Corrugated cardboard is an utterly anemic diet that would make anyone sick!Īlso, cardboard has a very high carbon-to-nitrogen ratio of 350:1. In the wild, they would munch on whatever food they could find. Can I Feed Cardboard to Worms Exclusively? However, composting worms cannot live exclusively on cardboard. Mix it into their kitchen scraps occasionally. See a list in paragraph 2.Ĭorrugated cardboard can also serve as food for the worms. When preparing bedding for a new vermicomposting bin, mix shredded corrugated cardboard with one or two other bedding ingredients. You may find that wearing gardening gloves protects your hands. Snip into small pieces using strong scissors.
#DOES CARDBOARD DECOMPOSE HOW TO#
How to Prepare Brown Cardboard for Wormsīrown corrugated cardboard needs to be cut into small pieces before adding it to a worm composting bin. They hinder worm movement and prevent proper drainage. Large sheets of brown corrugated cardboard will take a long time to break down in a worm bin. Make sure the corrugated cardboard is not colored, treated, waxed, covered with a plastic layer, or otherwise processed. The flute also provides the fluffiness needed in worm bins. This flute crushes under pressure, thus cushioning the box contents. Corrugated cardboard is structured like a sandwich: two outer layers called “liners,” with a “flute” made from recycled paper in the middle. Plastic-like coatings will never break down in a worm bin.īrown corrugated cardboard makes a good worm bedding ingredient. Only certain types of cardboard are good for worm bins.Ĭardboard that is highly processed, bleached white, coated, shiny, or saturated with colored ink does not make good bedding. Cardboard as Worm BeddingĬardboard is made from trees and is therefore very high in cellulose. And it should be light and fluffy enough to allow air flow and worm movement. The pH of bedding should be neutral - not alkaline and not acidic. Ideal bedding should feel like a wrung-out sponge when squeezed. The best bedding retains the right amount of moisture. However, worms will also need regular feedings of fruit and vegetable scraps to stay healthy.
When worms eat cellulose, they acquire some nutrition. Additionally, certain types of cardboard make good bedding.īedding needs to contain cellulose. This is called “bedding.” Bedding is typically made from a mixture of coconut coir, pure peat moss, shredded black ink newspaper, partially-decomposed leaves, and/or small amounts of untreated wood chips. When you start a composting bin, you need material for the worms to live in.
Can you compost cardboard? Which types of cardboard are best for worms? Can worms live exclusively on cardboard? Properties of Good Worm Bedding
However, most of our household consumables come packaged in cardboard. Obviously, fruit and vegetable scraps are an ideal food to bury in the composting bin. Cardboard is readily available, but can you feed cardboard to composting worms? Vermicomposting enthusiasts turn trash into valuable organic compost with the help of Red Worms.
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