what to feed composting worms

The "Go" List of items you should feed compost worms includes most raw/uncooked fruits and vegetables as well as the following items:

• Worms have a sweet tooth so most fruits are a great idea (just not citrus). Compost worms love bananas and banana peels,...
• Green leafy vegetables (e.g., romaine)
• Pumpkin and squash
• Pulp from juicers (avoid citrus)
• Crushed egg shells

Full Answer

Which worms are best for composting?

• 1,200 Live Red Worms / Red Wiggles!
• These Red Worms turn Organic Waste into Nutrient Rich Soil!
• Red Worms are Nature's Garbage Disposal

Why are worms so useful for composting?

• humus (that’s the dark spongy material that makes good soil the colour of chocolate)
• recycled nutrients
• billions of microscopic lifeforms which create a healthy soil ecosystem.

What should I Feed my compost worms?

• Pumpkin
• Leftover corn cobs
• Melon rinds
• Banana peels
• Fruit and veggie detritus

What food does a worm prefer in a compost bin?

Urban Worm Chow

• Spent Coffee Grounds. Some folks express concern over high acidity, but this is only true of unused grounds or the coffee itself in liquid form.
• Apple Cores. Another common fruit whose waste is perfect for the worm bin! ...
• Pre-Composted Manures. ...
• Vegetable Waste. ...
• Chicken Mash & Cornmeal. ...

What is the best food for compost worms?

Top Five Best Foods for Your Worms#1 Leafy Green Vegetables. Worms love lettuce, kale, Swiss chard, to name a few of these vegetables. ... #2 Melons/Squash and Pumpkins. ... #3 Broccoli. ... #4 Apples. ... #5 SURPRISE: Pasta. ... Note: Worms can eat most fruits and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, used tea leaves, etc.

What should you not feed compost worms?

Items you cannot compost in a worm bin:Lemon, lime, orange or other citrus peels and juice (in excess this will make the soil too acidic)Onions and garlic (a good rule of thumb is if it makes you smell, it makes your worm bin smell)Meat, fats, grease, bones or oils (no butter, lard, stocks, soups, etc)More items...

What do you feed worm farm worms?

Worms will eat anything that was once living,Leftover vegetable scraps, fruit and vegetable peelings.Tea leaves / bags and coffee grounds.Vacuum cleaner dust or hair clippings (also animal)Torn up newspapers, egg cartons or soaked pizza cartons.Crushed egg shells (these will also help with the pH balance)

How much do you feed a composting worm?

Supposedly, the rule of thumb is that compost worms will eat half their weight in food every day. Meaning, if you have a pound of worms, they will eat up to half a pound of food every day, or 3.5 pounds every week.

Can I feed worms oats?

Fruits and vegetables (uncooked or peels) – you can feed your worms any variation as long as it's not citrus based (you'll have to stay way from lemons, oranges, pineapples and all that since it has high acidity levels) Starchy food wastes – these can be in the form of bread, oatmeal, and pasta.

Do worms eat banana peels?

Bananas are a great and inexpensive snack for both us and our worms. Those peels are desirable to compost worms no matter what shape they're in. They'll make short work of what otherwise would have taken up space in your trash.

How do you make homemade worm food?

0:322:43Worm Chow - Make your own! - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipBut a little bit of sugar is really good for the microorganisms. And the bacteria that's inside yourMoreBut a little bit of sugar is really good for the microorganisms. And the bacteria that's inside your web and it helps break down the food a lot quicker when there's more microorganisms.

Will worms eat grass clippings?

Grass clippings are a great addition to a traditional compost pile and worms will eat these as well in their natural setting, but in your vermicomposting system, they will heat up the soil and can kill all of your worms.

Can worms eat cooked rice?

Bread, rice, pasta, processed foods - you can add the odd crust or bits of cooked rice off the dinner plate, but don't add lots of starchy foods. Worms don't like them and they may go off or attract pests.

How often should you change worm bedding?

After worms are added, bedding should be kept moist but not soggy and the top 6 to 8 inches turned every 7 to 10 days to keep it loose. About every 6 to 9 months the old bedding should be replaced with properly prepared new bedding. To change bedding, remove the top 5 or 6 inches (where most of the worms are).

