worms (2 lb.)
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Instructions

    • 1

      Organize your worm box. Use a wooden box to provide a secure, transportable enclosed environment. Drill five to 10 holes along the base of the sides of the box for circulation within the box. Place the box in the garage or basement, where you'll have easy access to it.

    • 2

      Fill the box halfway up with shredded newspaper. Use only the black and white section of the paper, as colored ink may harm the worms. Fill the box the rest of the way with garden or potting soil to give worms edible grit (this helps their digestion). Mix up the newspaper and the soil, then pour water over the mixture to moisten it. Allow your mixture to settle for 24 hours before you add worms.

    • 3

      Purchase up to two pounds of earthworms at a bait shop to stock your worm farm. Drop them into the bedding you've built and allow them to dig into the soil. Feed the worms with kitchen scraps every day. Fold the scraps into the bedding and allow the worms to eat on their own time.

    • 4

      Wet the bedding once a week to maintain moisture. Earthworms breathe through their skin, and they can breathe only if there is enough moisture in their environment. Maintain good air circulation and temperatures of 70 to 80 degrees around the worm box.

    • 5

      Clean the bedding of your worm box every three months. Separate the worms from the bedding and dump it into your garden as fertilizer. Replace the bedding and then replace the worms. Harvest worms that are large enough, or put them back for continued growth. Worm size does not depend on how much they eat, but on how old they are. Leave worms to become larger with time if you want to grow larger earthworms.