What should not be fed to worms?

Avoid feeding the worms large quantities of meat, citrus, onions and dairy foods. Some processed food also contains preservatives, which discourage the worms from eating it. These foods won't harm your worms, but they will avoid them and those scraps will break down and rot in the bin.

What materials do earthworms not eat?

These are just some of the reasons you should avoid putting the following food scraps into your worm composting bin or worm farm: Meats, bones, fat and anything oily or greasy. Dairy products including butter, sour cream, milk, whole eggs (egg shells are ok) and cheese.

What fruits can worms not eat?

The big rule to bear in mind when feeding worms fruit is to avoid fruit with citric acid. Fruits you definitely want to avoid include oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruit and pineapple. Feeding these types of fruits can cause them to try to crawl away and it may kill them. So that's what they don't like.

What do worms hate?

Worms hate: meat or fish, cheese, butter, greasy food, animal waste, spicy and salty foods, citrus.” The food-to-worm ratio is not precise, nor is the amount of castings they will produce. The rule of thumb is that a pound of worms will eat one to two pounds of food in a week.

What are worms allowed to eat?

5 things you should never feed to your worm farm

Can worms eat 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.

Can worms eat onions?

Avoid feeding the worms large quantities of meat, citrus, onions and dairy foods. Some processed food also contains preservatives, which discourage the worms from eating it. These foods won't harm your worms, but they will avoid them and those scraps will break down and rot in the bin.

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.

Can 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.

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.

Can worms eat onion skins?

The Worst Foods for Worms

And in the case of meats, fats, and grease, these foods attract insects and can stink up a worm bin or garden in short order. Try to limit or avoid these foods entirely: Onions and onion skins.

What happens if you overfeed worms?

Over-Feeding Causes Odors

The worms' job is to eat the food before it gets super-rotten and stinky. If you add too much food at a time, they cannot keep up. Too much food can also push the air out of the bin, leading to foul-smelling anaerobic decomposition.

Can worms eat garlic?

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!

Can worms eat sugar?

Your worms actually feed mostly on the bacteria cultures that develop on food that rots and sugar creates a rich environment for the bacteria. The problem with this is that an excess of sugar can cause the rot to happen faster than your worms get to it, which will lead to a smell and possible pH imbalances in the soil.

Can worms eat cucumber?

Keep these ratios in mind when feeding. If you've added a lot of watery food, like lettuce, melon or cucumber, make sure to balance it with some paper. Temperature: Keep your bin a cool location out of direct sunlight to prevent your worms from getting too hot.

Do worms eat flour?

Bigger worms also benefit your composting efforts because larger worms can eat more. Wheat flour is often used as an ingredient in fattener recipes because it's a good source of protein for the worms.

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.

Can worms eat cabbage?

Contrary to their reputation, worms are not able to eat anything and everything you put into a worm bin. Large quantities of citrus should be avoided, as it contains a compound poisonous to worms. Brassicas (cabbage, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, turnips, etc.)

How often do I need to water my worm farm?

Once every week, pour about five litres of fresh water into the Top Working Tray, which will flood down through the lower trays, ensuring the entire worm farm remains very moist. The sudden 'flood' will not harm the worms. Adding water is especially important in the hotter months of the year.

Can worms eat bread?

Yes, in moderation, bread, and in fact, all grain based foods, are worthy of your worms' processing power. Stale bread remains just as full of nutrients and building blocks for worm growth as the fresh stuff. However, these starchy foods can end up a gooey mess.

Can worms eat peanut shells?

The do's & don'ts of a worm diet

Do not feed them meat or bones, dairy products or greasy leftovers; they also do not like acidic or stinky fruits or vegetables (e.g. citrus or onion). Worms LOVE watermelon rinds, avocado or peanut shells, banana peels, coffee grounds and tea bags (be aware of nylon tea bags).

Do worms need water?

The entire surface of a worm's body absorbs oxygen and releases carbon dioxide. Moisture Worms move by squeezing muscles around their water- filled bodies. They also need water to keep their skin moist for breathing. Food When feeding your worms, bury the food at least 3 inches deep in the bedding.

Can worms eat grapes?

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) Green leafy vegetables (e.g., romaine)

Can worms eat orange peels?

Though some people think that citrus peels in vermicompost can be harmful to the worms, this is not the case. Citrus peels will not hurt the worms. That being said, you may not want to use citrus peels in your worm compost simply because many kinds of worms don't particularly like to eat them.