Care and Keeping of Red Wigglers

Red wigglers are a useful little critter. Not only do they eat your kitchen scraps but they make terrific fish food. For example oscars, tilapia and and lots of other cichlids devour these when they are allowed to float down in the water column.

But, how do you keep them? I've seen these kept in everything from a styrofoam box to high tech worm apartments consisting of removable trays.


Here's what you need to grow red wigglers at home and culture your own vermiposter.
1) Start with the fruit fly traps. Fruit flies are the main reason people quit growing worms so we'd best address them first off. 2L pop bottles (plastic soda bottles for our American friends) are excellent for this. Cut the top off the bottle just where it widens out . Flip the top upside down and replace in the top of the open bottle. You now have a fruit fly trap. It works on the same process as a lobster trap. Stupid fruit flies get in...but can't find the way out. Tape around the top edge of the trap to seal it. Pour in 1/4 cup of some fruit vinegar and you've got your fruit flies under control. I build two of these for each container of worms.

2) Get a large plastic container (the size depends on your space availability) with a lid and a second lid for a tray on the bottom. Compost makes lots of juice that you don't want dribbling on your floor so make sure the base will have some holding ability.
Drill several 1/4" drain holes in the bottom of the container and cover these holes with landscaping fabric. Old panty hoes fabric works just as well. This fabric may be glued down with silicone or hot glue or just left to sit.

3) Add compost and worms. Torn strips of newspaper can be added to different layers of your compost. Some people claim this minimizes the fruit flies (really....traps minimize the fruit flies!) Worms like soft clean kitchen scraps. Don't add citrus, egg shells, or bananas (they carry fruit flies like crazy!). Potato peelings, watermelon rind, apple and pear cores etc. are perfect. If you're lucky you'll find that you get a tiny white worm too. These are great for feeding baby fish...that's another story!

4) Be patient. Worms take a bit of time to get comfortable. Check you compost occasionally. It should be a wet mushy mass, not too dry, and yet not pooling juices either. Use a turkey baster to such the juice out of the base and water your house plants with it. (My wife loves it when I use the turkey baster! She even bought me my very own! Not really sure why!)