What is the best thing to feed earthworms?

What do I feed my worm farm?

What should you not feed earthworms?

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)

What do worms eat the most?

In the wild, worms eat just about any sort of decaying plant or animal matter that they can find. Worms living in forests will consume decaying leaves, roots, or trees, which helps to enrich the soil. They will also consume rotting fruits and vegetables, as well as cereals and grains.

How do you keep earthworms healthy?

What to Feed Worms: Vermicompost Made EASY

How do you multiply earthworms quickly?

Food to Increase Worm Reproduction

The way you feed your worms is one of the most critical factors in determining how quickly they multiply. They will eat their way through most kinds of kitchen scraps, including greens, coffee grounds, grains and fruit.

How do you know if your worms are happy?

But how do you know if your compost worms are happy and content? You can tell that compost worms are happy and healthy if they multiply and produce compost that does not stink. The key to happy and healthy compost worms is to give them a good home, adequate food, and maintain the right conditions in the compost bin.

Do worms like 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.

Do worms like sugar?

Worms love 'em, as long as they're organic (and do not contain any pesticides that could kill the worms). Just be aware of how much fruit you're adding. High sugar content will elevate the pH of the bin and might require you to rebalance the levels.

What do worms like best?

Do worms like 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.

Is cornmeal good for earthworms?

Cornmeal is the perfect food to keep your worms lively and healthy. This is a simple trick that makes keeping a worm bin easier than ever. During the winter months, if you want to go on vacation, simply sprinkling a layer of cornmeal on the top of your bin, will give your worms a fresh supply of food the entire time.

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.

How often should you feed worms?

Depending on the size of your bin, feed the worms from once a week to every two days with about a cup (240 ml.) of food. You may want to keep a journal regarding how quickly your worms consume certain things so you can adjust timings, amounts, and varieties.

Do worms eat eggshells?

eggshells - worms simply can't eat them. They will still be there when you remove the worm castings, and you'll have eggshells in the garden. Eggshells are good for the garden, so if you crush them up, and put them in the worm farm, they'll end up adding calcium to your soil.

Do worms like 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.

Do worms need sand?

Worms need sand in order to process their food. These few little bit sand in there or if you just have some soil to have a little bit of sand in it that will be fine too.

What do commercial worm farmers feed their worms?

Arguably the absolute best food source for worms is animal manure. Both home vermicomposters and commercial worm farmers use animal manure as their primary food source with great success. Manure is nutrient rich and composting worms thrive in it.

Can you feed worms oatmeal?

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.

What kind of food do you feed earthworms?

Earthworms will eat both organic matter and small microorganisms. Earthworms will feed on dead grass and leaves if they are above the surface of the ground. Worms will also feed on fruits, berries and vegetables. However, if they are below ground, they may also feed on algae, fungi and bacteria.

Should I stir my worm bin?

There is definitely no need to completely mix up your worm bin contents. The worms themselves – along with various other critters do a lot of mixing on their own.

How do you tell if a worm is a boy or girl?

Examine the posterior end of the worm. Female worms are straight while males are hooked. Examine the posterior opening. A male worm has pineal spicules, or spine-like extensions, near its opening. It will also have papillae, or bump-like protrusions, in front and behind this opening.

When 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).