Should I add water to my worm farm?

Worms love an environment with a moisture content of 70% or more. Food wastes usually contain about 80 per cent water and this will be released as the worms break down the food scraps. However, it will remain in the bedding for a long time before eventually draining out, so it's important to add water as well.

Can worms eat potato peels?

Vegetable Waste Carrot peelings, potato skins, broccoli and cauliflower stalks, lettuce, kale, even onion peels (in limited quantities) are perfect for the worm bin. Vegetable waste like this isn't prone to overheating your bin either, so this is another low-maintenance food.

What kinds of materials should not be fed to the worms Why not?

What To Not Feed WormsMeats, bones, fat and anything oily or greasy.Dairy products including butter, sour cream, milk, whole eggs (egg shells are ok) and cheese.Canned sauces, peanut butter and other processed food.Citrus foods like lemons, limes and oranges.Onions and garlic.Spicy foods such as hot peppers.More items...•

Can I feed my worms moldy food?

The molds that form on most vegetables are usually OK, but the molds on some fruit and bread can be problematic. If you're in doubt, try a small amount first and see if the worms are bothered by it. If not, then it's probably OK to use it, otherwise, you should put them into your backyard bin instead.

Can compost worms eat onions?

Compost worms benefit from a balanced diet. They will eat most normal kitchen fruit and vegetable scraps. Avoid feeding the worms large quantities of meat, citrus, onions and dairy foods.

Can worms eat tomatoes?

Let's dive in! *Tomatoes are slightly acidic, but worms still seem to like it and will tolerate it just fine in moderation. Whether you have an abundance of melon rinds, spoiled apples or fruit trimmings, you can feed them to your worms by slicing them up into manageable portions.

What is worm compost?

Worm composting, also called vermicomposting, is a great way to use kitchen scraps to create a nutrient-rich compost to feed your garden and keep it producing year-round. In a large container, simply shred some newspaper and leaves from your yard to create a nice loose base, then add in red wiggler worms, officially known as Eisenia fetida, ...

What do worms eat?

Do feed your worms organic fruit and vegetable waste, including the rinds, cores, and peelings of your favorite fruits and vegetables. Feed them crushed eggshells, coffee grounds, and coffee filters (as long as the filters are unbleached), teabags, and aged manure from vegetable-eating animals, such as rabbits, horses, and cows.

What are worm castings?

Worm castings are full of nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, and humic acids that help improve soil structure. After you gather your supplies: a bin, shredded newspaper or leaves, and red wiggler worms, all you need to do is start saving food scraps to feed them.

How often do red worms multiply?

In fact, red worms are known to double their population size every 90 days. If you started with far too few, it’s okay to purchase more and add them to the mix.

Can you put old kitchen scraps in the compost bin?

A word of caution, however— don’t just throw any old kitchen scraps into the compost bin and hope for the best. Keep reading, and let’s dive into what you don’t want to feed them. Do not feed your worms fatty or processed foods, such as meat or dairy products. These types of kitchen scraps will cause strong odors when they decompose ...

Where do worms get their nutrition?

In fact, your worms’ main source of nutrition comes from the microorganisms that grow in abundance on organic fruit and vegetable waste. That’s why instead of devouring the scraps that you throw in to the soil immediately, your worms will wait around until microbes begin to flourish on the surface of the food scraps.

Can you put salt in a compost bin?

Avoid adding salt, or any salty foods, to the compost bin. Salt is really bad for worms and can kill them if it’s present in large amounts in the compost container. Onions are another kitchen scrap that you may want to consider just throwing away instead of adding to the compost bin to be consumed.

What to feed compost worms?

