Question 1

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 2

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 3

How many Subpods do I need?

Accepted Answer

The average family generates 7kg (15lbs) of food waste a week, just for reference.

We have designed the Subpod to be used for a family of up to four people, processing around 15kg (33lbs) of organic waste per week.

It will take from six weeks to three months to get your Subpod working at this capacity, depending on the season and how much you feed it. The worms need to settle in and build up their numbers.

Subpod is modular, so If you have more than 30L/15kg of waste per week, you can choose to connect two or more Subpods and create a bench seat, or install in separate garden beds.

Question 4

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 5

Is my garden a great place for garden birds?

Accepted Answer

It depends… most gardens aren’t ideal for birds as it is difficult to find a lot of natural food if the garden is a mixture of paving and lawn. The perfect garden will be a haven for wildlife and in particular an invertebrate paradise… Native hedging, wildflowers, a pond will all make a huge difference as will feeding live mealworms – they are of course natural food packed with liquids, protein and also fat which will help your birds in really cold weather.

Question 6

How to look after my Subpod in extreme heat?

Accepted Answer

The Subpod lid is insulated to keep out direct heat from the sun, but if you live in an extremely hot climate, we recommend installing your Subpod in a shady location to prevent overheating or build a shade structure to protect it in the heat of the day. Keeping the worm blanket wet/moist will also help to keep your Subpod cool.

Question 7

Does Bokashi smell?

Accepted Answer

No. Bokashi waste smells pleasantly tangy—like pickled vegetables or cider vinegar. This is a sign that fermentation is working. If it does smell rotten or putrid, it’s usually because too much liquid has built up, or the lid hasn’t been sealed tightly enough. Drain the liquid regularly and ensure the bin is airtight for the best results.

Question 8

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 9

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 10

Can I put anything in my Bokashi bin?

Accepted Answer

Not quite anything, but almost! You can add:

Cooked and uncooked food waste: Vegetables, meat, dairy, bread, rice, pasta, and even eggshells.

Leftovers: Including those greasy scraps that wouldn’t normally go in a traditional compost heap.

Avoid:

Liquids: Oil, milk, or excessive sauces can interfere with fermentation.

Large bones: These take ages to break down.

Non-food items: Stick to kitchen scraps—no paper, plastic, or garden waste.

Wiggly tip: Chop larger items into smaller pieces to help the microbes do their work more efficiently.