If starting with two breeder beds, the crop will be ready for harvesting in about five months and continuing thereafter with proper care. Nightcrawlers are difficult to impossible to raise in homemade containers. Most resort to picking these worms from lawns, gardens and orchards for storing and future use. Worms live 10 to 15 years. Feeding Worms must be fed periodically to maintain production.
Feed is added at the rate of one pound for each cubic foot of rearing space per month.
Feeding once or twice each week is sufficient as uneaten food will contaminate the bed. Wetting the soil whenever food is added usually provides sufficient moisture. A good place for the worms is a house basement. Be sure to have a thermometer. Heat may be provided by stringing a light bulb inside the cover, carefully avoiding any fire hazard.