Vermicompost

Composting Worms in the Garden

You may like to encourage worm activity in your garden. This is a hands-off approach to maintaining a steady flow of worm castings in the soil.

There are two classifications of worms--composting worms and soil worms. Composting worms don't go very deep and prefer plenty of decomposing matter. Soil worms, on the other hand, like to go deep and only come up for food. Either type can be hosted in a garden bed, but your choice will depend on your garden type and gardening habits.

Composting worms will likely leave or die without enough decomposing matter. If you can provide a steady flow of food and keep their habitat cozy, they will do fine in your garden. And if you have a raised bed or pot that is detached from the ground, this is the best choice.

On the other hand, if your garden is directly in the ground, attracting native earthworms might be the best option. You can do this by adding a tower or food to the soil, but adding compost tea or finished compost will lure them in.

Hint: When it rains, worms will come to the surface in the general area. Scavenge some, and then place them in your garden. If you've made it well, they'll stick around.

To feed worms in the garden, place food just below the surface in the areas you want worms to migrate. Then, cover loosely with soil or mulch. Avoid feeding them in the same spot to encourage movement across the garden.

In Ground Worm Tower

A worm tower is similar to a plastic bin worm farm, except it is implanted directly in the garden bed. Worms can come into the tower to feed and then move through the soil, dropping their worm castings in the garden bed, keeping it aerated and fertilized. You can have multiple towers in the garden to encourage migration.

How to Build an In-Ground Worm Tower

• 5-gallon HDPE bucket with lid
• Drill with a 3/8" drill bit

Prepare the Tower
Drill 3/8" holes in the bottom and all around the sides of a 5-gallon bucket. Add a few below the lip for airflow.

Plant the Tower
Bury the bucket so the lip sticks out. Surround it with soil to help the worms find their way inside.

Fill the Tower
Fill with bedding and a handful of scraps. Cover with straw or other bedding material. Add worms after the first week once the natural decomposition of materials has begun.

Maintenance
Replenish this tower according to the Master Craft. You may not always see the worms, but if the food is being eaten, then you know things are well. Garden Bed Worm Farm

Worms aren’t the only thing that like decaying food. Many other critters may find their way into your worm farm. So if you see something feasting other than your worms (or worse, on your worms!), the first step is to identify it and the reason for its presence. From there, you can determine what actions to take, if any.

• Fruit Flies: small, black flying insects
  Attracted to food scraps. If they are not buried well, then they will find the food. Avoid overfeeding so food does not sit around too long, and be sure to bury it.
• Mites: small withe or brown crawling insects
  Attracted to food scraps, but also high moisture and humidity. Reduce moisture levels by adding dry bedding and avoid overfeeding
• Ants: small black or red crawling insects
  Attracted to sugary food scraps, but also dry environments. Spray some water in the bin to moisten the bedding if it is dry. You can also create a barrier by placing it on the legs and putting the legs in the water.
• Fungus Gnats: small, dark-winged insects that resemble mosquitos.
  Attracted to moist environments and food scraps. Often introduced through infested soil or plant material. Add dry bedding and bury food scraps. To capture adults, install double-sided tape or sticky traps on the bottom side of the lid.
• Springtails: tiny, white, or gray jumping insects
  Attracted to moist environments and decaying matter
  If the population is out of control, add dry bedding and limit feeding to reduce moisture and food sources. Otherwise, these creatures’ presence is helpful to decomposition.
• Slugs & Snails: slimy, slow-moving creatures that may or may not have a shell.
  They can sneak in with garden materials or find their way in an outside bin. Manually remove and secure openings
• Beetles
  Attracted to decomposing organic matter. Most are harmless or even beneficial. But if you don’t want them around, remove them.
• Centipedes: Long, fast-moving insects with many legs.
  Centipedes are carnivorous. They are attracted to the worms and the organic matter. You are more likely to find these in outside bins. Manually remove them and secure openings.
• Rodents
  They are attracted to food waste, especially if not covered and outdoors. Reinforce covering and other openings. Avoid adding meat, dairy, or greasy foods.
• Earwigs: small, brown crawling insects with pincers on the back.
  They are attracted to dark, damp environments and decaying organic matter. Not harmful, but adding dry bedding and improving aeration will help limit their presence.
• White worm: small, white thread-like worms related to earthworms
  Attracted to acidic environments. The worms are harmless, but their presence suggests an acidic environment. Perform a pH test and refer to pH management for adjustments to make
• Roaches
  Attracted to warm, humid environments, especially if there is an abundance of food scraps. Make sure the bin is covered and secure. Add dry materials to remove moisture. Check for any sitting water, bury food, and avoid meats, dairy, and oily foods. Keep your bin away from warm, humid areas or near food sources where roaches might congregate. Remove any roaches and their small, brown egg cases.

