Q: Can I add cooked food waste to my worm composter?

I would avoid this – first of all there’s the trudge to the bottom of the garden but also this sort of waste has a tendency to attract pests if anything is going to. The best methods for kitchen waste are Worm Composting or Bokashi and for cooked waste Bokashi is the most flexible - the Japanese fermentation method is fantastic for all sorts of waste and can deal with bulk amounts in one go (unlike a worm composter). Shop our Bokashi Kitchen Food Waste Composters

Question 1

Is The Wormery Composting Method Different At The Beginning From Later On?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and it's very important to remember this. Give your worms enough time to settle and reproduce, don't swamp them with food from the get-go. You will know that the earthworms are well adjusted when they begin to process the food you give them more quickly and you will also be able to feed them more often.

Question 2

How does DE Powder (Diatomaceous Earth) work?

Accepted Answer

https://www.wigglywigglers.co.uk/products/diatomaceous-earth?_pos=1&_sid=fdc3360f1&_ss=r

It works by absorption of oils, waxes and lipids on the coat of insects, to which it is applied, whereby they lose water and of dehydration. It is harmless to earthworms as they do not have a chitinous waxy coat. It could dehydrate other useful insects though, if applied in large enough dry quantities in the garden, but mixed into compost /soil or growing media which then gets watered frequently, in the quantities recommended does not pose a problem.

Our product labels comply with recent legislation and do not claim to control insects the DE CLEAN & DRY product is a Dessicant, Absorbent and Deodoriser.

Question 3

Why use worms to compost.

Accepted Answer

In the UK it's estimated that households throw away about a third of the food they buy. Around half of the 6.7 million tonnes of food thrown in the bin each year is edible and the rest comprises waste such as veg peelings and food scraps.

All this waste then gets transported to landfill sites around the UK. These sites are nearly full and account for a large percentage of the greenhouse gasses that pollute our atmosphere.

Even if they centrally compost the waste it is still a huge waste to transport waste and compost back and forth from people's houses back to their gardens. Worms are efficient at turning all organic material into a valuable soil fertiliser called vermicompost.

Question 4

What pH level should my wormery be at?

Accepted Answer

A well maintained worm bin should have a pH measurement between 6.0 and 7.0, which is perfect for many types of composting worms. Most can handle pH conditions up to 8.0, but its always best to play it safe and try to maintain a pH in the 6.0-7.0 range. The easiest way to do this is to add a handful of lime mix into your kit every couple of weeks. Don't worry about over liming as your lime mix is a mix of calcified lime and fibre rather than conventional garden lime which is too strong.

Basically to ensure your kit isn't too acidic look out for the signs of acidity - these are flies being attracted to the kit, a putrid smell, a really wet kit, or sometimes even swollen bits all over your worms (which is protein poisoning). If you see or smell any of these issues just add a few more handfuls of lime mix - add crushed egg shells for a similar affect and all will be well.

Buy Lime Mix Here: https://www.wigglywigglers.co.uk/products/anti-acid-lime-mix

Question 5

Can I add cooked food waste to my worm composter?

Accepted Answer

I would avoid this – first of all there’s the trudge to the bottom of the garden but also this sort of waste has a tendency to attract pests if anything is going to. The best methods for kitchen waste are Worm Composting or Bokashi and for cooked waste Bokashi is the most flexible - the Japanese fermentation method is fantastic for all sorts of waste and can deal with bulk amounts in one go (unlike a worm composter).

Shop our Bokashi Kitchen Food Waste Composters

Question 6

What Do Worms Need To Survive And Thrive?

Accepted Answer

Basically worms need food, air, and moisture – all of which are pretty easy to provide. Once you’ve understood that your wormery is not a waste disposal machine but a living, working ecosystem you will find it provides a service as well as providing some great worm compost and liquid feed.

Question 7

I'm looking for extra spare trays for my Can-O-Worms - do you have some?

Accepted Answer

I’m sorry we stopped stocking Can-O-Worms in 2013 so have sold out several of spare trays (although we still stock moisture mats, lime mix, worm treat and complete rescue kits. The best way to source hardware parts including trays is usually ebay or gumtree.

Question 8

What Should I Do With Excess Compost Or Worm Tea?

Accepted Answer

Anyone who grows plants will appreciate compost and worm tea. If you can't find anyone who could use it for gardening, use the compost to fertilize trees, bushes or even planters in public spaces. Likewise with the worm tea.

Question 9

How Do Worms Breathe?

Accepted Answer

Worms breathe through their skin which must remain moist to absorb oxygen from the air.

Question 10

How Many Worms Are There In The Soil?

Accepted Answer

A really good soil has up to 1 million worms per acre!