How to Get Worms Into Your Compost
A healthy compost heap, the ultimate build-it-and-they-will-come setup for annelids, naturally attracts big, fat earthworms eager to munch on your mix of carbon- and nitrogen-rich materials. Their digestion turns it into vermicompost, which contains more minerals and nutrients than a commercial plant growth medium (see References 1, page 356).
Spread a layer of coffee grounds at the bottom of your compost heap to attract worms, recommends the Cornell Waste Management Institute (see References 2).
Lay soaked, torn cardboard in the bottom of the compost heap on top of the coffee grounds or in lieu of them. You are essentially recreating the leaf litter that epigeic or litter-dwelling worms prefer. (See References 3)
Add a small pile of manure, collapsed Halloween pumpkins, watermelon or cantaloupe rinds or stale bread to act as a worm magnet, recommends Barbara Pleasant and Deborah L. Martin in "The Complete Compost Gardening Guide" (see References 4). Molasses also attracts worms, writes "Dirt Doctor" Howard Garrett, who notes that you needn't collect worms or inoculate the pile with cocoons; the worms find the compost on their own (see References 5).
Moisten the compost heap with a spray hose. Test with a moisture meter that the moisture level reaches around 70 to 80 percent, toward the middle of the preferred 50 to 90 percent moisture range that compost worms can survive in. (See References 1, page 409)
- "Earthworm Ecology"; Clive A. Edwards; 2004
- Cornell Composting; Frequently Asked Questions About Worm Composting; Jen Fong and Paula Hewitt.
- USDA: Composting With Worms
- "The Complete Compost Gardening Guide"; Barbara Pleasant, et al.; 2008
- "Dear Dirt Doctor: Questions Answered the Natural Way"; Howard Garrett; 2003
- Avoid overloading the compost heap with "green" or nitrogen-rich materials that will heat up in the course of microbial action and scare off your worms. Limit additions of food scraps and green grass clippings. Monitor temperatures at the base of the compost heap with a long-stemmed compost thermometer and disperse or remove warm green materials before the temperature gets above 80 to 86 degrees F. (See References 1, page 409)
An award-winning writer and editor, Rogue Parrish has worked at the Washington Post, the Baltimore Sun and at newspapers from England to Alaska. This world adventurer and travel book author, who graduates summa cum laude in journalism from the University of Maryland, specializes in travel and food -- as well as sports and fitness. She's also a property manager and writes on DIY projects.