Question 1

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 2

What temperature works best for a worm composting kit?

Accepted Answer

The ideal temperature range for a worm composting kit is between 55-77°F 13-25°C (55-77°F). This temperature range allows the worms to most efficiently process the organic matter, reproduce, and thrive.

If the temperature is too low, the worms will become less active and the decomposition process will slow down. If the temperature is too high, the worms will become stressed and may die.

It's important to keep an eye on the temperature in your worm composting kit, especially during extreme weather conditions. In warm weather, you can place the worm bin in a shaded area or add a layer of insulation to help keep it cool. In cold weather, you can place the bin in a warmer area or add a heating pad or lamp to keep it warm.

It's also important to mention that the temperature can also be affected by the amount of waste in the bin, the moisture levels, and the ventilation. It's crucial to keep a balance of all these factors to keep a healthy environment for the worms.

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 3

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 4

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 5

Are your wormeries rodent proof?

Accepted Answer

The great thing about a tray system wormery is that a: It's off the floor so very unlikely to be attacked by rodents and B: Worms compost waste as you add it so they really help to neutralise the odours. We have had no problems with rodents with Urbalive or other tray system worm composters.

Question 6

What’s the difference between worm leachate and worm tea?

Accepted Answer

We often refer to the liquid that you get out of your worm composter as worm tea but technically it’s leachate – the run off from making your worm casts. Obviously it will have drained through the casts so it’s a great product but technically it’s a bit different to actual worm tea which is made from suspending the worm casts in highly oxygenated water (like when brewing tea.

Worm tea - The end result of suspending worm castings in highly oxygenated water (brewing).

Every wormery has good and bad microbes. This is ok of course, as long as the good ones outnumber bad. Leachate is made when the excess water seeps down through the worm composter into the collection area. The leachate should be drained regularly and if you are getting more than a few cupfuls a week, the composter is probably too wet!

Not only are you feeding the plant, but you increase the number of beneficial microbes in the soil, thus crowding out the bad. It has been proven that the tea, along with the castings, can significantly increase plant growth, as well as crop yields, in the short term (a season) and especially the long term over a period of seasons

Question 7

What foods do worms prefer in a compost bin?

Accepted Answer

Your wormery composter is particularly suitable for peelings and leftovers of fruit and vegetables, such as potato peels, apple cores, green tops of vegetables, etc. Don't forget tea-bags, as worms often reproduce in them. Just be careful not to put in the plastic types (usually in pyramid shape sold with more expensive teas). Coffee grounds and paper coffee filters are also suitable. So are left overs of cooked vegetables, crushed egg shells, paper napkins, dampened cardboard, dry baked goods and remainders of indoor and outdoor plants.

Question 8

Which worms are best for composting?

Accepted Answer

Our composting worms are mixture of species (mainly reds and dendras) selected for their composting ability. Available with or without bedding. These types of worms are productive at consuming organic leftovers. Common garden earthworms don't perform as well in the same conditions.

Question 9

Can you put worms in a normal compost bin?

Accepted Answer

You can do - they will definitely help work through the material. They won't eat it as quickly as food waste, but they can work with the green waste. In a typical garden compost bin, we'd recommend starting with 2kg of Composting worms.

Question 10

What to do if there’s white mould growing in my bokashi bin?

Accepted Answer

This is good news. The white mould is actually a fungi and shows that the food waste is fermenting rather than putrefying. Fermentation is precisely what you want in your bokashi bucket. So, if you see white mould on your bokashi food waste, you can be confident that all is well in your bokashi bucket.