A pH imbalance occurs when you add too many acidic or alkaline ingredients. So, in this case, it's good to know which ingredients are acidic and which are alkaline.

Acidic: citrus fruits, tomatoes, pineapple, coffee grounds, tea (and bags), vinegar, fermented foods, and most fruits.

Alkaline: crushed eggshells, wood ash, garden lime (or dolomite), green plant material, and paper products.

If the pH drops below 6, it becomes too acidic. If it rises above 7, it is too alkaline. Add the appropriate type of ingredients until things balance out. Don’t overdo it either; add ingredients slowly and measure their effects.

These are natural parts of decomposition, but seeing them in your worm bin is a sign to pay attention to, as it can signal some common issues, such as underfeeding, excess moisture, or pH imbalance.

Mold and fungi are not inherently harmful to worms directly; they may indicate that the environment is not ideal.

If you see mold:

• First, assess the cause so you can take measures to keep it contained
• If it is a small amount, push it down into the bin to reduce its exposure to air.
• If it is excessive and spreading rapidly, you can remove the moldy food and bedding and refresh it as needed.

Under ideal conditions, a worm population can double in 60-90 days. But how do you know if your bin has become too populated? Here are a few signs:

• Worms are congregating on the surface or climbing up the sides
• Worms are consuming food faster than you can replenish it.
• Compacted bedding as a result of worms struggling to find space
• Bin filling with worm casting faster than expected.
• Worms are sluggish, small, or dying.
• Foul odors are due to poor aeration, excessive moisture, and fast decomposition.
• A high number of worm cocoons are small, lemon-shaped

If you’ve determined that your bin is overpopulated, there are a few options:

• Start a new worm bin
• share or sell the worms
• put some in your garden
• harvest to create space
• reduce feeding to slow down the reproduction
• remove or discard cocoons or place them in another area.

Maintaining the preferred climate of 55°F and 77°F (13°C to 25°C) is difficult if your bin is not in a climate-controlled environment. But rest assured, there are solutions.

• Ventilation: proper airflow will help stabilize temps. Stale or stagnant air will enhance the surrounding temps.
• Insulation: Add protection around the bin using foam, blankets, extra cardboard, or bubble wrap - just be sure not to block airflow
• Thermal mass: To regulate temperatures, add some thermal mass to the bin; bricks, filled water bottles, or rocks will work. In the winter, position the thermal mass in the direct sun. In the summer, direct it to the shade.
• Mulch the surface: For extra insulation, add mulch, straw, or extra cardboard to the top of the worm farm.

Ordinarily, a worm farm should have a subtle earthy smell. If an unpleasant odor forms, this is a sign of a problem. The leading causes of a foul smell are an excess of rotting food, poor aeration, or an overly wet environment. The type of smell can help determine the problem.

Rotten or Sour smell: anaerobic decomposition of food scraps.
Sulfur or Rotten egg: excessive moisture and anaerobic decomposition
Ammonia: Too many nitrogen-rich materials, particularly high protein items like beans or grains.
Foul or decaying odor: inappropriate food scraps like meat, dairy, or fats.

Escaping Worms

There are a few reasons worms might try to jump ship. It may be as simple as curiosity. If this is all that’s wrong - keep a light shining on the outside of the bin. If you have a lot of escape artists, then they may be seeking better shelter. Review the environment checklist: pH, moisture, temperature, aeration, too much food, and population. And lastly, be sure you haven’t added anything with toxic substances.

Dying Worms

Something on that environment checklist got out of control. Determine what it is and do what you can to fix the problem.