Breeding garden worms

[Oldbloke]

So, what's the secret. Worms for fishing are hard to come by where I live. I've had a couple of goes at this now but they always disappear or die. The latest way is:

20 ltr bucket
Under water tank
Hessian on top.
Mix of soil and garden compost
Fed with a mix of bran, whole meal flour and corn flakes.

After 3 weeks only 2 left of the 12 or so healthy hard won garden worms.

What's the secret?

Not interested in breeding tiger/compost worms. Please don't post just what you have seen on the www. Only if you have had experience yourself.

[on_one_wheel]

My mother had a worm farm, she discovered that heat is a big killer.

I know that worms like moisture content to be just right too.

[bigpete]

You may possibly be over feeding them

[Oldbloke]

My mother had a worm farm, she discovered that heat is a big killer.

I know that worms like moisture content to be just right too.

Don't think I'm over feeding or over heating them Pete. But moisture might be an issue.

Any one know about that?

[JDM9691]

Reviving an old thread I know, but have some experience here if anyone still needs the answers!

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For a few years now we've had garden worms living and thriving in captivity. They're kept in an old styrafoam vegetable box, which has a few holes cut in the bottom for drainage, with some fly mesh and cloth over the holes to keep the dirt in. Probably 1/3 full of dirt. The lid has a good sealed fit except for a couple 20c size holes in the top for air, and some fly screen stapled over them to keep the insects out. The foam insulates and helps keep the temp stable. It sits on another foam box, which collects the liquid that falls through. Every so often I lift the top box off and put the liquid in a drum to use on the garden later.

These are just garden worms. We didn't have chooks for a while, so this was a way of getting rid of some kitchen scraps. Every few days they get given something, but they don't need a lot, and are happy to live on a few bannana skins a week. Put the scraps on the dirt surface, and cover with some newspaper or egg cartons for more insulation (and light protection), then give it all a sprinkle with the watering can and put the lid back on. Eventually they eat the newspaper as well, so keep replacing that, as they don't like coming to the surface to feed if there is heaps of light.

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Pretty easy to look after. I keep the box in the shade under the verhanda - no problem getting through 45C summers. Just keep them fed (once or twice a week is fine), keep the soil damp, and keep them covered. I was told not to feed them citrus scraps as they're not keen on acidic stuff, but they eat most things.
My son did try these for fishing, but being so thin, they're a bit of a mission to put on a hook. I'm sure you could find a fatter breed somewhere if needed.