Not enough carbon is the number one issue we see with worm farm environments. Carbon is key to maintaining a healthy habitat.
The ideal carbon (‘browns’) to nitrogen (‘greens’) ratio for worm farming is approx 30-50:1. However, to achieve a balanced environment (without getting all scientific and complicated), the general rule is aim feed your worms roughly 50% ‘green stuff’ and 50% ‘brown-stuff’.
Most people put in their leftover food waste (which is majority nitrogen) and forget about carbon. This can cause the habitat to become acidic, damp and anaerobic. All things that your worm population won’t enjoy! A few examples of how you can keep up your carbon input are shredded paper, cardboard, brown leaves, mulch etc. Not only do your worms love it but it’s a great, sustainable way to manage extra organic matter that's lying around.
Most problems experienced in a worm farm can be resolved by increasing your carbon input. It’s one of our top tips! Carbon inputs act as a food source for the worms but do not create an acidic, damp or anaerobic environment, so it’s perfect for a worm farm reset. Remember, if in doubt, add carbon!
Important Tip: Be sure to mist your carbon inputs to ensure you're not drawing moisture away from the worm's skin (worms breathe through moist skin). Both our Large-scale Worm Farms and our 140L Urban Worm Farm come with in-built misting systems to deliver the perfect amount of moisture.
Check out our misting system in action here
