Question 1

What Should I Do If I Have A Tray Full?

Accepted Answer

Once you fill one tray and it looks like worms soon will not have anything to eat, load the next / new tray above the old one. As there are holes in each tray the worms just migrate through these into the tray above. Prepare the new tray in the same way as you did the old tray.

Please note if you are using a moisture mat this needs always to go on top of the freshest waste – so if you are adding a new tray remove the moisture mat put the new tray on top of the waste in the existing tray and add waste into the new tray and the moisture mat on top of the fresh waste.

The worms will go up and down through the holes – you will see evidence of this with tiny specs of dark specs of compost. One thing to note is that sometimes as the worms work through the waste and reduce the volume which then means the compost sinks inbetween the trays meaning it’s more difficult for the worms to work their way up and down so it’s worth checking for gaps every now and again and if there are it’s simple just pop a bit of waste into the gap.

Once you have reached the top of the top tray (which will take some time as the worms reduce the volume on a daily basis) then most of the worms will have left the bottom tray and this compost can be used. Empty it out and then this tray can be used to go on top of the working tray so that the worms continue working their way up and you are rotating the trays.

There is bound to be some worms in the compost that you use – this is fine but if you want them all back in your wormery – just expose the compost to light and skim off the compost. The worms move away from the light and so will form a pile which you can pop back into your worm bin.**

We sell additional trays for urbalive composters here https://www.wigglywigglers.co.uk/collections/spares-and-extras

Question 2

How to know if my wormery is too wet

Accepted Answer

You will soon see if your worm composter is too wet – it looks visibly sodden. To check pick up some of the made compost/bedding and squeeze… It should have the consistency of a wrung out sponge. If water leaks out between your fingers – then it’s too wet. (If it’s dry and crumbly… it’s too dry.)

Question 3

How do I feed live mealworms to garden birds?

Accepted Answer

When your worms are weighed and packed here at the farm they are sent with some bedding of wheat bran. As they eat this the resulting material is called frass and needs to be sieved (a normal small kitchen sieve is perfect). Because live mealworms are a bit wiggly the key to feeding them to your birds is to use a steep sided dish so that they can’t crawl out. The ones on sale are all steep sided but they also have the benefit that you can lower the cover section which stops the rain from getting in and also means that only the smaller birds can access the feeder.

https://www.wigglywigglers.co.uk/products/i-love-robins-birdfeeder

Question 4

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 5

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 6

How do I store Live Mealworms?

Accepted Answer

Don’t worry about your mealworms wiggling a bit – we promise you will get used to them and you will be rewarded by you garden birds.

The best way to start to buy live mealworms is to start with 3 x 40g tubs. The tubs have a serrated lid which is breathable and this means they are easy to keep. If you want to keep them for more than a few days – sieve the frass out and add some bran or mealworm food to keep them going, and pop them into a cool dark place (a garage or shed is a good option).

Question 7

What should I do about mites in my worm bin?

Accepted Answer

There are a few types of mite that love a worm composting kit and this is all normal and part of the ecosystem. However, as with most things if they start to take over the kit this can become a problem. There are two main types – a reddish brown mite and a white shiny round mite. Both are tiny and if numbers become huge they eat the food and your worms will tend to burrow deeper into the kit and this in turn stops the worms from reproducing as effectively.

If you have a problem with a population of mites which seems to have gone mad the things to look at in your Urbalive or Worm Composter are:

Could it be too wet? Feeding lots of really watery waste (cucumbers melons etc) can cause this or is there a lot of water getting in (wormeries usually let some water in and this is fine but some shelter is very useful. The wormery needs to be damp but not soaking wet.

Leave the lid off on dry days or undercover and expose the kit to the sun where possible to help dry it up.

Once conditions are back to a good balance for your worms then of course they will be less favourable for the production of the mites so normal worm service will be resumed.

Question 8

Can birds on the nest eat mealworms?

Accepted Answer

As the adult birds feed their young they are looking for food rich in protein and liquids. Baby birds have no access to water and it’s needed to sustain life so this is provided by live food of one form or another.

We all know there has been a general decline in natural invertebrates so there are two key steps to take that will help. In the shorter and medium term supplement your birdfood with live worms (especially in the Spring) and for the medium to longer term plant native wildflowers, dig a wildlife pond and plant a native hedge to make a major difference for your birds and wildlife.

Question 9

How do I harvest my worm compost without the worms?

Accepted Answer

There are a few methods to harvest worm compost without the worms:

The "bottom tray" method: This method involves removing the bottom tray of the wormery and placing it on top of the top tray and removing the lid. This will allow the worms to migrate downwards. The compost in the bottom tray can then be harvested without disturbing the worms.
The "windrow" method: This method involves creating a "windrow" (a long, narrow pile) of the worm compost on top of a piece of plastic sheeting. The worms will migrate to one end of the windrow, leaving the compost at the other end ready for harvest.
The "casting" method: This method involves allowing the worms to work the compost for a longer period of time, until the castings (the worm manure) have dropped to the bottom of the tray, where they can be harvested without worms.
The "screen" method: This method involves using a screen or sifter to separate the compost from the worms. The worms are placed in a new container with fresh bedding and food scraps, while the compost can be collected and used.

Question 10

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.