After setting up a worm bin, there's very little maintenance required. Collect kitchen waste, dump it into the bin, let the worms do their work, and then turbocharge the garden with a nutrient-rich batch of completed worm compost. But there are a few worm composting tips that will make the job easier.
Harvest the Worm Composter Every Four Months
After the worms have been hard at work for a few months, the compost in the bin will start to look more like topsoil. At about the four-month mark, the bin should be ready to harvest. It’s an easy job but does involve a bit of digging around in the dirt.
- Spread out a plastic sheet or garbage bag.
- Divide the worm compost into about eight cone-shaped piles on the sheet.
- Worms will retreat from the daylight by burrowing deeper into the piles.
- After about 10 minutes, scoop the tops off of the piles.
- Leave for another 10 minutes to let the worms retreat again.
- Repeat until almost all the dirt is gone and there are eight small piles of dirt.
- Throw the small piles (which by now will be full of worms) back into the worm bin.
- Start the worm bin all over again.
- Dump the harvested nutrient-rich topsoil into the garden, use it to top-dress house plants, etc.
Two Worm Composting Bins Are Better than One
If space allows, it’s best to have two or more worm composting bins. Use the first worm bin for a few months (or until it starts to get full), then start up the second and leave the first worm bin alone for a month or two. Rotating this way ensures that the worms will have time to fully break down the compost before it’s harvested.
Worm Composting in the Winter
Worms will continue working until the temperature drops to about 4 degrees Celsius (~39 F), but the worms may freeze and die if exposed to freezing temperatures for extended periods of time. To combat this:
- Cover the worm composting bin with a blanket
- Put the worm bin in a sheltered location out of the wind
- Move the worm composting bin into the sun during the winter
- Periodically adding food waste that is at room temperature will add heat to the bin
Fruit Flies: The Number One Problem for Worm Composters
Fruit flies are the main inconvenience of worm composting. Anywhere there is decomposing fruit waste, there will be fruit flies. Fruit flies won't hurt anyone, but they sure are annoying. To keep fruit flies to a minimum:
- Be sure to cover waste with fresh bedding
- Don’t overload the bin
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