Shoebox Worm Kit for Kids

Now Available! 

$50 Per Kit

Reminder

Worm castings are worm excrement. While castings enrich our soil we must always be mindful that they carry germs. Please supervise your children when they are working their worm bins. I have included a nail brush just in case they forget to put on their gloves. But try to get kids to keep themselves and their worm bin surroundings as clean as possible.

INSTRUCTIONS

You will learn what you need to know in the book included in your kit. The Wonderful, Wacky World of Red Wiggler Worms

Bedding: Paper shred with fine cut straw. @50% carbon, 50% nitrates. Fill the bin with bedding material from each bag. Mix together, then add warm water a little at a time, mixing constantly. Then let sit for a while to assure complete absorption.

Moisture:  Bedding should be moist like a damp sponge. When squeezed it should be moist enough to stick together but not drippy. If too wet add some shredded paper, napkins, paper towels etc, even toilet paper rolls to absorb excess moisture. If it's too dry, spray some water on it. There should never be puddles of water in the bin or dry spots.

Temperature: Before adding worms be sure the bedding temperature is around the same as the ambient (room temperature) temperature. Danger temps are 50 and below and 90 and above. Around 70 is perfect.

Adding worms: Carefully add worms to the bin by turning the worm cup over in the bin. The worms will quickly disappear down into the bin because their skin is very sensitive to light. Let the worms get settled into their new home and get rehydrated for a day or so. It has been a stressful day.If youwant to take a picture of them do it quickly before they disappear. Then leave them alone. Give them a day or two to get settled.

Feeding: DON’T OVERFEED. Worms like most fruits, and vegetables but they do NOT like onions, citrus, tomatoes and especially milk or meat products. It’s best to freeze or microwave food scraps to break it down faster making it easier for worms to eat. Be sure it is room temperature before giving it to the worms.They like to eat near the surface so make a shallow trench on one end of the bin for food. Once every 2 weeks or so sprinkle @ ¼ spoonful of dolomite to balance ph level and add grit. Also add ¼ spoonful of azomite. This adds calcium and grit.

Aeration: It is important to aerate your bin at least once a week. This simply means moving the bedding around to allow oxygen into your bin. With gloves on, gently dig through the bedding and “fluff” the bedding with your fingers. If you feel a clump of bedding just work it apart with your fingers. If this is not done and you have a lot of clumps your bin will become anaerobic meaning it isn’t getting enough oxygen. This can make your bin smell bad and eventually kill your worms. Generally, if you “feed and fluff” once or twice a week your worms will be very happy. Also, be sure the drilled holes in your bin do not get obstructed. They are there to allow oxygen in and keep most bugs out.

The lid: Using the lid is your choice and your parents. Generally speaking, happy worms will not try to run. But it is best to leave the lid on for the first few days to be sure they are settled. If you want to keep the lid off, the bedding will dry out. Keep a moistened piece of newspaper or shoppers fliers on top with a piece of plastic on top of that to keep the moisture in. If you keep your lid on, put a dry piece of newspaper on the top to keep condensation from making the bed too wet.The only time you will want your bin to dry out is when you are ready to harvest

Harvesting:  You will know it is time to harvest when all, or most of your bedding has become beautiful dark brown or black castings. When you see this happening it is time to open your bin and let it dry out. Stop feeding the worms. They will not starve, but will finish up any little scraps of bedding that are left. When ready to harvest, put a little bit of food in one end of the bin and cover the food for a couple of days. This will make most of the worms migrate to that end so you can harvest the castings from the rest ofthe bin. It is best to have your castings dry before you try to sift. Put a small handful of castings into your sifter and shake the castings into a large bin or over a newspaper. Anything that is not castings will stay in your sifter as well as any worms who did not migrate. Simply pick up the worm and put him back with his buddies in the bin. Discard the rest.We call these overs. Sifting can be messy as the castings will fly. You can decide what you want to do with your castings. Talk that over with your parents. You can keep them for later, use in your garden or make worm tea for houseplants. If you want to keep your worm farm going you will just start the process again. If you do, be sure to have a new bed ready for your worms after being sifted. As you put your worms into a fresh bin you may want to count them. You started with 100 and that included a few breeders so your herd may have increased by a few. When you get to @ 150 worms you will need to move into a bigger bin.

What to look for in the bin as you progress and especially when you harvest: Wisps or babies and cocoons

Worming not for you? 

If you decide you no longer want to work your worm farm it can simply be put in your garden (with parent’s permission) The worms will find food, aerate your soil and fertilize it with their castings. If you want to return it I will happily accept it. However, no refunds. 

Most important: Enjoy the experience. Don’t let it stress you or your parents. The care is pretty simple and the worms are not demanding. Basically, just use care and common sense. I have included my book, “The Wonderful, Wacky World of Red Wiggler Worms” in your kit. I hope you enjoy sharing this book with your family as there is information for all ages in it. If you have questions that still need answering after reading the book,please don’t hesitate to email me at www.suziod1@gmail.com or text me. (Please no calls.) I will do my best to address any issues you may have.

Please feel free to print these directions if that is easier for you.

Happy worming!

Mrs. O’Donnell