anyone know if you need to feed the worms some like organic waste or something or will they be in soil alone.
Jr.
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If your soil (not a completely soilless mix) has some organic matter in it, the worm will be happy for a week or two. To ensure he/she stays in the pot, & happy - feed them. They don't mind you watering / fertilizing the pot, provided you don't use highly acidic or alkaline water / fertlilizer mix. Most people fear drowning them. They can live comletely submerged in water for up to 5 minutes. So, if your watering heavy, they will surface, and not drown.
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Here's how - Once a week, take a spoon make a small hole, 1 inch in diameter x 1/2 inch deep, place some (a teaspoon of) corn meal or alfalfa meal, in the hole, cover and wait.
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If, one week has gone by and the
food is not gone, your worm is
DEAD (adding organic matter to your soil - or dead on the floor). If the food is gone, turn the pot clockwise, repeat the feeding. Only use a teaspoon worth of meal for feeding. If you over do it, you will attract pests. You only want to give the worm, enough food to keep him/her happy. In return, your roots get highly soluble N (.1 %), aeration, and some mychorizzal fungi - which are present in the intestines of almost all earth / red worms.
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Worms eat half their body weight in organic matter each day. So, since they don't weigh much - a little will statisfy. They do not mind company - up to 10 can occuppy a small pot (1-3 gallons) without them jumping ship & looking for a new place to live. You also need a small amount of sand for them. As they use it in their guts to help grind up organic matter.
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Most people believe worms can digest any organic matter. Not true. They rely on bateria & fungi to (breakdown / soften) most of the foods they eat. If your soil (has been sterilized), the corn meal will hold them over, until they poop out enought bacteria & fungi to jump start their environment. Once this flora (bacteria & fungi) are present, they will reproduce at a very fast pace - aiding the worm & your plant in return.
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Hope this helps... Keep it Real... Organic...