Worms have a vital role in our gardens, as they drag dead leaves and plants underground, eat them, and then recycle the nutrients back into the soil, keeping it moist and healthy.
Making your own wormery is a brilliant way to see first-hand how worms get to work beneath the surface and it's a fun task to do if you have any youngsters in the family. Even better, most of the items can be found right in your garden!
Here’s a quick and easy tutorial from the Woodland Trust so you can give it a go.
You will need:
A big, clean jar or bottle with a large opening
Sand
Damp soil
Dead leaves
A scrap of fabric
An elastic band
Some black paper
And some wriggly worms!
Top tip: The best time to hunt about for worms is after it’s rained, as they will come above the ground. Only pick worms that are fully above the soil, don’t pull them out of the ground.
Method
- Pop a thin layer of sand into the bottom of your jar, then cover this with a thick layer of soil. Repeat this until your jar is three quarters full.
- Place a handful of dead leaves on top of the soil.
- Add your worms!
- Make small air holes in the fabric. Cover the opening and secure it with an elastic band.
- Wrap some black paper around your jar. Remember, worms live underground so they prefer the dark.
- Keep your wormery in a cool, dark, safe place, like a cupboard. In a few days you'll then be able to see where the worms have channeled down into the soil.
- Make sure that you keep it damp and remember to safely release your worms back afterwards in order for them to survive and thrive.