Worms are fascinating creatures. They are like nature's recycling center. Worms love to eat your scraps and leftovers, keeping food waste out of the landfill. In return for all the wonderful food you feed them, they give you castings (manure) rich in nutrients for your plants and garden.
So once you get your worm bin started, what do you feed them? Below are some Do's and Don'ts to feeding worms. Remember to keep your worm bed moist as it is the moisture that helps the worms to breathe. Soil should be damp like cooked stuffing or dressing, but not wet enough to form into balls or to be soupy.
So once you get your worm bin started, what do you feed them? Below are some Do's and Don'ts to feeding worms. Remember to keep your worm bed moist as it is the moisture that helps the worms to breathe. Soil should be damp like cooked stuffing or dressing, but not wet enough to form into balls or to be soupy.
What to Feed Worms: Brown Compost (Carbon) Peat Moss Coconut Coir Shredded paper, newsprint and mail [Black/white only. No shinny/glossy paper.] White paper towels and napkins Brown leaves and pine needles Twigs, chipped tree branches/bark Stray/hay Dried grass, plants, flowers and trimmings Sawdust & woodshavings Nutshells Old potting soil Corncobs & stalks Dryer lint Cotton fabric Corrugated cardboard [Without any waxy/slick paper coating] Corn meal, dry uncooked Oats, dry uncooked Cereal, dry and no sugar Stale rice, pasta, spices beans Wood ashes Green Compost (Nitrogen) Coffee filters and grounds Tea bags Green grass, plants and mower clippings Flowers and garden plants Farm animal manure [After is has set and dried for a couple of weeks.] Manure & bedding from small pets like hamsters, rabbits, and birds Fruit & vegetable scraps [No oil/fats or seasoning on scraps.] Vegetables Apples Pears Peaches Melons Bananas Strawberries and other berries Avocados Pruning and hedge trimmings Seaweed Spoiled juice Rinsed, and crumbled egg shells Feathers Weeds Feed in Small Amounts: Coffee grounds - Can make soil too acidic Bread - attracts red mites Onions, garlic, ginger, potato skins - worms consume these slowly Do NOT feed: Meat Dairy products ANY food with LIMONENE as it is TOXIC {Lemons, Limes, grapefruit, oranges and similar fruits.) Cat/Dog feces [Worms are okay with it but you do not want this in your fertilizer.]
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How to Use Vermicompost
Quality vermicompost sells at a premium, so you don't want to fill your entire container or garden beds with it. Instead, prepare your planting area with peat moss and other soils first. When it's time to add your plants, add a handful of vermicompost in the hole you have dug for the plant before placing the plant in. Fill in the hole around the plant with soil. When planting is complete, sprinkle a little vermicompost on top of soil around the plant. Water, and you are done. The same procedures can be followed when planting seeds.
Buyer Beware!
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