Worm Bedding Changes Can Create Problems

Find answers to worm growing problems:  "Worm Farm Manual"

Worm Bed Questions:

A fellow in Michigan sent in an email question today concerning his worm bed.  He grows worms for his fishing needs in a tote in the ground.  Apparently, he had grown worms  successfully for three years, but decided he needed more fishing worms for family members.  

He built a 3 feet x 2 feet x 2 feet concrete block bed with a plywood lid, and relocated his 300-400 worms to the new bed.  From what I gathered from his email:

• He added peat moss to the bedding (not sure what bedding he had been using)
• Fed his worms a melon rind each week
• The weather heated up to the 80's
• The bedding became warm
• His worms disappeared

What Went Wrong With The Worm Bed

There are some things I don't know about the new worm bed, but from the information I do have, there are several reasons for worms to disappear.

1. If the peat moss was added straight to the worm bed without first moistening it and letting it sit for 24-36 hours, the ph would be too high and the worms could either crawl away or die.
2. If the new worm bed was placed in the sun and the temperatures went up, the bedding would become too warm and the worms could, again, either crawl away or die.
3. If the bedding became too wet, the worms could, you guessed it, crawl away or die.
4. If the bedding became too dry (the heat), say it with me now, "the worms could either crawl away or die".
5. If the worms weren't getting enough food (a water melon rind per week isn't enough for worm production), the worms could, (this is sounding like a broken record, but), crawl away or die.
6. If there was no light placed above the new bed once the worms were relocated, the worms could (one last time) crawl away and (likely) die.

Thanks for the email, Worm Grower in Michigan, and good luck.  If you have any worm growing questions or problems, email them or post in the comments section below.

Worm Growing How-To's

Minimize your losses and  never suffer your own "worm nightmare".  Learn to successfully grow big fat fishing worms by getting all the information you need so your worms never crawl away or die:

Worm Farm Manual: Step-By-Step Guide to Growing Earthworms.

European Nightcrawlers: Start growing the best fishing worm.