The "Go" List of items you should feed compost worms includes most raw/uncooked fruits and vegetables as well as the following items: 1 Worms have a sweet tooth so most fruits are a great idea (just not citrus). Compost worms love bananas and banana peels, grapes, melon, pears, berries, peaches, apples, and avocado (but not the pit or rinds) 2 Green leafy vegetables (e.g., romaine) 3 Pumpkin and squash 4 Pulp from juicers (avoid citrus) 5 Crushed egg shells 6 Coffee and tea grounds in small quantities (too many can lead to an acidic bed which can harm the worms) 7 Shredded cardboard, egg cartons, and paper towels 8 Most leaves (as long as they haven't been treated with pesticides or herbicides)

What do compost worms eat?

Compost worms love bananas and banana peels, grapes, melon, pears, berries, peaches, apples, and avocado (but not the pit or rinds) Green leafy vegetables (e.g., romaine) Pumpkin and squash. Pulp from juicers (avoid citrus) Crushed egg shells. Coffee and tea grounds in small quantities (too many can lead to an acidic bed which can harm the worms) ...

How to know if compost worms are processed?

You'll know the compost worms have fully processed the prior feeding when 1) the food is no longer visible on the surface of the worm bin and 2) the worms are not grouped together in a ball where you fed them. Rule #4: Don't bury the food!

How to kill worms?

This is especially true with feeding your worms. Over-feeding, along with temperature, is one of the easiest ways to quickly kill your worm population. Think of feeding your worms like drinking a bottle of wine - you don't usually drink the entire bottle in 1 glass or gulp. You enjoy it in moderation over several glasses or days.

What foods are good for worms?

Meat or other animal products. Cooked foods (due to oil and salt content) Citrus fruits. "Spicy" foods like peppers, onions, garlic, and ginger. Tomatoes or tomato sauce (it's too acidic for worms) Foods cooked with oils. Foods high in salt content.

Do worms eat food?

Worms actually eat microorganisms that are feeding on the food waste, so they like soft food or food that has been cut into small pieces (this helps accelerate the decomposition process and increases the number of microorganisms for worms to eat).

Can you sprinkle worms over food?

It is ok to sprinkle a little of their original bedding (which should already be in the bin) over the food, but the food should never be buried and should be visible to your eye. Rule #5: See rule #1! Rule #6: After the first feeding, feed the worms 1/3 to 1/2 of their weight. So if you purchased 2 pounds of worms, ...

What is worm farming?

Worm farming is a great project for anyone who likes to get their hands a little dirty. The end result is nutrient rich worm castings that your garden will absolutely love. The key to a successful worm bin is to just take things slow, feed your worms sparingly with a proper diet, and be patient.

Why don't you put meat in worm bins?

(You don’t want to put these in your normal compost pile either for the same reason.) Don’t put meat or dairy in your worm bin because these will go rancid.

Do composting worms eat fruit?

Composting worms, or Red Wigglers, are not picky eaters. They will happily digest a wide variety of organic plant material into nutrient rich worm castings. I put old lettuce in there, rotten vegetables, potato peels, fruit, grass clipping, and leaves, just to name a few. They especially love the fruit.

Can you put citrus in a worm bin?

You should avoid putting citrus fruits in the worm bin, as well as garlic, onions, and peppers. Composting worms will avoid these at all costs due to the high acidity. It’s best to reserve these items for your regular compost pile.

What can be used as worm waste?

Any vegetable waste that you generate during food preparation can be used: potato peels, grapefruit and orange rinds, outer leaves of lettuce and cabbage, celery ends, and so forth. Plate scrapings might include macaroni, spaghetti, gravy, vegetables, or potatoes. Spoiled food from the refrigerator, such as baked beans, moldy cottage cheese, and leftover casserole also can go into the worm bin. Coffee grounds are very good in a worm bin, enhancing the texture of the final vermicompost. Tea leaves, even tea bags and coffee filters, are suitable.

Why do rabbits put worms in the bin?

Some people who raise rabbits build a bin underneath the rabbit hutch for the worms to eat the manure and wasted rabbit feed. If you do this, be sure and add an absorptive bedding to the bin and watch for concentrations of urine. You many need to dilute the urine so that ammonia does not build up.

What is the best way to speed up decomposition of meat?

Daniel Dindal of the State University of New York at Syracuse suggests adding a good carbon source (such as sawdust or extra bedding) to meat and bones to speed up decomposition time. He finds that if meat is chopped, ground, and thoroughly mixed with the carbon source, rodents won’t even be a problem.

