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iowafarmersdaughter

Red wigglers and watermelon?

I was wondering if anyone knows if my red wigglers can have watermelon and do they like it? I have a big chunk I need to get rid of.

Thanks in advance!

Comments (10)

  • hank2230
    13 years ago

    If anything, the only treats my worms like better than watermellon is ripe cantelope. Go ahead and treat them.

  • mendopete
    13 years ago

    Watermelon may be worm's favorite food. Lay it flesh down and roll it over in 4 days. AMAZING! Happy wormin' Pete

  • smalltowngal
    13 years ago

    It's amazing how quickly watermelon disapears in the bin. After a day or two, I'll just have a paper thin skin left.

  • Shaul
    13 years ago

    Equinox, you're hilarious. The last thing we would want, is to encourage them. Keeping to that line, DO NOT feed them avocados or pureed pumpkin either :-))
    On a more serious note, I have two large rubbermaid-type bins with around 6,000 EF's altogether. This past summer I tried something different. I bought a large watermelon, cut it in half, scooped out the insides and ate it, leaving the shell intact. Then, filling the two empty shells with all the fruit & veggie waste I would normally put in, I buried them in one bin and filled wet shredded cardboard all around. That was in the beginning of August. I was originally planning to harvest in late Sept.but for one reason and another, I didn't have the time to do it until last week. The worms had worked the material completely. Everything was gone, the watermelon and all the other food and all the cardboard had disappeared; and wherever I poked around it was either worms or castings.
    In the beginning of October it was obvious the food was disappearing fast, but I was hoping to harvest so I fed minimally. When I finally did harvest, there seemed to be no end to the worms coming out of there. On top of that, what with the minimal feeding, the worms must have thought it was the end of the world; because when I got down to the bottom, the whole bottom was covered with cocoons. I mean, we're talking hundreds of large cocoons.

    So, by all means, feed watermelon. Actually, I had half a watermelon which I'd been saving in the freezer for the last two months, which went into the bin (with the worms)after the castings came out.
    Also, if you want to see some action, get an avocado (the mushier the better), cut it in half, remove the seed and place it peel-side down in the bin. Within a few days, it should be mobbed with worms.

    Shaul

  • hummersteve
    8 years ago

    I gave my red wigglers some watermelon yesterday and today they are swarming over or under it. Yes they love it but I would caution you not to leave any of the red melon, get as much water out as possible . I find it makes my bins way wetter than I like.

  • worldcomposting
    8 years ago

    I juice watermelon with the rind and the worms love the leftover fiber to the point I won't find a worm in the rest of the bin.

  • confused545
    8 years ago

    The big thing about watermellon is to make sure you add somthing to soak up the water. I have added too much to a bin that didnt drain good and flooded it

  • Jon Biddenback
    8 years ago

    I also had a flooding incident. A big chunk of watermelon hung on intact for about a week, then let go all at once and nearly filled the drainage pan. Be sure you have some safety measures in place to avoid drowning your worms.

    The EH (I don't have EF, though I'd like to get some) ate the hell out of that watermelon once it softened up enough that they could. They even ate the hard peel eventually.

  • hummersteve
    8 years ago

    wormaculture-- Nice idea juicing melon . I havent done that yet and next time I will . Will help alleviate a too wet bin especially if your bins are inside as mine are.

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