Worm Farm Help

The needs of red wigglers in a worm farm appear to be simple: correct temperature, moisture and air, along with food to eat and bedding to act as shelter. The closed system of the farm can get out of wack, however, requiring help to address the problem. Troubleshooting "is based on experimentation and experience," notes the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality. So the more you check in on your farm, the likelier it is you will be able to see---and sniff---whether all is well.

  1. Types

    • Common problems that may require attention in the worm farm include an infestation of fruit flies, a bad odor and a situation in which worms are trying to flee up the sides of the farm or dying off.

    Prevention

    • Correct feeding practices may prevent or address most problems in the worm farm. Avoid putting rotten food, which may bear fly larvae, in the bin, and wash banana peels as well to remove both larvae and pesticides. Feed the colony conservatively. Wait until the worms finish feeding on one pocket of buried scraps before adding more food.

    Considerations

    • Fruit flies can invade a worm farm and multiple on fruit scraps. Cover scraps with bedding to prevent the flies' laying eggs. If you still have the flies, add an inch of sawdust or peat moss to the top of the bedding or cover the bedding with cardboard or plastic. Persistent fruit fly problems may only be resolved by relocating the worm farm outside and insulating it to keep it warm in the winter.

    Solution

    • The most serious challenge to a worm bin is if the worm herd begins to die off, which is generally due to putrified bedding. Remove the worms to an emergency bin, such as a cooler or storage tote. Discard their bedding and replace with new clean bedding, such as soaked cardboard or moistened paperboard eggshell cartons to start the farm anew.

    Warning

    • Odor problems may go hand in hand with bad conditions in the worm farm. Start with checking if the farm is too wet and add handfuls of dry bedding to balance the moisture. If the worm farm suffers from anaerobic conditions, stir the contents with a three-tined cultivator to add air and restore the desired pleasant earthy smell. Remove noncompostable items including meat, bones, dairy and oily products. Limit corn and bread products, which may putrefy the bedding, and avoid liquefying the worms' food scraps for the same reason. Check also for vegetables that make a strong odor in the farm, including broccoli and onions; remove onions, which most red wigglers dislike, and leave broccoli in. Broccoli's odor will dissipate as the worms consume the broccoli.

    Expert Insight

    • Red wigglers will tolerate temperatures from 50 to 84 degrees Fahrenheit, but 55 to 77 is ideal, notes biology professor Rhonda Sherman of North Carolina State University.