How to Make an Observation Worm Farm
You can make an observation worm farm to show children exactly how useful worms are for composting. You need to use a container that is narrow enough to force the worms to show you their underground environment. Any container that is too wide will allow the worms to hide from the light. Worms are easy to keep for a short time and need little care. This project should take between three to six weeks to allow children enough time to observe the different stages of composting.
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Things You'll Need
- Aquarium
- Plexiglas sheet to divide the aquarium
- Duct tape
- Worms
- Leaves
- Vegetable matter
- Water
- Soil
Instructions
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1
Modify your aquarium by placing the Plexiglas sheet in the aquarium, so your worm farm is about 3 inches wide. Duct tape the sheet in place if needed.
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2
Fill the farm with soil. The best type of soil to choose is from a healthy garden, preferably one rich with worms. Make sure soil is moist, but not saturated in water.
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3
Add worms. You can buy worms, dig them out of compost or harvest them from your garden. Red wigglers are the worms used in indoor compost bins. Garden earthworms are not used to living in small places. You will have to return these worms to their garden after use.
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4
Add a thin layer of leaves and vegetable matter to the top of the soil. Monitor the farm to make sure the worms have enough water. The soil should be moist, but not too wet.
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5
Return worms to outdoor garden after you finish your observation. If you have purchased red wigglers, return to an indoor compost bin.
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