There are several methods by which compost worms get into the compost pile. Some cost money or require nightly collections in rainy weather. These tips reveal two strategies for attracting compost worms for free and effortlessly.

Compost worms love coffee

Baiting compost worms with coffee grounds - instructions

Compost worms have a weakness for coffee grounds. The following recipe takes advantage of this preference to lure the coveted humus producers. The following instructions explain step by step how to successfully attract compost worms in the garden:

ingredients

  • cardboard or egg carton
  • Coffee grounds, ideally fresh and still slightly damp
  • shredded leaves or straw or mature compost soil
  • spray bottle or watering can
  • bucket
  • stones

Create compost worm bait

The ideal time window is open from spring to autumn, preferably in mild, humid weather. Because the clocks tick slower in the compost worm world, please plan a duration of several weeks for the baiting campaign. How to do it right:

  1. Put 2-3 handfuls of leaves, straw or compost in the bucket
  2. Add 1 handful of coffee grounds
  3. Mix everything well
  4. Spread the mixture over a plate-sized area in the shade
  5. Moisten with a fine shower
  6. Cover bait material with cardboard or egg carton
  7. Moisten cover with collected rainwater (do not soak)
  8. Weight the cardboard with stones

In the coming weeks, please refill fresh bait material every two to three days and check the moisture content. Once a sufficient number of compost worms has arrived, dig the bait spot five to 10 centimeters deep and move the attracted worm colony to the compost.

Attracting compost worms with organic bait - this is how it works

If decomposition takes place in slow motion in the compost heap, compost worms are conspicuous by their absence. You can now dig deep and buy young worms. With a little patience and the right bait, you can attract compost worms that are in the garden but can't find their way to the compost heap. That is how it goes:

  • bait material: fruit, vegetable or onion skins, mushrooms, egg shells (no meat, no sausage or cheese)
  • Lay a lock track: Lay out bait material in lines from shady, moist places to compost

Compost worms shy away from the light. In order for them to follow the tempting bait trail, please cover the organic material with fleece, cardboard or leaves and brushwood.

Avoid common mistakes - tips

Sometimes the applied compost worm bait remains orphaned or attracts dreaded pests. So that you don't make such a mishap, the following table draws attention to five common mistakes with practical tips:

error Why? What to do?
Baited with forest soil or peat too sour Test soil with pH strips
Oak leaves, pine needles used too sour use neutral foliage (birch, chestnut, fruit tree)
Catalog, glossy paper used poisonous Egg carton, use unprinted cardboard
Sunny bait spot too bright Set bait in the shade
Meat/sausage as bait attracts rats and mice Lay out fruit, vegetable, onion skins

tips

Did you know that fat grubs in compost are an unmistakable sign of quality? Demanding rose beetle or rhinoceros beetle ladies only choose perfectly laid out compost heaps for kindergarten. Incidentally, the fat larvae diligently participate in the decomposition process. The result is premium quality, earthy, forest-scented organic fertilizer.

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Care tips