Q&A for How to Feed Worm Farm Worms

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  • Question
    How often should I feed my worms
    Lauren Kurtz
    Professional Gardener
    Lauren Kurtz is a Naturalist and Horticultural Specialist. Lauren has worked for Aurora, Colorado managing the Water-Wise Garden at Aurora Municipal Center for the Water Conservation Department. She earned a BA in Environmental and Sustainability Studies from Western Michigan University in 2014.
    Professional Gardener
    Expert Answer
    Feed your worms every 2 or 3 days or whenever they finish their previous meal.
  • Question
    Are fertilizers good for worm beds?
    Lauren Kurtz
    Professional Gardener
    Lauren Kurtz is a Naturalist and Horticultural Specialist. Lauren has worked for Aurora, Colorado managing the Water-Wise Garden at Aurora Municipal Center for the Water Conservation Department. She earned a BA in Environmental and Sustainability Studies from Western Michigan University in 2014.
    Professional Gardener
    Expert Answer
    No. Do not add any artificial fertilizer to your worm farm.
  • Question
    How can I get big fat worms?
    Community Answer
    Feed the worms many times a week, giving them nutritious food to enjoy. Or, go with a hose at night and spray some of your lawn and big fat nightcrawlers/fat worms will come out by the dozen.
  • Question
    How long does it take for worms to build up a strong colony?
    Community Answer
    Not very long. If you give them the right food and supply them with the right environment., it will only take about 2 to 3 months.
  • Question
    Do I need to water the soil?
    Community Answer
    Soil must be wet at all times. Never let the soil dry out or put the worm box in hot places. They need to stay fresh and warm, as wet as a sponge (not soaking).
  • Question
    Do worms prefer fresh or dead leaves?
    Community Answer
    Fresh; they could be a little rotten, but still need to be green for worms to get enough nutrients.
  • Question
    How can I keep a worm for a pet?
    Community Answer
    Place it in a suitable, large container with holes on top. Put soil in the container. Make sure the soil has plants and is well moisturized. Make sure you put leaves and/or dying leaves in its cage. Feed the worm regularly.
  • Question
    Can I feed my worms eggshells?
    Community Answer
    Yes, worms seem to love eggshells.
  • Question
    Can I keep more than one worm in a container?
    Community Answer
    Yes, but beware that they can procreate if there are too many in one container.
  • Question
    I was thinking about mixing spirulina into my worm food, which I puree, freeze in cubes, and take out as needed. Will they like it?
    Community Answer
    I would recommend sticking to what they eat in nature. They love compost and manures. Stick to scraps, coffee grounds, and eggshells and they will go crazy making the best product for your garden you can get your hands on.
  • Question
    Would it be okay to keep red worms in a garage?
    Community Answer
    It is perfectly fine to keep worms in bins in a garage. Most worm farms are indoors.
  • Question
    What kind of worm bin is best to use?
    Community Answer
    Red wigglers only populate the top 3 inches of soil, so the longer and wider the bin the better. It only needs to be 12 inches deep as long as there is airflow from the top and they will be fine. This can be done by cutting holes in the lid and covering with window screen. Night crawlers will need and can use a deeper bin, like 24 inches.
  • Question
    I live in the south and my worm farm gets full of palmetto bugs and cockroaches. What helps?
    Community Answer
    You probably have too much food. I recommend a lid and 3 inches of "litter," like dead leaves or shredded paper, which can be pretty dry on top. This seems to keep the bugs away for me. I live in Florida.
  • Question
    Can I feed them banana stems?
    Community Answer
    Banana peels and stems are a great food for the worms. I feed my worms watermelon rinds, pumpkins, and many more fruits. Feeding citrus fruits can kill your worms, however, and there is nothing worse than smelling a bin full of dead worms.
  • Question
    Is it okay to put a lot of water into the container?
    John Northerner
    Community Answer
    Do not drown your worms. It's okay to run water through once a day. Don't let the soil soak in water because that might promote the growth of anaerobic bacteria, which are dangerous and malodorous. Once the water is run through and collected in the sump, it is perfect liquid fertilizer. Do not overflow your sump. If you're making your worm farm and you have different sized buckets, you'll want to make the biggest one the sump.
  • Question
    How long do worms live?
    Community Answer
    It depends on what type of worm it is, and what you are feeding it/ how you take care of it. Some worms can live ten years or longer with proper nutrition and care.
  • Question
    How can I keep fruit flies out of my worm farm?
    CHRISTINA CARE
    Community Answer
    Don't leave food scraps on the top of your worm farm, try mixing them into the soil. This should get rid of your fruit fly problem.
  • Question
    Is it OK to stir the food into the dirt, or should I leave food on top?
    Community Answer
    The red wigglers worm are top eaters. You'd want to go about 2" deep into the soil to avoid the food waste on top attracting fruit flies on the bin. Suggestion: consider shredding the waste and mix with the topsoil.
  • Question
    Can I feed my worms rice?
    Community Answer
    No, it may ferment in the bin, which can reduce oxygen or cause odors that both you and your worms will dislike.
  • Question
    How do I start a worm farm?
    Community Answer
  • Question
    Can I feed worms rice?
    Goodwolfgirl
    Community Answer
    No, it may ferment in the bin, which can reduce oxygen or cause odors that both you and your worms will dislike.
  • Question
    Can I feed my worms food that I prepared months ago and stored in an airtight container?
    Community Answer
    Anywhere between 1-4 months ago is fine. If it's been longer than that, your worms could get sick from the food.
  • Question
    Can I keep worms in a cup?
    Minh Pham
    Community Answer
    The size of the cup is too small, it will not provide a very good living environment for your worms. Moreover, it will not be easy to feed your worms because you can very easily overfeed them.
  • Question
    What kind of canned vegetables and fruits can I feed my worms?
    Community Answer
    They necessarily don't eat canned food though they can, but normal temperature veggies will be better for the worm's stomach. These worms can eat many things, including fruits, vegetables, eggshells, coffee grounds, leaves, grass clippings, paper, and cardboard. Speaking of fruits, any will do, but avoid citrus fruits, they're too acidic and the worms avoid them.
  • Question
    Can I feed my farm worms instant mashed potatoes? What can I feed them?
    Community Answer
    It is not be the best to feed farm worms, but yes, you can feed worm farm worms instant mashed potatoes. Just don't do it that often.
  • Question
    Do these tactics work with blood worms?
    Community Answer
    Bloodworms are carnivorous, so no. However, they are good food for fish as frozen food. If you have fish, frozen bloodworm cubes are good for them.
  • Question
    Can I put a single worm in a cup?
    Community Answer
    Actually, yes. Just remember to give it some holes to breathe, and do not cover the cup. Keep nutritious food in there to help it last, then return it to its soil home at the day's end.
  • Question
    Is shredded office paper healthy for worms?
    Community Answer
    Yes. Add shredded paper in small amounts at a time. White uncoated paper or cardboard is best.
  • Question
    Do I keep a lid on the plastic container that houses my worms?
    Community Answer
    Always cover the food with newspaper strips or burlap to keep it moist and dark, which worms like.
  • Question
    Can I put peat moss in my worm bin?
    Community Answer
    Yes. When you start your worm bin, moisten enough peat moss or coconut coir to cover approximately 1/2” of the bin. Moisten means damp to the point when you squeeze it you get a slow drip of water rather than the amount of water you would get from squeezing a wet sponge.
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