Can I keep my worms in a bucket for 2-3 months before the Subod arrives?
Yes, your worms will survive in a bucket if you need to get your worms ASAP.
Because the worms will be above ground in your bucket while you’re waiting for the Subpod to arrive you’ll need to keep your bucket of worms out of temperature extremes, both hot (keep below 88F/ 31C) and cold( keep above (45F/ 7C), which should be easy to do with such a small bucket.
You’ll need to have a worm blanket sitting on top of the bedding (can be cut from a sack made of burlap, or jute material that is a breathable weave.
You’ll need a lid for your bucket that fits snugly on top to keep out animals and insects, but you need air to get in, so you could drill small holes at the top of the bucket above the bedding level (use the smallest diameter drill bit you can buy - 1/16 inch or 1.5 mm will work to keep out the flies).
Avoid using soil in the bucket - you’ll want to use a bedding material like coconut coir that holds water well and can be eaten by the compost worms which will be generating castings during the 2 -3 months.
Add small amounts of chopped up or blended food waste to your bucket and stir it through the bedding. Only add small amounts of food and don’t add more until you see the food you’ve added being consumed.
Check your moisture levels by adding a little water if it dries out, and if it seems wet, add some dry carbon material such as shredded newspaper, wood shavings, crushed dried leaves, or dried grass clippings.
You could also wait until it’s a bit closer to when your Subpod arrives and purchase your worms then.
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