Question 1

What Is The Average Life Expectancy Of Composting Worms?

Accepted Answer

Without predators to chomp them in the wormery worms will live for upwards of three years! Compare that to most creatures of their size and you can start to understand why Mr Charles Darwin found them so fascinating! PS Worms show no visible signs of aging either, I understand they have done trials in face creams!

Question 2

Which Worms Are Used For Composting?

Accepted Answer

Our composting worms are a 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 3

Does The Urbalive Worm Compost Smell?

Accepted Answer

The worms like to eat the food when it has gone soft, but before it rots. This is why it doesn't smell. Usually, if it's starting to smell, it means it's either getting overfed, or it needs a little more fibrous material added. (Worm treat, leaves, shredded paper, cardboard etc)

Question 4

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 5

Should I Rake My Wormery Compost Regularly?

Accepted Answer

Not at all. The nosy among you beware and also make your children understand this - it's not useful to disturb the compost, particularly during the initial breeding. Add the food to the top. This prevents you from disturbing the worms and disrupting their homes, they only lay eggs in specific places. You can carefully rake the compost if it appears too wet or lacking air.

Question 6

How Can I Dilute And Use Worm Tea?

Accepted Answer

Worm tea is an excellent liquid fertilizer for herbs and indoor plants as well as the garden. It contains high amounts of nutrients and enzymes that promote growth and help build plant resistance against pests. You can collect worm tea in a plastic or glass bottle. It's ideal to dilute it with 10 parts water. Use the diluted worm tea for watering plants or spray it on their foliage.

Question 7

Where do I put my wormery? Indoors or outdoors? Which temperatures are optimum for my worms?

Accepted Answer

Composting with worms operates year-around. You can place your wormery either indoors or outdoors. It is important to always ensure that the earthworms have an optimal temperature of approximately 20 C/ 68 F as well as a correct level of moisture in the substrate.

During winter you shouldn't leave your wormery without insulation, so it doesn't freeze through. In the summer it shouldn't be exposed to direct sunlight, to prevent water evaporation and overheating. The temperature in your wormery should not drop below 5 C or exceed 25 C.

Question 8

What should and shouldn't I put into my wormery?

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

Question 9

Where Are Your Flowers?

Accepted Answer

All our flowery orders have now moved from Wiggly Wigglers to our sister site The Great British Florist https://www.greatbritishflorist.co.uk

Question 10

What do I do about Maggots in my wormery?

Accepted Answer

Maggots are the larvae of a number of species of flies, including the common housefly. The flies are attracted to food, in particular meat, and lay their eggs directly on the food waste. The maggots form pupae and hatch into flies. The whole of this life-cycle, on average, takes up to 10 days in warm weather and up to a month in cold weather. With regard to flies, you need to keep your food waste covered up. All flies lay their eggs on the surface of the food waste, but will not burrow. Make sure that you keep your moisture mat in place at all times (or you can use clean newspaper) to restrict access. In addition, you will need to keep any kitchen collecting bin (if you have one) covered, otherwise it is likely that you will transfer fly eggs into your wormery.

To break the cycle you can cover the top of the food waste in your wormery with a thin layer of garden soil or clean newspaper and refrain from adding waste for 2-3 weeks.

Flies prefer acidic conditions, so it is important to sprinkle a handful of the anti-acid lime mix over the surface of the food waste on a regular basis, for example, once a week. You are trying to achieve as neutral a pH level as possible so it is important to use equal quantities on a regular basis.

The other fantastic product for sorting out flies is DE Powder which is available on our website. It's non-toxic organic powder that helps control all crawling insects including flies bed bugs, fleas and ants. The powder works by cutting the exoskeleton of the insect and killing it via dehydration.