Used napkins and paper towels are ok as long as they are not greasy.

If you want to add more bedding, leaves are awesome! We like to rip up the bags before dropping in but it’s not necessary to break them up. Drastically limit citrus or eliminate all together to avoid fruit flies and to keep the bin clean smelling and easy to work with.

Non-citrus fruit work best, such as watermelon rind, strawberry tops, old blueberries, etc.

Any vegetable that’s not spicy or really gaseous will make them happy.

Vegetable scraps: apple cores, peels, carrot tops and wilted lettuce or trimmings.

It’s easy to make worms happy if you feed your red worms a variety of foods they love.

(n.d.).We’ve tried a bunch of foods in our bins at home and have a nice list for you to keep things simple. Wormy FACTS and Interesting Tidbits (By Rhonda Sherman). South African Journal of Zoology 23:161–165. The life-cycle of the compost worm Eisenia fetida (Oligochaeta). Going on a worm hunt: Eisenia fetida, a stripy worm. THE SCIENCE OF VERMICULTURE: THE USE OF EARTHWORMS IN ORGANIC WASTE MANAGEMENT:25.Įisenia andrei specimen during the experiment. Bins must have a drainage system because the worms create castings which is the excrement from red wigglers and provides great nutrients to plants.Įdwards, C. Other worms can be used for vermicomposting, but red wiggler worms are the most efficient in composting. Compost bins should begin with about a thousand (1 lb.) red wiggler worms.

Eisenia Fetida can consume 25-35% of their body weight per day, so this type of composting works quite fast. The compost does not need to be turned like other compost methods, and should be avoided or worms may perish. The environment needs to be kept moist, but an abundance of water should never be added, or the worms will drown. Bedding, such as shredded paper or other soft absorbent material, is needed for worms to thrive. Vermicomposting bins can be bought, but when homemade, it is important that they are dark in color (earthworms are sensitive to light), have holes for aeration, and a drainage system. Worms can be used as a compost method called vermicomposting. Composting is a great way to make use out of food and other organic waste.

Download red wiggler composting worms