You might have found yourself wondering if red
wigglers can be used for composting wood chips, and the answer is yes, but with
a few caveats. A careful and thoughtful approach is called for when creating
high-quality worm castings from wood chips to avoid creating a stressful or
harmful situation for the worms in the composting bin. Here is a detailed guide
on how to correctly compost wood chips, manage pH and moisture levels, and
combine manure, scraps, and sources of carbon to create an ideal, nutritionally
balanced environment for the worms.
Red Wigglers Can Compost Wood Chips, But Not On Their Own
To create ideal composting conditions, a worm
bin must have the right balance of carbon and nitrogen. While red wigglers are
extremely efficient composters, they need this ratio to be at ideal levels to
fully thrive. The problem with wood chips is that they have a very high carbon
content, so if the composting bin was filled mostly with woodchips, the carbon
levels would go through the roof, throwing off the carbon-nitrogen balance.
However, when aged wood chips are combined
with nitrogen-rich materials like composted manures or fruit and vegetable
scraps, it creates a terrific mix that keeps the composting bin’s environment
optimal for the worms to do their thing. The key is understanding how to
prepare and blend the ingredients properly.
1.
Avoid Using Resinous or Toxic Types Of Wood
The first thing to be aware of is that just
because worms can compost wood chips, it doesn’t mean they can do so with any
kind of wood chip. Particular types of wood should be entirely avoided. These
include juniper, cedar, walnut, and any other aromatic wood because they
contain resinous compounds that are harmful not just to the red wigglers in
your bin but the microbes that help the worms effectively operate. Worse than
that, if worms produce castings from these wood types, the compounds remain in
the castings as well, potentially harming the plants you grow in your garden
that are fertilized with them.
2. Use
Aged and Leeched Wood Chips
Fresh wood chips tend to repel moisture. This
creates a dry and poor environment for the red wigglers, resulting in patchy
bedding conditions that drive the worms away from those areas of the worm bin.
Even worse, they can dry out the environment and kill many or all the worms in
it.
However, aged wood chips, which have been
exposed to the elements, microbes, and fungi over time, develop a spongy
texture that retains moisture well. They’re also typically colonized by fungi,
which assists the worms in breaking down the wood fibers. These chips also
support microbes that aid the composting process. They also help stabilize pH
levels better than fresh chips, creating an environment more friendly to
healthy worms. Remember to soak them thoroughly before adding them to your bin
to prevent dry spots.
3. Mix
Wood Chips With Nitrogen-Rich Materials
Since the worm bin has to have a balance of
carbon and nitrogen particles, red wigglers won’t be able to survive or thrive
in an environment composed entirely of wood chips due to their high carbon
content. To keep things in check, they need to be mixed with nitrogen-rich
materials. Some ideal options include fruit and vegetable scraps like banana
peels, melon rinds, and carrot tops, rain-leached cow, horse, or rabbit manure,
and coffee grinds (used moderately).
The addition of these materials supplies the
nitrogen content necessary to balance out the carbon elements in the wood
chips, helping to regulate the worm bin’s pH. When fruit/vegetable scraps are
added, it helps to chop them up. This practice prevents harmful “hot spots”
where particular areas’ acidity rises, harming the worms. If the monitoring of
the acidity levels shows that it has increased, add crushed eggshells or
dolomite lime for additional alkalinity to bring the pH to a level of 6.5 to 7.
Bonus
Tip: Use Klin-Dried Pine Shavings As Source Of Carbon
There is a wood-based material that’s easier
to use right away: kiln-dried pine shavings. These can be found at feed stores
and are typically used for animal bedding. Unlike raw wood chips, they don’t
require long-term aging and are generally lacking harmful resins.
When pine shavings are fully soaked and mixed
with scraps or aged manure, they create a light bedding that allows air flow,
retains moisture, and promotes decomposition. Actually, worm keepers typically
prefer them to peat moss because they last longer and result in high-quality
worm castings. Just make sure to hydrate the shavings thoroughly before
introducing them to the composting worm bin, as any remaining pockets will
cause the worms to avoid the area or even try to escape the worm bin.
Overall, when done properly, the use of wood
chips in composting bins can really pay off. The right type of wood, properly
aged, with moisture and pH maintained, and a balanced ratio of carbon to
nitrogen, results in a highly effective worm in an environment that will reap
rewards in the form of high-quality worm castings.