Question 1

How many Subpods do I need?

Accepted Answer

The average family generates 7kg (15lbs) of food waste a week, just for reference.

We have designed the Subpod to be used for a family of up to four people, processing around 15kg (33lbs) of organic waste per week.

It will take from six weeks to three months to get your Subpod working at this capacity, depending on the season and how much you feed it. The worms need to settle in and build up their numbers.

Subpod is modular, so If you have more than 30L/15kg of waste per week, you can choose to connect two or more Subpods and create a bench seat, or install in separate garden beds.

Question 2

What is a worm blanket? What is it used for?

Accepted Answer

Worm blankets are made of a water-absorbing, air-permeable and light blocking fabric.

Question 3

What can be composted in Subpod?

Accepted Answer

You can compost a lot more in Subpod than in other worm farm systems. You can compost food scraps, including citrus, onions, and after four months of active use, even small quantities of meat, fish, dairy, and spicy foods.

Carbon items such as paper and cardboard, lawn and garden clippings, and a whole lot more can be composted in Subpod. You CANNOT compost non-organics such as plastic, tin cans, cigarettes, and such.

Question 4

Do you have to reintroduce new worms after you empty the compost?

Accepted Answer

When you empty your castings and compost, the worms will not be with the castings, but where the food is, on the other side of the Subpod divider.

When the system is getting full, stop feeding one side. After two weeks, most of the worms will move to the other side where the food has been added. This allows for easy harvest of the castings from the unfed side.

Question 5

Does Subpod attract pests and rodents?

Accepted Answer

No it shouldn’t. Subpod’s built-in ventilation panels have small holes that keep out bugs, pests and rodents, whilst allowing air to flow in. Just make sure the ‘worm holes’ in the sides of the Subpod are covered with soil so nothing can sneak in.

Some pests are attracted to the smell of rotting food. By keeping a healthy Subpod, your food won't rot, it will instead be composted by your worms and microbes.

Keep your food scraps in a sealed container/caddy to make sure bugs don’t lay eggs in your waste before you transfer it to the Subpod.

Question 6

How do I keep ants out of the Subpod?

Accepted Answer

Ants are attracted to dry conditions, so this is usually an indicator that your Subpod is too dry.

Question 7

Can we leave the Subpod if we go away on holidays?

Accepted Answer

To keep the worms happy while you’re away, buy a pumpkin (or use one that is starting to rot), cut it in half and lay the open sides face down on the top of the bedding of the Subpod.

Then add a generous layer of dry carbon, either shredded newspaper, coir (coconut husk), wood shavings, crushed dried leaves or dried (brown) grass clippings on top of the pumpkin, and place the worm blankets over everything.

Question 8

Why won't my worms move?

Accepted Answer

If your worms are not moving to the next tray, there could be a few reasons:

Not enough food: If there is not enough food in the top tray, the worms may not have a reason to move up. Make sure to add food to the top tray regularly and in small amounts.
The waste has sunk. As worms compost waste the volume reduces and sometimes this can cause a gap between the trays which makes access to the next tray more difficult. Check for gaps and if there are – add waste into the gap.
Not the right type of food: Some types of food, such as citrus, onions, and garlic, can be harmful to worms and should be avoided. If you have added a lot of citrus onions and garlic to the top tray, either mix in other foods or remove some of them and replace with a more suitable foods for the worms.
Overcrowding: If there are too many worms in the bin, they may not have enough space to move around. Try harvesting some of the compost and removing some worms.
Temperature: worms are very sensitive to temperature, if the temperature is too high or too low it can affect their activity. Make sure the temperature in the bin is within the ideal range of 55-77°F (13-25°C)
pH level: worms need a slightly acidic environment to survive. If the pH level of the bin is too high or too low, it can affect their activity.

It's important to keep an eye on the conditions of the bin and make adjustments as needed to ensure a healthy environment for the worms.

Question 9

What is the problem with woodlice in your wormery

Accepted Answer

Woodlice, also known as sowbugs or pillbugs, are crustaceans that are commonly found in damp environments, such as gardens and compost piles. While they are not harmful to the worms or the composting process in a wormery, they can be a nuisance. They can consume some of the food scraps intended for the worms, and their presence may indicate that the wormery is too moist and not draining properly.

Additionally, an excessive population of woodlice in your wormery may indicate that the wormery is overcrowded and not receiving enough oxygen, which can lead to anaerobic conditions and unpleasant odours.

If you find that you have a problem with woodlice in your wormery, there’s a few things you can do:

Reduce the moisture in the wormery by adding more bedding material or by adjusting the ventilation.

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

Why have I got Fruit Flies in my Subpod?

Accepted Answer

Fruit flies can enter Subpod when you are adding your food waste. They can also get into the system before your food scraps are added to Subpod if there’s a loose lid.

The more thoroughly you stir your food waste into the bedding, the less likely you will have a problem with fruit flies and other insects. If you add more moist bedding (carbon), it’s easier to bury the food waste thoroughly. Make sure that the larger holes on the sides of your Subpod are below the soil line in your garden bed.

Any fruit fly larvae that finds its way into the Subpod will slowly diminish over time if the above techniques are used.