Bread, pasta, rice, and grains
Cardboard
Cardboard with plastic coating
Charcoal ash
Chemicals
Cigarette butts and ash
Coffee filters
Coffee grounds
Cooked food
Dairy products
Dog, cat waste
Dried grass
Earth, soil and root balls
Egg cartons
Eggshells
Envelopes
Fresh grass
Glossy paper
Hair
Household dust
Large, hard pits
Leaves
Meat, fish, and bones
Metals, glass, ceramics
Nail clippings
Natural textiles
Newspaper
Nut shells
Oily food & sauces
Paper tissues
Paper towels
Pine needles & conifer
Plastics
Salty or pickled foods
Sand
Sawdust
Sick plants
Straw
Strongly spiced food
Tea bags
Toilet paper tubes
Tumble dryer lint
Twigs
Waste from small vegetarian pets
Weeds
White office paper
Wilted flowers & houseplants
Wood ash
Household items & your worm bin
Beyond fruits and vegetables, a variety of other materials can contribute to your vermicomposting system. Understanding their properties helps you add them mindfully, maintaining the balance vital for an effortless, odor-free system.
A quick note on balance
Remember that the ‘brown’ materials in this category, like cardboard and paper, are crucial for balancing the ‘greens’ (fruits and vegetables). Ensure you provide enough carbon-rich materials for a healthy bin.
Perfect for lush indoor plants, the garden, or sharing with the community.
Using this specific guide, you can confidently add a range of other household materials to your vermicomposting system, ensuring they contribute positively to the transformation process. This tailored approach makes managing your bin effortless across various waste streams. Looking to vermicompost fruits and vegetables as well? Discover more in our vermicompost guides.
Fruits
Cores, peels, and rinds provide the energy needed for a healthy, active system.
Vegetables
From peels to stems, most vegetable scraps are a perfect meal for your composter.
Frequently asked questions
Why are 'browns' like cardboard so important?
What about glossy paper or receipts?
Can I add tea bags and coffee filters?