Make a Wormery

Make a wormery and get a closer look at what happens beneath the soil in your garden! The glass acts as a window into the world of worms.

You will need:

A jam jar
Sand
Soil
A piece of old pantyhose
Three rubber bands
Worm Food (leaves, grass cuttings, potato peelings)
A strip of thick black/brown paper

What to do

Fill the jar with layers of damp sand and soil. Try not to mix the layers or get them too wet.

Place some worm food on top of the top layer.

Find 3-4 worms and put them into the jar. Do not put in more than 4 or your wormery will be overcrowded.

Worms like damp, dark places. Wrap the strip of paper around the jar and hold it in place with 2 rubber bands.

Use the other rubber band to secure the panty hose over the top of the jar.

Put your wormery in a cool, dark place.

Check your wormery every day to ensure that the soil is still damp and the food is still fresh. Clear away any and replace any food that is going bad. If the soil has dried out, sprinkle water on it to make it nice and damp again.

After about a week, take the paper off the jar to see what has happened. Look to see if the layers of soil and sand have changed. Can you see any worm tunnels? Always put the paper back on the jar once you have finished looking.

After a few weeks, return your worms to the place in your garden where you found them.