How To

How to Raise Fishing Worms

Contributor
By eHow Contributing Writer
(62 Ratings)

Vermiculture is a good way for kids to make a little spending money. It takes about six months to grow worms to fishing size.

Difficulty: Moderate
Instructions

Things You'll Need:

  1. Step 1

    Purchase about 100 Red Wigglers worms for breeder stock. These are top feeders and won't burrow in the soil like garden worms.

  2. Step 2

    Find a watertight container - an old bathtub, a metal drum cut in half or a plastic storage container.

  3. Step 3

    Fill the watertight container with soil (4 to 8 inches deep), depending on the container's size.

  4. Step 4

    Mix in an inch or so of organic matter, such as leaves or rotten straw.

  5. Step 5

    Mix 1 lb. cornmeal and 1/2 lb. vegetable shortening into the top 2 to 3 inches of soil.

  6. Step 6

    Add worms.

  7. Step 7

    Cover the tub with damp burlap or board planks.

  8. Step 8

    Add another dose of the cornmeal/shortening mixture in one month and then every two weeks. Add about 1 qt. of water while feeding.

  9. Step 9

    Keep the worm bed cool and moist in the summer; it's best to place it in the shade.

Tips & Warnings
  • A tub 2 feet in diameter and 10 inches deep will give you about 3000 to 5000 worms in a year. When you harvest for bait, be sure to leave some worms for breeding stock.
  • Don't feed worms meat scraps or bones.

Comments  

mommyhen42 said

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on 2/11/2009 I never tried shortning as I have always been warned away from fats and grease for worms, I feed mine rabbit manure and veggie scraps after the phoenix worms have eaten them first.

Anonymous

Anonymous said

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on 4/16/2007 You can feed them citrus scraps. Do so sparingly, and balance with a base, like egg shells or ash. No meats, but paper and veggie scraps are fine.

Anonymous

Anonymous said

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on 11/22/2005 You can not feed onions or citrus scraps to the worms.

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