Question 1

How and when to harvest the compost/castings?

Accepted Answer

After 2-3 months or when your Subpod is full, you can harvest your Subpod compost.

Question 2

How to look after my Subpod in extreme heat?

Accepted Answer

The Subpod lid is insulated to keep out direct heat from the sun, but if you live in an extremely hot climate, we recommend installing your Subpod in a shady location to prevent overheating or build a shade structure to protect it in the heat of the day. Keeping the worm blanket wet/moist will also help to keep your Subpod cool.

Question 3

Why does my Subpod smell?

Accepted Answer

If your Subpod smells, it indicates that food is rotting before the worms can eat it or there is not enough oxygen in the system.

In most cases, adding more carbon should balance your Subpod out

Add carbon sources such as shredded newspaper or cardboard, coconut peat, wood shavings, dry leaves or sawdust each time you feed your Subpod, along with a handful of biochar.

Have you been using your aerator? Each time you add your food waste make sure you use the compost aerator to mix the scaps thoroughly whilst also adding oxygen to the Subpod, which creates a healthy, fresh-smelling aerobic environment.

Question 4

What can you not put in a worm compost bin?

Accepted Answer

Do not put intensely spicy foods into your worm composter, such as ginger or an excessive amount of citruses, as well as milk products, meat products, bones, oils, lard and other fats.

Question 5

How long does it take worms to compost?

Accepted Answer

Creating quality composts takes approximately 2-3 months. It mainly depends on the number of earthworms and the quality of 'food'. Creating quality composts takes approximately 2-3 months. It mainly depends on the number of earthworms and the quality of 'food'.

Question 6

What do I do about waste shrinkage in the lower trays of the wormery?

Accepted Answer

It is important to maintain the level of waste in the lower trays of the wormery as the waste is reducing. If the level drops too much then it makes if difficult for the worms to access the levels above.

Question 7

How much food can my worms eat?

Accepted Answer

The amount of food that worms can eat depends on the size of your worm bin and the number of worms you have. As a general rule, worms can consume about half their body weight in food per day.

For example, if you have 500g of worms, they can consume about 250g of food per day. However, it's important to keep in mind that the worms will not eat all the food you give them at once. You should start with small amounts of food and gradually increase as the worms begin to consume it.

It's also important to note that worms can only eat so much food based on the moisture and temperature conditions in the bin. If the bin is too dry or too hot, the worms will not be able to eat as much food. If you find that the worms are not consuming the food you're providing, you may need to adjust the moisture levels in the bin by adding water or reducing the amount of food you're adding.

For more help with your wormery and frequently asked questions pop on over to https://www.wigglywigglers.co.uk/pages/wormery-faqs. Or if you’re keen to get started or order a wormery please visit https://www.wigglywigglers.co.uk/collections/worm-composting

Question 8

Are normal earthworms suitable for composting?

Accepted Answer

Normal earthworms, also known as "garden worms" or "lob worms," are not typically suitable for composting. These worms are typically found in soil and are not well adapted to the conditions found in a worm composting bin. They require specific conditions such as a certain temperature and pH range to survive.

Question 9

I have maggots in my wormery!

Accepted Answer

Maggots are the larvae of flies and usually gain access via eggs laid on the food scraps you put in. The first step is to ensure flies can’t lay eggs in your kitchen caddy or where you store the waste before you compost it. They can be a sign that the conditions in your wormery are suitable for fly larvae to thrive and that the organic matter in the bin is rotting rather than the worms eating and composting it. Maggots are not harmful to the worms and can even be a valuable food source for them. However, if you find the population of maggots to be excessive, you can try reducing the amount of food scraps you add to the wormery or covering the bin with a lid to reduce the number of flies that can lay eggs in it.

For more help with your wormery and frequently asked questions pop on over to https://www.wigglywigglers.co.uk/pages/wormery-faqs. Or if you’re keen to get started or order a wormery please visit https://www.wigglywigglers.co.uk/collections/worm-composting

Question 10

What should I do about ants in my vermicomposter?

Accepted Answer

Ants in a vermicomposter can be a nuisance, but they are not harmful to the worms or the composting process. However, if the population of ants is excessive, there are a few things you can do to reduce their numbers:

Keep the bin moist but not waterlogged: Ants are attracted to dry environments, so maintaining the proper moisture level in the bin can help discourage them from entering.

For more help with your wormery and frequently asked questions pop on over to https://www.wigglywigglers.co.uk/pages/wormery-faqs. Or if you’re keen to get started or order a wormery please visit https://www.wigglywigglers.co.uk/collections/worm-composting