Recently there was a debate in one of the Facebook groups that drifted off topic. It drifted into a debate about composting tomato, potato or members of the nightshade family of plants. During the debate I said I would create a mini worm bin with 25- 50 worms and feed potato to end the debate. The full debate can be seen here if you are a member of the group or join up
On Monday14 November 2016 I began the experimental tater feeding bin. The bedding is screened, Ph adjusted and sterile sphagnum peat moss. The bedding was sterilized by mixing with water and boiling for15 minutes. The bin was formerly a 2 pound margarine container. 50 red wigglers were added and fed with finely diced, white potato.
The intended time frame for the experiment is 4-6 weeks. I will make daily observations and post them weekly. Observations will include any noticed dead worms, need for moisture, if worms appear to be eating the potato and any other relevant observations. At the end of this experiment (presuming all the worms aren’t dead) I will count the worms and any cocoons to see what the final conclusion is.
My expected observations are that the worms will survive, produce a number of egg capsules and eat the potato.
For some fun, I challenge some readers to try this too. Let`s find out once and for all if the toxin (solanine) found in nightshade plants is indeed toxic to worms.
If you bury a whole potato in your bath tub sized worm bin it will create heat and keep them warm in the winter . The potatoes will even grow in the dark compost/garden soil
Nice
I don’t see your results posted. Are your worms still alive?
What happened with the results?
The worms loved the potatoes, with no ill effects. I ended up not completing this particular experiment to the point of cocoons, but I now use a potato based feed in my breeding program
How about potato Sprouts only? They will cause upset stomach in humans so we should not eat them but how about the worms?
Worms won’t eat the sprouts while they’re alive and growing. By the time the bacteria and microbes break it down enough for them to eat it isn’t a problem
Hi Larry, I apsis your investigative spirit! I saw the great debate unfold on FB. However I have a comment, the experiment methodology could be enhanced by having a control. Since the object of the study is the feed i.e. Potato you need a second group of same specie same container same amount of same kind bedding with same amount of DIFFERENT feed. Something accepted as standard feed. After the same period check for the outcomes above survival cocoons etc. best if run at the same time! Now, you can thank me later after a I’ve learned so much following your posts. But this is how you would have a near flawless experiment to silence your critics!
Applaud sorry about that !
I agree with you, however this time objective is only to prove it won’t kill them; so no real need to feed another bin something I know WON’T kill them.
The experiment was only to show that the potato wasn’t toxic to the worms. So really it was more like how makeup companies test eyeliner in animals than a real scientific approach
I always feed potato peeling to my worm, none has died.
Me too, seeking to provide proof for my argument
This is a great idea! I’m going to try it with tomato leaves from the garden.
That’s great, please do come back to give results
I really don’t think so, if this were the case we wouldn’t expect to find worms in a garden where potatoes were grown.
Would feeding them larger chunks affect the result? I mean larer chunks or potatoe are more likely to survive and sprout and maintain continuous solanine production?
I doubt it’d matter. Once sprouting & alive the worms won’t eat it anyway