Additions to worm bin question

[wyo-helpmeet]

Was wondering if you can add coffee to the bin? I'm talking about the leftover quarter cup or so left in the coffee pot, brought to room temp, of course. I figure if they eat coffee ground, this wouldn't hurt, but wanted to ask. And it would take the place of adding water on occasion. Also, my kids had their hamster die several weeks ago & they had just bought a bag of food for it. Since it was opened, we couldn't return it. Considering it's a veg diet, will it hurt to add a handful at a time or so to the worm bin?

We're anxiously awaiting our worms. Our bin is set up & ready to go. We had a very small scale one before we moved, and it was doing well, but I never thought to add coffee, and since the hamster was alive & well, the thought of small animal food never came into play! TIA!!!

[shebear]

Use the coffee to wet newspaper you use instead of water. You can add liquids but my bin was always pretty damp. If you have a regular compost bin then put the coffee in there.

Check the hamster food for salt. They usually put salt in small mammal food cause they need it. In small amounts I wouldn't think it would hurt the worms but you might not want to add too much at a time if it has salt.

[wyo-helpmeet]

We do have a compost bin as well. I figured if all else failed, I could add it there. Our compost bin is garden fencing though, so I was hesitant to add the food, since it's so small it would fall right through. I'll check it for salt & if so, be sure to add a couple of T only per week. THNX for your response!!!

[leydaleon]

I guess you could if the purpose is to wet (not damp wet) paper to add to the bin or if the compost is too dry and you want to wet it a little bit. Remember, these worms don't like a dry environment (it will kill them) but the compost is supposed to be loose like regular dirt... not damp wet. So if you were planning on adding every leftover coffee to the worm bin, I don't think is a good idea.

Other members: please correct me if I am wrong...

[wyo-helpmeet]

Hadn't planned no making it a daily thing. It's pretty much only every couple of weeks that there's anything left over. I like my coffee, LOL!!! I understand dry bedding kills them, as does too wet. THNX!

[Backyard Permaculture]

If you go to my page and look up my photo albums, composting and vermicomposting, at the 2nd photo, you see my vermicompost bins, which are the plywood boxes you see there. Up above are racks for starting seedlings. I would put flats up there that hold styrofoam cups, planted with whatever. The very top there's a 1/2" PVC pipe with misters attached, controled by a timer to run 5 minutes - 4 times a day. The water drips from layer of starting flats to each one below, then into the vermicompost bin, which drains through the worm bins and captured by a sheet of plastic hanging below the worm bins and drains through the plastic sheet into a 5 gal buck.

WHAAALAAAA

Automatic Worm Compost Tea.

And the worms thrive immensely on all the moisture. Great place for germination of avocado and mango seed too!

Ron

[wyo-helpmeet]

I want to know how you knew I was trying to germ. avacodo seeds? *looks around suspiciously* LOL

Nice setup, BTW!!!