Worms and Radishes
In the world of worms, there are many different species. Each type of worm has its own preferences and habitat. There are red wrigglers, also known as manure worms or tiger worms, composting worms, earthworms and red wigglers. If you have a radish garden, you might be worried that worms might eat your radishes.
Yes, worms do eat radishes. They consume anything that comes in their way. However, what you should be afraid of eating your radishes are radish maggots.
Read on to learn more about whether or not worms will eat radishes and if they eat radishes.
Do Worms Eat Radishes?
All worms are not created equal, and each type has different tastes. Some worms are picky eaters and only like a few foods. Others are more adventurous and will try almost anything. For instance, garden worms, such as red wigglers, red worms, and compost worms, may not eat radishes.
However, yes worms tend to eat radishes. In fact, they eat anything decayed or that will decay. Studies have shown that most worms tend to stay away from radishes and don’t enjoy eating them.
Will Worms Eat Radishes?
This is a very similar type of question to what we just discussed.
They might, but don’t expect to find any leftovers. Worms are not picky eaters. They will consume just about any vegetable matter in the bin, and mix it all into their bedding. It’s hard to know whether worms will eat them as every worm thinks differently.
Red Wigglers and Radishes
If you have red wigglers in your worm bin, you can be pretty sure they’ll eat the radishes. In fact, red wigglers will eat just about anything. They are great at breaking down compost and turning it into rich soil.
Are Radishes Safe For Worms?
It’s a tricky question.
Radishes are a spicy food. It’s never advised to have spicy foods in the same bin as your worms. As they can cause your worms harm or even possible damage. However, radishes are known to be perfectly fine.
Note – We still advise not to have radishes and worms in the same bin
How To Know If Your Worms Ate Your Radishes
If you’re wondering how you could tell if your worms ate your radishes, there are a few ways to tell.
First, check your worm bin. If there are radish leaves or roots, that’s an obvious sign. Next, take a sniff. If your bin smells like fermented radishes, your worms ate them. If your bin smells like rotting fruit, your worms ate your fruits. As simple as that.
Finally, look at your bedding. If your worms ate your radishes, you’ll see the same color in your bedding.
Note – If your worms are eating radishes, you will know, because they will leave an unmistakable smell in the bin.
How Do You Keep Worms Out Of Radishes?
Keeping worms out of radishes is about controlling their access to food. You want to make sure that your worms have enough food, but not too much. Have just enough food in the bin to keep the worms happy, but not so much that they start eating radishes instead.
The best way to do this is to have a removable tray in your worm bin. Remove the tray every few days and feed your worms. Replace the tray and make sure that it is full but not overly full.
Make sure that your worm bin is properly maintained. If there isn’t enough bedding in the bin, the worms might try to eat the radishes. If you notice worms trying to get at your radishes, add more bedding.
Its Radish Maggots Eating Your Radishes
If your radishes are disappearing faster than you can harvest them, they might be being devoured by maggots called radish. Yes, they even have the name.
Maggots are larvae from certain flies, and they are attracted to rotting plants. If you have some rotting vegetables in your compost bin, it might be a fly maggot infestation.
To get rid of radish maggots, throw out any rotten vegetables and make sure that you have plenty of bedding in your compost bin. You should be composting or adding compost to your bin regularly.
If you notice radish maggots in your compost bin, you can try shooing them away. You can also try spraying them with a strong stream of water.
Learn more about radish maggots – gardenmentors.com
Conclusion
As you can see, worms eat a wide variety of foods, including radishes. They are more likely to eat any other decaying matter, like rotten fruits and vegetables. Worms are very helpful, so they are definitely worth having around.
If you’re looking for an easy way to get rid of some of your kitchen scraps while enriching your soil, consider starting up a worm bin. As long as you care for your worms properly, they can make gardening much easier.
