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

What should I do once I have filled one tray in my worm composting kit?

Accepted Answer

Once you have filled one tray in your worm composting kit, there are a few things you can do to continue the composting process:

Add another tray: If your worm composting kit has multiple trays, you can add another tray on top of the filled one. The worms will eventually migrate up to the new tray and begin processing the new food. NB: Check for gaps between the trays as sometimes as the worms work on the waste it reduces in volume and sinks so that it’s more difficult for the worms to move up. If this happens just add more waste into the gap.

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 2

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 3

Can I Add Cardboard To My Wormery?

Accepted Answer

Cardboard is great for your worm composter (as is a sprinkling of lime mix) A ratio of 25-30% volume of cardboard or equivalent will ensure speedier worm composting. Avoid the really shiny boxes like soap powder and go for newsprint, egg boxes etc.

Question 4

How much do I need to dilute my Bokashi Liquid?

Accepted Answer

The recommended dilution ratio for bokashi liquid is 1 part bokashi liquid to 100 parts water. This means that for every unit of bokashi liquid, you should add 100 units of water. For instance, if you have 1 cup of bokashi liquid, you would dilute it with 100 cups of water. This dilution ratio ensures that the nutrients and beneficial microorganisms present in the bokashi liquid are delivered in a manageable concentration for plants, preventing any potential harm from over-fertilisation or acidity.

Question 5

How and when to harvest the compost/castings?

Accepted Answer

After 2-3 months or when your Subpod is full, you can harvest your Subpod compost.

Question 6

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 7

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.

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Question 8

How do I encourage worms in my garden?

Accepted Answer

If you can get a healthy population of worms in your soil they will make you an ongoing supply of topsoil so to encourage them to breed avoid disturbing the soil where you can and feed them!

You can add garden worms as well of course but also making your own worm compost and adding this to the soil will also encourage a natural increase in your worm population.

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Question 9

What food should I add to my wormery and when?

Accepted Answer

The main thing to ensure your worms work well for you is to feed them regularly with kitchen scraps. Usually adding waste every couple of days is the most efficient way of ensuring they are working. They don’t like a glut of waste, and underfeeding means you won’t get them working to their optimum level.