Compost Worms and Coffee Grounds

I’ve been experimenting with a worm farm and found that worms thrive on coffee grounds. The health of the worms is impressive, and they are even preparing to lay eggs. I add about 20% coffee grounds to the compost, and the worms are thriving. If you don’t have a worm farm yet, consider getting one…

shanegenziuk

September 22, 2010

2–3 minutes

coffee, coffee grounds, compost, fertiliser, like, love, Manure, worms

I’ve been experimenting with a worm farm so some time now, and have been putting to the test this idea that worms love coffee grounds. I am pleased to report that my love for coffee grounds continues to grow 🙂

The worm farm that I’ve started with is one of those smallish green plastic boxes on a stand, and a tray underneath to collect the valuable vermicast. The top of it is a folding plastic lid with air holes and over the organic material I have placed some cardboard and paper sheeting, which keeps out the light, keeps in the warmth, and reduces the number of flies.

The picture below is the result of taking a scoop from the top.

Handful of worms living on coffee grounds

What really struck me was the health of the worms. You can see from the photos that they are in great health, and also spotted many of them with the tell-tale signs of getting ready to lay eggs (from those white bulges).

Happy and fat worms living on coffee grounds

See the two little ones on the left?

baby worms with the daddy, living on coffee grounds

A box full of plump and healthy coffee ground reared worms.

As for the amount of coffee grounds used in the compost bin, I’m adding about 20% of the total weight of scraps thrown in. They are thriving on the combination, which is fairly much everything except meat, dairy, limited citrus, garlic and onion.

Have also started to throw in bird seed, with the smaller type grain for canaries and finches.

These little wonders are also going into my compost bins (except the heat induction one), and also into the vegi plots. They seem to have developed a taste for the horse manure resting in plot 1.

So friends, if you do not yet have a worm farm to call your own, go out and get one, or make your own – and if you are already collecting coffee grounds (don’t get me started man! But if you need a refresh my Ground to Ground Primer post should do it), just add some greens, paper, cardboard, egg shells, and seeds. Do a visual check to see if they want more, in Summer they eat more than in Winter, and clean it all out every 6 months or so.

And if there was ever any doubt about how much worms love coffee grounds, check out my video on the subject – and if you have any questions just ask.

10 responses to “Compost Worms and Coffee Grounds”

Throw away your stupid Keurig and buy, trade for, or make a french press. | Island

October 22, 2015 at 8:21 am

[…] instigates almost no waste (coffee grounds and filter can quickly be re-purposed into food for your worms or bacteria or even delicious fungi) into producing garbage and further distancing humans from […]

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fukyo giac

March 12, 2015 at 6:59 am

does it make the casting acidic?

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1. shanegenziuk
  
  April 4, 2015 at 12:27 pm
  
  No it balances out nicely, no issues with acidity.
  
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Richard ( rick) Burrill

September 25, 2012 at 5:16 am

I really want to produce an outstanding veggi garden . I think that I want a lot of worms. I have started composting with veggie’s from my garden. I want to be completly organic. Any info that you might send me will be very much appreciated

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1. shanegenziuk
  
  October 5, 2012 at 9:39 pm
  
  Well Rick, plenty of coffee grounds, rotting organic material, and some moisture is all you really need to get as many worms as you need.
  
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Derrick K

May 13, 2011 at 12:03 pm

Can you help me with white larvae in composting coffee grounds?

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1. shanegenziuk
  
  May 13, 2011 at 9:04 pm
  
  Howdy Derrick. Sounds like you might be referring to White Grubs, which are a fairly common sight in most garden soils. The best article I’ve read about them is from Pennsylvania State University, titled ‘White grubs in pastures’.
  
  Hope that helps, and if you still need a hand let me know.
  
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Warren

February 21, 2011 at 4:01 pm

Great photos on worms and coffee grounds in compost. Been looking for a site like this because I thought I was the only one into coffee grounds and worm farming! Looks like you are creating the one reference for all things coffee grounds. My worms and compost thank you! Out of interest, how much coffee grounds for the worm farm?

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1. shanegenziuk
  
  February 22, 2011 at 1:36 pm
  
  Thanks Warren. I have been telling people for a while now about why do worms love coffee. Some people don’t pick up on it right away, and others think that worms like coffee, maybe a little. After many many months of trialling coffee grounds with worms, I can confirm that they love coffee!! And up to 25% of the total you give them by weight will be just fine, make sure you mix it in with the other ingredients and it doesn’t get too dry.
  
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How a Cafe Turns Coffee Grounds to Compost | Sane but different

October 1, 2010 at 5:34 pm

[…] use the product as an additive to the compost pile or compost bin, for the vegetable patch, the worm farm, to sprinkle over the lawn, or to put onto the pavement to deter snails and slugs (and ants and […]

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