Worm bed

[sprewett]

For those of you who have worm beds I got a question. How do you get rid of ants without killing the worms in your bed. The worms are doing AWESOME got me a can of em today to go to the grocery store/river but The worms only stay on one side I assume because of the ants and I always get bitten when I am tending to em. I feed em instant potatoes flakes.

 

[ucfireman]

I have read that ant killer doesn't harm worms.
Don't know, never tried when I had my worm beds.
I kept mine in the shade and pretty moist, ants really didn't get in too bad, I would move the beds periodically too. And would mix them up a couple times a week when I put fresh food in.

 

[Stob]

Back when I was a kid, Dad had one that I tended to. He got an old burned up small deep freezer and put it up on four center blocks and always sprayed around it. Kept the lid closed with a stick stuck in between the lid and frame and under the lean to with the boat and tractor.

We fed them dog food. Would take a couple of cups and mush up with water to make a paste and then dig a trench, bury and cover up. I cant remember how often we fed them but it wasn't much. We supplied pretty much everyone that we knew with worms forever.

Only problem that we ever had was too many.

 

[livinoutdoors]

Might be too dry in there. Ants will move into compost when its too dry. I bet its the same for your worm bed. Try addin a little moisture in steps.

 

[bfriendly]

Mashed potatoes? I would just give them leaves maybe, but I don’t know how to manage a worm bed. What I do know is that On a small section of my driveway, I let the leaves pile up. The worms seem to eat the leaves and make some real nice black dirt. Compost?

 

[panfishvinnie]

For those of you who have worm beds I got a question. How do you get rid of ants without killing the worms in your bed. The worms are doing AWESOME got me a can of em today to go to the grocery store/river but The worms only stay on one side I assume because of the ants and I always get bitten when I am tending to em. I feed em instant potatoes flakes.

I have used ant and bug killer when I would get fruit flies in my worm bed. The old man that taught me how to raise worms told me to use it and it wouldn't hurt the worms a bit. I did, and my worms were just fine. I fed mine vegetable scraps, and pellet rabbit food soaked in water.

 

[sprewett]

Mashed potatoes? I would just give them leaves maybe, but I don’t know how to manage a worm bed. What I do know is that On a small section of my driveway, I let the leaves pile up. The worms seem to eat the leaves and make some real nice black dirt. Compost?

Well glad something likes to eat the instant taters sure ain't for human consumption. Haha

 

[sprewett]

Thanks men for your recommendations. I did put poison on the ants. I believe the winning thing is moisture. One side of my box has a good bit of moisture all the worms stay on that side. I will begin misting it when I water my garden. But I am ecstatic yesterday check it. It is heaping with worms!!!! Bigs ones, small ones, and in between ones!

 

[fishfryer]

Thanks men for your recommendations. I did put poison on the ants. I believe the winning thing is moisture. One side of my box has a good bit of moisture all the worms stay on that side. I will begin misting it when I water my garden. But I am ecstatic yesterday check it. It is heaping with worms!!!! Bigs ones, small ones, and in between ones!

Put some nanner peels in on top and see all the little ones eat them up

 

[sprewett]

Put some nanner peels in on top and see all the little ones eat them up

Will do!

 

[JROESEL]

Ok gentleman, not trying to hijack, but my 6&8 year old would eat this up, what do you use for the bed and does it have to stay at a certain temperature??

 

[antharper]

Ok gentleman, not trying to hijack, but my 6&8 year old would eat this up, what do you use for the bed and does it have to stay at a certain temperature??

My dad use to have one that was an old bathtub . He just kept it in the shade

 

[oldfella1962]

Well glad something likes to eat the instant taters sure ain't for human consumption. Haha

Really? I love instant potatoes. Maybe I got used to them in the military or something.

 

[sprewett]

@JROESEL I used extra wood I had 2x8s built a square. I put cardboard down followed by a bit of mulch hay wet it so it would begin to rot. Then, there is a place up the road from me Blankenship sand that dredges the Etowah river and they have piles of nutrient rich too soil. I filled the bed the remainder of the way with it. Last season after every fishing trip with red wigglers I would put my left overs in the bed. I do put the potatoes flakes on there and I put some banana pills on there as suggested earlier in the thread and it is teeming with worms. I went with red wigglers because they aren't as app to dig out as nightcrawlers would be. I will tell ya those little red wigglers will grow up big though. They are as fat as nightcrawlers just not as long. Hope this helps. This was my cheap way to create free bait for fishing.

 

[bfriendly]

My dad use to have one that was an old bathtub . He just kept it in the shade

Ok so I’ve heard this, but if it’s enclosed you have to add worms to get it started right?(like adding leftover red wrigglers). Isn’t there a way to just attract and keep them in an area, naturally?

 

[Shrimpngrits]

Isn’t there a way to just attract and keep them in an area, naturally?

Look for an oak in a bottom, throw your leftovers out on the north side of the trunk. Put some big rocks around if there’s not any; they’ll never leave. Then fiddle ‘em up when you’re ready to fish.

 

[bfriendly]

Look for an oak in a bottom, throw your leftovers out on the north side of the trunk. Put some big rocks around if there’s not any; they’ll never leave. Then fiddle ‘em up when you’re ready to fish.

I’m gonna try fiddlin some next to my driveway….I know they are there! I think I have that oak in my backyard too!

 

[sprewett]

The worm bed did well last year until the hottest months came. I had too much direct sunlight so I assume the soil became too hot and inhospitable. The worms left despite regular feeding and watering.
My plan this year is to move it to a more shaded spot bury and old metal box of some kind to keep em.

 

[Redbow]

Not trying to hijack this thread I have known many folks in the past who had worm beds. I raised mealworms for a while they are easy to raise and are a great bait for flatfish. You can raise mealworms in a 5 gallon bucket.

 

[sprewett]

Not trying to hijack this thread I have known many folks in the past who had worm beds. I raised mealworms for a while they are easy to raise and are a great bait for flatfish. You can raise mealworms in a 5 gallon bucket.

Your not hijacking it brother. I am glad for all recommendations. Anytime I get to good for advice or constructive criticism I need a reality check.