Quart Jar Worm Farm
Solid Waste Management Program fact sheet | 07/2018 |
Division of Environmental Quality Director: Ed Galbraith | PUB2188 |
Along with recycling food wastes, worms play the important role of moving and mixing soil. Worm burrows help make
the soil looser. The burrows also let air into the soil. Plant
roots and animals that live in the soil use the air. The
burrows also allow rain water to drain into the soil. Plants
use this water to live and grow. You can make a simple
worm farm to see how worms move and mix soil. Below
are a list of materials and simple directions.
Materials
Glass jar (quart size or larger), soil, sand, worms, hammer
and large nail, dark cloth and
uncooked oatmeal.
Directions
Put a one-inch layer of moist soil into the glass jar. Sprinkle about a teaspoon of oatmeal on top of the soil. Add a oneinch layer of moist sand. Continue this sequence until there is about 2 inches of open space left in the jar with the last layer being soil. Place about 20 worms in the jar.
Don’t add any uncooked oatmeal on the final layer of soil. Punch holes in lid of jar with hammer and nail. Don’t punch holes into the lid when it is on the jar! Cover the jar with the dark cloth. Place the worm farm somewhere that is not in direct sunlight. After a week, remove the dark cloth and observe how the worms have mixed the soil and sand in their search for food.
Keep your worms happy
Always keep your worms cool and moist. Be careful not to make the soil too wet, or your worms may drown. Every six weeks or so, add a small amount of oatmeal for your worms to eat.
For more information
Missouri Department of Natural Resources
Solid Waste Management Program
P.O. Box 176
Jefferson City, MO 65102
573-751-5401
dnr.mo.gov/env/swmp