Can you feed compost worms salty food?

The Perfect Diet for Compost Worms. You should not feed your compost worms salty foods; it will cause them to shrivel up and die quickly. “Worms Eat My Garbage” by Mary Appelhof and Joanne Olszewski has helped over 200,000 people start their own worm composting systems. Worms Eat My Garbage (Storey, 2017) by Mary Appelhof ...

Do worms need nitrogen?

There are some advantages to putting some of these nitrogen-rich materials into your worm bin. Worms require nitrogen in a form they can use. Nitrogen is also required by the microorganisms that do much of the composting and that are, in turn, eaten by the worms.

Does salt kill pigs?

Salt will pull moisture from their bodies and can kill them. Pet Feces. Dog, caged bird, cat, and potbellied pig feces do not belong in the worm bin. The manure of these animals can harbor pathogens and parasites that can be harmful to humans.

Does citrus kill worms?

Excess quantities of citrus will kill worms. If your bin is small and you squeeze a dozen or so oranges for juice, I advise you not to put all the rinds in the bin at once. Lemons, oranges, and limes contain limonene, which is toxic to worms.

What to feed worms?

Some “DON’TS” in the feeding of worms are: 1 Do not add salty or oily foods 2 Do not add tomatoes or potatoes 3 Do not add meat or dairy products

What do worms eat?

Worms will eat any of the following: Pumpkin. Leftover corn cobs. Melon rinds. Banana peels. Fruit and veggie detritus. However, it is best to avoid putting citrus, onions, and garlic in the worm bin. Onions and garlic will eventually be broken down by worms, but the odor in the interim may be more than you can handle!

How much food scraps do worms eat?

One pound of worms (about 1,000 worms) will eat about ½ to 1 pound (0.25-0.5 kg.) of food scraps per day.

Can you feed worms hot manure?

Don’t feed the worms pet waste or any “hot” manure. “Hot” manure is un-composted animal waste and its addition may result in heating the bin too much for the worms.

Can worms eat tomatoes?

Worms will eat tomatoes but make sure to break down the seed or you will likely have some tomato sprouts in the bin. No big deal, however, as you can just pull them out. The same may occur with potatoes and their eyes spouting before the potato is consumed.

Can citrus kill worms?

Citrus pulp or any highly acidic fruit added to the worm bin in large quantities can kill off your worms, so be aware and only add small amounts or just add the citrus peels without the pulp. When vermiculture feeding, basically go “green.”.

What is worm composting?

Worm composting (Vermicomposting) is a form of composting in which you feed your veggie food scraps to a specific type of earthworm, red wigglers. What do red wiggler worms eat? This article will give you an overview of feeding your worms.

What do worms eat?

Worms eat tiny, invisible, bacteria that feed on the food scraps that you add to your vermicomposting bin. The worms also eat the food scraps and worm bin bedding. You can feed your composting worms any vegetable food scraps including egg shells and coffee grounds.

How much do worms eat?

Worms can eat roughly half their weight everyday . You can use this fact to calculate how much you should be feeding your worms. When you start your bin you will usually start with 1 pound of worms. So, they will be able to eat roughly ½ a pound of food scraps per day assuming ideal bin conditions. If you want your worms to eat faster, chop the food scraps into small pieces ahead of time and throw them int he freezer overnight. Chopping (some people even use a blender) increases the surface area of each piece of food making it easier for the worms (and the bacteria) to eat. Freezing and then thawing your worm food breaks the cell walls of the food which makes it more mushy (when thawed) and easier for the composting worms to eat.#N#Earth worms do not have teeth. They have very small gizzards (like chickens) that they use to grind up their food. Because they don’t have teeth, they can not bite off chunks of the food scraps. Therefore, they need to wait until the food scraps begin to rot and get soft and mushy. This is why freezing and thawing your food scraps is helpful.

What can burn worms?

Citrus Fruits: oranges, limes, lemons, etc (large quantities of citrus can burn a worm’s sensitive skin) Onions and garlic. These can also burn their skin in large quantities. Bread: Bread doesn’t harm your composting worms but it can be tricky to compost because it molds quickly introducing a new element to the bin.

