How to Keep a Worm Box

Never be without bait again. Jamie Chung

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Nursing a summer-long batch of red wigglers is as easy as hammering a few nails and remembering to save banana peels from the trash can. It’s a classic trick, no doubt. But raising your own bait means you can slip out of the house and hit the pond before Mama comes home—just like in the old days. Here’s how to keep a worm box:

Table of Contents

Make the Box

Fill the Box

Feed Your Worm Box

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Keep A Worm Box

Make the Box

Cut a sheet of CDX-grade plywood, which is made with water-resistant glues, to your dimensions. Nail it together and drill a dozen 1⁄2-inch holes in the bottom for drainage.

Fill the Box

Dig a hole in a shady spot and sink the box, leaving a few inches of freeboard. Fill it with shredded newspaper, leaves, peat moss, and soil. Moisten lightly. Cover and let sit for a week.

Feed Your Worm Box

Add a few hundred worms and feed them two times a week. Keep the bedding moist but not wet. On the menu: lettuce, fruit and vegetable waste, and the occasional nongreasy leftover. If the summer heat becomes a concern, fill a milk carton with ice and push it into the middle of the bed.

Read Next: 12 Expert Tips on How to Fish with Worms

How to Keep a Worm Box: Frequently Asked Questions

Are coffee grounds good for a worm box?

Just like veggie scraps, you can take your used coffee grounds and add them to a worm box. Worms love eating coffee grounds.

How long can worms live in a bucket of dirt

With the right conditions and moist, healthy soil, worms can live in a bucket of dirt for around three weeks. Store out of direct sunlight and keep at a temperature between 50 and 80 degrees.

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