Is cardboard bedding OR coir nutritious?

11 years ago

I started my first worm tray with card board layers, newspaper, and coconut coir, which the worms digested and broke down before i even had a chance to add the food.

I harvested the compost from that tray. It does not have food compost, just compost from the cardboard, newspaper, and coir.

My question is, does this compost have any nutritional content/value?

Or is it only nutritious when an actual food has been added to it?

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Comments (3)

Aindra
11 years ago
The coir does have nutrients. It's part of the plants (coconut fibers), just like veggie and fruit scraps you feed your worms. Check the link for nutrient analysis. Pre-digested coir have a habit of binding calcium and magnesium, preventing uptake for the plants. I don't know if they still do it after digested by worms.

I'm not sure about cardboard's nutrient value. I'm assuming it has very little, if not nothing.

I'm sure you already know, but the worm castings are best if it has many variety of food scraps, for higher quality and balanced nutrients available. Next time, throw food in before they chomp all bedding! :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Nutrient Analysis of Coir (PDF)
KendraSchmidt
Original Author
11 years ago
Okay, thanks Aindra, and thanks for the link, too!
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boreal_wormer
11 years ago
Cornstarch is the 'glue' that holds cardboard together so it probably has some nutrient value.