Can red wigglers eat worms?

Red Wiggler Composting Worms will still eat these foods but in large quantities they could harm your composting worms. NOTE: I frequently put small amounts of these foods in my worm composting bin without any problems.

Do you need a worm sitter?

You do not need a worm sitter. If you go out of town (even for up to a month!) your worms will be fine. Be sure to feed them before you leave and if they are outdoors you can feed them a little more than usual. Remember, worms will eat their bedding as well.

Can you overfeed worm compost?

Overfeeding can bring unwanted pests. If you keep your worm composting bin indoors you will want to manage it a bit more carefully to ensure that you never get fruit flies or foul odors. An indoor bin should be checked weekly and usually fed weekly (see above).

Why do worms need grit?

Remember, grit is necessary to speed their digestion process so they can eat more and break down your waste products. Be sure to add a handful whenever you replace the bedding or remove compost. So when you’re torn on what to feed worms, feel free to refer to this list for inspiration.

Why use an urban worm bag?

Using an Urban Worm Bag gives you plenty of surface space, excellent depth, and provides that all-necessary air to keep your bin from getting too soggy.

How much food do red wigglers eat?

Most red wigglers or European nightcrawlers will eat almost anything. The average worm will consume half its body weight in food and bedding per day. If you start with a pound of worms, they should eat a half-pound of food and bedding per day, and so on.

Do worms eat bedding?

Remember, worms aren’ t limited to the same things that we eat. They also consume their bedding, any other plant material, and so on. If it’s the dead of winter and you’re low on fruit and vegetable matter, and you’re out of homemade worm feed, don’t fret. Here’s another list of options for you!

Can worms eat citrus?

Worms will eat citrus rinds, but too much citrus can cause skin irritation for them. It’s best to pre-compost your citrus in a standard compost bin or compost spinner. Onions and other alliums like leeks often get ignored until they’ve broken down a bit. This means they can make your worm bin smell.

How to feed composting worms?

If practical, cut the food up small using a knife or food processor.

What do composting worms need?

They need regular feedings of kitchen scraps and gardening waste. Composting worms quickly convert these scraps into valuable organic fertilizer. Feed composting worms too little, and they starve. Feed them too much, and they can’t keep up. Too much rotting organic matter can cause odors, mold growth, excess moisture, ...

How to get worms to eat food in compost bin?

Dig a small hole in the bedding against the composting bin’s wall. Place the food in the hole. Cover with bedding. In a day or two, check to see if the worms have found the food and started eating it. When the worms have made a good showing on this food, dig a hole next to it and deposit a new feeding.

How much can red worms eat?

In theory, red worms can eat half their weight each day. This number applies to a settled worm population under ideal conditions. Since worm bin owners start out with new composting bins, we will also start there.

How to feed worms in a bin?

Let them dig their own way in. This lets them make air holes and find their way around. Dig a hole and place a single feeding in one area of the bin. If you don’t know what they eat, see what to feed your worms. Cover it with bedding.

Do Uncle Jim's worms eat peat moss?

Worms shipped from Uncle Jim’s Worm Farm arrive somewhat dehydrated. They have not eaten in a few days. Packed in peat moss, the worms had little to eat. The worms slow down and go into a partially dormant state. They need a little time in their new worm bin to dig in and get comfy.

Do worms need time to adjust?

If the worms just arrived in the bin, they will need time to adjust. New composting enthusiasts tend to over-fill the bin with excess scraps. Like anxious new pet owners, they don’t want their new worms to starve. Worms shipped from Uncle Jim’s Worm Farm arrive somewhat dehydrated. They have not eaten in a few days.

Foods Thatcomposting Worms Love

Exceptions to The Organic Materials

• You should avoid putting citrus fruits in the worm bin, as well as garlic, onions, and peppers. Composting worms will avoid these at all costs due to the high acidity. It’s best to reserve these items for your regular compost pile.

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Otherthings to Keep Out of The Worm Bin

Conclusion