Worm composting is an easy, convenient, environmentally-friendly and efficient way of turning your waste kitchen scraps into high quality super-rich compost all the year round. The compost that the worms produce can be mixed into the soil when introducing new plants in the garden, added to houseplants and containers or used a top dressing (mulch). A tray should take around 1-2 months to fill, and about 4-5 months to compost fully. (These times are all dependent on the amount of worms, time of year, and the health of your wormery.) You can set up a wormery at any time of the year. Although worms to go into semi hibernation in the winter (when the temperature drops) and don't feed or eat as much - the wormery will still need to get essential moulds and bacteria which also help break the waste down. So, if you set up the wormery in the autumn or winter months only add a really small amount of food and the worms will be ready and raring to go when the temperature eventually warms up. Worm activity ceases below 10 degrees centigrade and so in the winter it will be beneficial to keep your wormery in a shed, utility room or garage. The worms can be kept outside all year but the container really should be insulated with old carpet, or bubble wrap, wrapped around it. Using straw inside will also keep them snug. Please note that worms can also be killed if the temperature goes too high - above 40 degrees C. If you are going away for a long time then add lots of damp shredded paper and cardboard, and mix it into wormery before you leave. Always site your wormery out of direct sunlight, away from strong winds, and in a place where children won't be able to knock it over. In the summer a North facing wall is ideal, as it's sunless. Worms trying to escape usually happens in the first 3-4 days of starting a wormery because the wormery starts as an alien environment (no bacteria or microbes present - we do suggest that you inoculate your wormery by adding a spade full of garden soil. The soil contains tons of creatures and organisms that will help your worms feel at home, and start the composting process). After the worms are settled they will stay in their new home, where the food is. You could also try putting the wormery in a bin liner overnight and sealing the top. Any worms that get out, will be trapped in the liner, and can be tipped straight back into the wormery. (Be sure to untie during the day so that the worms can get air.) Or put a large sheet of damp cardboard under the wormery, your worms will crawl underneath, and can be
retrieved (put it on concrete, so your worms don't disappear into the ground as soon as you lift the cardboard!) To prevent flies from getting in - again the simple solution is to make sure that when you put the next layer in place, that any food is covered either by soil or paper. Remember that often fruit fly eggs are often on the waste before it is put into your wormery. A normal wormery should smell earthy. Bad smells arise when too much food (more than the worms can eat do not overfeed!) is allowed to rot and becomes anaerobic (bacteria that doesn't need oxygen to live). You can help by getting your rubber gloves on and stirring up any uneaten food as this allows the oxygen to penetrate. Stop feeding the worms, add damp cardboard and paper, and if you have a really horrible smelly mess, it might be advisable to remove the rotten food. If your wormery is really wet, then add dry paper / cardboard to mop up the excess liquid. If you find that your worms are on the lid or stuck to the sides (anywhere except in the compost) it's possible that your wormery has something in it that the worms dislike. Check the waste you have put in, onions and citrus fruit are really bad for worms. Other possible causes are foods that are overheating (like bread), too wet, too dry, too hot etc. Your wormery has a sump to collect any liquid residue (leachate) and as the liquid passes through the bin it becomes charged with nutrients and therefore makes an excellent plant feed. It can take many months to get any liquid, as it is all dependent on what is placed in the wormery; obviously vegetables will produce more water than bread and if you use lots of paper, this will mop up any residues as well. Dilute any liquid with 10 parts water and use it to feed your plants for free. Worms can eat up to half their own body weight every day and can double their population every 60-90 days. If you start your wormery with 1 kilo of mature worms they will consume up to 500g of food waste per day*. After a few months you should have double your population and you can feed them more. As you become familiar
with your system you will learn their rate of food consumption. (* This is dependent on the time of year and how long your wormery has been running.) When the wormery is full of compost, the worms should be at the top (they travel upwards in search of food). All you need to do is remove the top third, place to one side (on a bin liner or the path - be careful your worms don't escape.. they can move very fast) and then remove the rest of the worm castings/compost, check this for worms, and return them to the bin along with the original top third. The rest of the compost can be placed in your garden, as its very nutritious, and then simply start adding food back into the wormery until the bin is refilled. A good tip is that when your composting tray is about three quarters full, you then add the next layer. Make sure that the trays slide inside each other, not rest on top. You will notice that there is a small gap around the tray. This allows for excellent air flow between the layers, resulting in happy worms, and food that doesn't stagnate through lack of oxygen. It is impossible to remove this gap, as the tops of the trays are larger than the base - needed so that the trays sink into the lower one each time and the worms will not escape. Add some of the compost from the bottom layer, this gives the worms something familiar to move into, and live in. It also gives the new tray the essential bacteria to kick start the composting process. Your worms will also continue to eat the food in the lower tray, until it has all composted then search for a new food source. Instead of buying extra lime to add to your wormery for acidic problems it is recommended that you use crushed egg shells instead, which is calcium oxide. If you have egg shells, simply dry them out by cooking them in the oven (when you are cooking something else) and then grind them into a fine powder. This powder can then be sprinkled into your wormery. Not only do eggshells help with any acidic problems they are also an essential form of grit, that helps the worm digest the food better (they do this by grinding the food against the grit in their stomachs.) Moisture Mats are basically either a layer of coir (which is what hanging basket liners are made from) or from woven hemp. Worms like to live and eat under something dark and moist, eventually though the moisture mats will eventually get eaten by the
worms! Your worms should be eating your kitchen waste not moisture mats; therefore, give the worms one (or more) of the following: Shredded or whole paper, dampen lightly and place on top of any food Cut a sheet of corrugated cardboard to size and place on top. Use an old jumper or carpet. All the above will eventually be eaten but will keep your worms happy and deter flies from getting to your food. You will notice that in periods of very wet weather the sump of the wormery may get full of rainwater - just leave open the tap so any excess liquid can escape. Sometimes worms will often go up into the lid even before it rains, this would naturally take them out of the soil and prevent drowning during flooding, but don't worry, they will return to their food. If your worms have died- check for common causes: Too much food. - do not overfeed your worms, the food will just rot completely and possibly poison your worms Too hot, cold or wet. Sometimes with the extreme British weather it can cause a problem. Try to site your wormery away from direct sunlight, and away from strong winds. Leave the tap open, and maybe insulate with newspaper or carpet placed on the top of the food. Insecticides or pesticides - make sure that none of these comes in contact with your wormer. Especially beware of cut flowers as some have been treated. Wrong foods! For best results use soft organic waste such as left over vegetable scraps, fruit and vegetable peelings, tea leaves/bags and coffee grounds, vacuum dust and hair (including animal) shredded newspaper, egg box type cardboard (pre-soaked), newspaper, crushed egg shells and stale bread. The greater the variety of organic wastes the better the resultant worm castings will be. Avoid some organic material such as animal manure (the animal may have been 'wormed' and the residue can kill your worms, highly acidic fruit such as citrus fruits and onions should be avoided. Also avoid meat and bones - products covered in fat, vinegar, garlic and spicy foods, eggs (egg shells are excellent) and dairy products.
No air - ensure that you put on your rubber gloves and turn the compost over once a week, worms need air, and this will keep them happy. If your wormery is inside, then leave the lid off.