1. HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR WORM FARM

2. Why is a Worm Farm Important?  It is important because it creates NUTRIENTS that can be added to your garden.  Worms help DECOMPOSE food waste.

3. Where Does Everything Go? Food waste goes in the top bin Worms live in dirt in the middle bin Water drains into the bottom bin

4. What do Worms Eat?  Worms like to eat:  Vegetable scraps  Coffee grounds, tea bags and tea leaves  Crushed egg shells, just not too many  Unwaxed paper; soak it in water so its easy for the worms to eat  Some soil and leaves can be added too

5. What Don’t Worms Eat?  Worms don’t like to eat:  Citrus fruit peelings, like oranges and lemons. They are too ACIDIC.  Onions, tomatoes, and chilies; they are also very acidic.  Meat, bones, and animal fat  Dairy products, like cheese and yogurt

6. How does a Worm Farm Work?  When the worms can smell the food waste, they wiggle up from the middle bin into the top bin.  Earthworms don’t mind eating food that people won’t eat.

7. How does a Worm Farm Work?  After the worms eat the food waste, they leave behind a trail of nutrients.  The nutrients that the worms leave behind are BENEFICIAL to growing plants.

8. How to Take Care of Your Worms  Make sure to feed your worms about once a week.  They like water too, so spray a few squirts from a spray bottle once a week. The bottom bin is where the extra water goes. Don’t forget to drain the bottom bin.

9. How to Take Care of Your Worms  Worms don’t like light. Put shredded paper on top of the food to block out the light.  After the worms wiggle into the top bin, move the top bin to the middle of the bins. This way, you can use the leftover CASTINGS in your garden while the worms are busy decomposing the new food waste.

10. Need Help?  For more help, you can go online with a parent to research more about worm farms.  Some helpful resources:  http://www.deq.louisiana.gov/portal/default.aspx?tab id=2101 http://www.deq.louisiana.gov/portal/default.aspx?tab id=2101  http://www.opentutorial.com/index.php?title=Make_a _worm_farm http://www.opentutorial.com/index.php?title=Make_a _worm_farm