Feeding the Worms In Your Worm Farm

Naturally composting waste, providing an organic matter that enriches soil for organic and sustainable gardening, and even supplying hobbyists and fisherman with live bait.  These are all good reasons for worm farming.  Taking care of the worms in a worm farm is typically quite easy but there some guidelines to follow.  Proper feeding is important for the health of the worms, and therefore important for the health of the farm.

A worm composting bin. Worms are eating the newspaper bedding and producing compost. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Worms are fed a variety of food items, and nonfood items, for composting.  Some food type items that can be offered are fruits, vegetables, greens, bread products, cereals, tea bags, coffee grounds and filters and egg shells.  The worms will eat just about anything so it is imperative to know which foods are appropriate and why.

Fruits and vegetables are easily composted by the worms.  The important thing to remember when serving fruits and vegetables is the size of the portions.  Fruit pieces should be cut down to 1/2 inch pieces or slices.  Smaller pieces will be consumed more quickly.  Food blended up with water will also help the worms find the food and consume it faster.

Fruits and vegetables are highly nutritious.  Worms that are fed an appropriate diet will in turn produce a nutrient rich substance that is beneficial to crops, gardens, flower beds and even indoor flower pots.  Some nonfood items that can be offered to worms for composting are paper products, cotton rags, hair clippings, leaves and soaked cardboard.  A pizza box that has been torn up and soaked is a wonderful treat for worms. 

When offering leaves to a worm farm, be careful to only use products that have never been treated with chemicals.  For the safety of the worms, grass clipping and other yard clippings should be avoided unless you know chemicals have not been used. 

Dog and cat droppings can be used in a worm farm with care.  Cats and dogs that have been dewormed recently will still have the substance within their bodies.  The medicine used for deworming can be excreted in the droppings.  If fed to the worms, the droppings can kill the worms quickly.  If a pet has been dewormed recently, avoid using the droppings in the worm farm. 

Care should also be taken when offering cat droppings from a litter box.  Inorganic litters are unsafe for the worms.  If your plan is to use the worms to compost the droppings, using a natural and organic litter will keep the worms happy and healthy. 

While there are many foods that can be offered readily, there are also those that should be avoided.  Care should always be taken with items that have been treated with chemicals, medications or other substances that may prove harmful. 

Composting-worms just added to a fresh batch of garbage in a self-made worm-bin.  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Meats should not be offered to the worms in a worm farm.  Being voracious eaters, the worms will gladly consume whatever meat is offered.  The problem with meat is with the pests it will attract.  Flies and maggots will be found in a worm farm that uses meat and the best way to eliminate these pests is to eliminate the use of meat. Dairy products will also attract unwanted guests into the worm farm.  Another problematic issue with serving dairy products is the foul smell that is emitted as they rot.

Citrus fruits, onions and garlic should not be used either.  The worms appear to find the smell of these items offensive.  Most worms will try to escape the bin to get away from the smell. 

Feeding worms is a pretty easy job.  The key is to know which items are good and which are bad for the health of the worms.  Another point to always remember is to not over feed.  New worms should be fed in small amounts when they are becoming established within the farm.  Once settled, the amount can be increased over time.

Over feeding leads to problems such as foul smells and pests.  Keep feeding down to a minimum, offering new food only when the old food supply is running low.  Worms can eat over half their body weight in food per day.  The worm population can double every few months.  Overfeeding can cause a problem but keep an eye on the population as well to be sure that underfeeding isn't an issue.

A well fed worm population is a happy worm population.  Happy worms produce a lot of naturally composted, healthy castings for soil enrichment therefore keeping the worm farmer and gardener happy as well.

Be sure to check back next week for a few common problems with worm farming, and how to avoid them.

How to Build Your Own Worm Farm

So you've decided to take the plunge and set up your own worm farm.  Perhaps you're looking for a natural way for composting waste, are interested in the nutrient rich fertilizer produced by the worms for use in your sustainable garden, or are looking to provide a constant supply of live bait or live food for exotic pets.  Regardless of the reason, you're going to need to set up a bin.

Worm farm bin (Photo credit: davesag)

Various models are available for purchase at worm farming supply companies and garden centers.  These come in different shapes, sizes and colors and each have their own benefits.  The frugal approach is to build your own. 

The first thing to consider is how big of a container you're going to need.  To figure this out, you'll need to first measure out approximately how much waste you are going to need to use for feeding.  For each pound of waste, you'll need one square foot of space in your bin.  Depth should be at least six to twelve inches. 

A plastic tote or container works well as do wooden boxes.  Metal containers should not be used as irons and chemicals can leach into the soil, harming the worms.  Many worm farmers prefer wooden boxes over plastic as wood is more easily aerated. Plastic can cause more moisture to build up than wood, which can be both good and bad.

Once a container of the appropriate size has been chosen, it'll need to be prepared.  Holes should be drilled or punched through the top of the container to allow for air flow.  There are two ways to address the bottom of the container. 

One method is to drill or punch holes into the bottom of the container to allow excess water and other liquids to drain out.  Another is to install a spout at the bottom of the container.  When liquid begins to fill up in the bottom, the spout is turned on and releases the fluid. 

If using a spout, a raised shelf should be added within the container.  This shelf should be the same width as the container, but be allowed to sit a few inches above the bottom.   This will allow the empty space at the bottom to fill with liquid and prevent it from sitting in the soil and bedding.  This raised shelf should be made of slats or have several holes to allow liquids to drain into the bottom of the container.

If a raised shelf is not used, screening should be installed over the holes to allow liquid to run out of the container but prevent worms from squeezing through.  Screening should also be attached to the top of the container to prevent escape. 

Top layer of a worm farm (Photo credit: Doug Beckers)

Some thought should be put into what will be used for bedding material.  Soaked and shredded newspapers, cardboard and even dampened leaves can be layered in the bin.  Regardless of the material used for bedding, a small amount of soil should always be mixed in. If using the raised shelf system, bedding should be layered on top of the shelf.

The container should be put in a location that will ensure optimal conditions. Temperature should remain between 72 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit.  The bin should not be placed in an area of the yard that will gain excess rain water, either. 

Once the bin has been constructed, bedding has been added and the perfect location has been found, the next step is to add the worms and begin your own worm farm.  Worm farming is rewarding whether it is done for a profit or a hobby.  Constructing an appropriate home for these guys is your first step towards becoming an authentic worm farmer.

For what to feed your worms, be sure to check back on Thursday!

Worm Farming Resources:
     

Video - Setting Up Your Worm Composting System

This quick video shows how to create and set up your own worm composting system, if you don't want to buy one. They are generally very cheap and easy to make, and require just a few supplies. Learn how many air and drainage holes to drill, and what size drill bit to use. He also tells you what materials to feed your worms, and which ones to avoid, how to set up the bedding, why you need to add some dirt, and more.

If you're starting your own vermiposting system, this video will be very helpful.

Setting Up a Worm Composting Bin
Detailed instructions for setting up a 'deluxe' Rubbermaid worm composting bin



If You'd Rather Not Create Your Own Bin.... 
   

Video - Worm Composting How-To

Here is a great video on worm composting, which shows you how to set up your own worm farm or compost bin. Some suggested resources are below, or you can also get worms from the website mentioned in the video. This is a great way to compost in winter - you can have your compost bin right under your sink (so you don't have to go out into the snow to empty your compost bucket!), and the worms will eat down the garbage quickly to avoid odors. It's easy-peasy - check it out!

worm composting
worm composting your food waste how-to


Worm Composting Resources: