How Can I Raise Earthworms This Winter?

Use a plastic tote as a bin for the worms. The size recommended by Mary Appelhof, author of "Worms Can Eat My Garbage" is 1 foot high, 2 feet deep and 3 feet wide.

Find a suitable location for the bin such as a garage, unused closet or basement. The temperature of the bin location should average between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Relocate the bin to a warmer area in the winter or make sure the location is heated if there is a possibility of temperatures falling below 40 degrees.

Find an appropriate bedding for the bin. Shredded newspaper or peat moss are two possibilities. Place the bedding in the bin and add 1 gallon of garden soil. Add enough water to the bin to make it moist. Don't add too much water or you will create soggy bedding.

Obtain your earthworms and put them in the bin. About 2 pounds of worms should suffice for home use. Place them in the bin on top of the bedding.

Feed the worms about twice a week. Kitchen waste, such as potato peels, crushed egg shells, and coffee grounds all make good worm food. Make sure whatever you food you use is moist. Feed the worms less food than normal if the temperature at the bin location falls below 50 degrees in the winter. Cold weather reduces the worm's activity, so they need less nourishment.

Replace the bedding after two months. Harvest the largest worms at this time also. Dump the contents of the bin onto a large piece of plywood in a lighted area and form the compost into a tall pile. The earthworms will move into the bottom of the pile to escape the light. Remove the top part of the pile every few minutes. Eventually you will have mostly earthworms on the plywood. Harvest the largest ones and replace the bedding of the bin. Repeat this process monthly.

Take the compost you collected and use it to improve your garden soil.