Composting worms can be helpful allies in the war on trash, but until you get the hang of vermiculture, worm death may complicate your efforts. Worms are generally pretty tough, but they have exacting environmental standards. If your vermicompost worms died, don't give up -- just reset your bed and try again. Read on to learn common reasons for composting worms dying.
Vermicompost Worms Dying
Usually, worms dying in vermicompost systems can be traced back to one of a few problems: incorrect moisture levels, problematic temperatures, lack of air circulation, and too much or too little food. Keeping a worm farm means constantly checking it for these key items. Regular check-ups will also help you stave off pests if they begin to make trouble. Moisture - Moisture must be present for worms to thrive, but too much is as bad as too little. Wet your bedding so that it's just slightly damperthan a wrung-out sponge and add more bedding if you're going to be feeding something especially wet, like watermelon. The extra bedding will soak up the additional moisture the food produces, protecting your worms from drowning. Temperature - Temperatures between 55 and 77 degrees Fahrenheit (12 and 25 C.) are ideal for earthworms, but they don't tolerate violent temperature swings. Keep a thermometer handy and check the bin several times a day. If you notice the sun shining directly on the bin or if it's hot where you live, move it to a shady spot to prevent cooking your worms to death. Air circulation - Air circulation is a common cause of compost worms dying in their bin. Even if your bin came with plenty of pre-drilled air holes, they can become plugged, causing oxygen starvation. Sometimes, the bedding gets compacted and needs to be fluffed up to allow air to circulate inside the layers. Keep a close eye on these factors for worm success. Food - Food is a tricky part of keeping healthy worms. As a rule of thumb, worms will eat about a half-pound (0.25 kg.) of food for every pound (0.5 kg.) of worms in your system. When they begin to breed and spread out, this number may increase, but you'll have to monitor their consumption closely. Too little food may lead to your worms eating their own castings, which are poisonous to them.
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FAQs
Air circulation - Air circulation is a common cause of compost worms dying in their bin. Even if your bin came with plenty of pre-drilled air holes, they can become plugged, causing oxygen starvation. Sometimes, the bedding gets compacted and needs to be fluffed up to allow air to circulate inside the layers.
Why are my worms dying in my compost bin? ›
Air circulation - Air circulation is a common cause of compost worms dying in their bin. Even if your bin came with plenty of pre-drilled air holes, they can become plugged, causing oxygen starvation. Sometimes, the bedding gets compacted and needs to be fluffed up to allow air to circulate inside the layers.
How do you keep earthworms from dying? ›
Keeping Worms Happy
- Worms need to live in a warm, dark place. Red wigglers like the temperature to be between 40-75 degrees. ...
- Worms need moisture in their environment. The texture of their bedding should feel like a wrung-out sponge.
- Worms need air. Worms breathe through their skin! ...
- Worms need food! ...
- Worms need to wiggle!
As active compost decomposes it heats up and consumes oxygen, which in turn overheats and suffocates the worms.
What is fatal temperature for worms in vermicomposting? ›
For optimal composting performance, worms and the entire composting ecosystem thrive within a temperature range of 15°C to 25°C (59°F to 77°F). Below this range, the ecosystem operates at reduced efficiency, while temperatures above 35°C (95°F) can prove fatal to the worms.
Can worms drown in a compost bin? ›
If your bin is too wet or too dry, worms can die. They can also die from lack of air, so make sure your bin has enough ventilation. Also, make sure your bin is located in a place where the temperature is between 55°F and 80°F (13°C and 27°C).
What usually kills earthworms? ›
Chemical Control
Of the turf pesticides labeled for other insect pests, and are still commonly used, carbaryl (Sevin) and imidacloprid (Merit) are toxic to earthworms.
What do worms hate the most? ›
Worms hate: meat or fish, cheese, butter, greasy food, animal waste, spicy and salty foods, citrus.” The food-to-worm ratio is not precise, nor is the amount of castings they will produce. The rule of thumb is that a pound of worms will eat one to two pounds of food in a week.
What temperature kills red wigglers? ›
Temperatures below 32℉ are fatal, and will most likely kill off your entire composting community. On the other side of things: Temperatures that exceed 80 degrees are almost as dangerous as freezing temperatures. Red wigglers are not likely to survive above 85 degrees.
Do worms like coffee grounds in the compost? ›
Coffee grounds are highly suitable for worm farms by providing a natural pesticide to ward off pests such as snails, slugs and ants. Since worms have no teeth, the fine particle size of the grounds helps make it easier to consume and provides a gritty substance in their guts which helps them grind and break down food.
Under ideal conditions, worms can eat their weight in scraps per day. So if you have 1 pound of worms, you can theoretically feed them 1 pounds of scraps. However, we recommend you play it safe by feeding an amount they can handle every 2 or 3 days.
Why are my worms crawling out of the bin? ›
Temperature: Composting worms prefer temperatures between 55-77°F. If the temperature is too hot or too cold, it can stress out the worms, and they may try to escape. Keep your worm bin in a place where the temperature is stable and within the ideal range.
How to keep red wigglers cool in summer? ›
Keep your worm farm in a shady spot in the garden. Under a tree or in a well ventilated shed are probably the best options. You could also keep it in an indoor spot that does not get too hot in summer , or too cold in winter. A garage, garden shed or laundry can all provide a good home.
Why add ice to compost? ›
Add water to the bin to keep it cool and moist in the summer. To keep the bin thoroughly cool, add ice in a separate tray above the bin and allow cool water to drip down onto a layer of shredded paper above the worm bed.
What is too hot for a worm bin? ›
Keeping the worm bin temperature below 90 degrees is best or you will kill the poor worms inside your worm bin. Food scraps that are high in moisture or made into a slurry can also raise the temperature in your worm bin. You may want to use a dry food during a heat wave or very hot days.
How do you keep worms in a compost bin? ›
To keep worms happy, feed them about once a week. If bedding dries up, spray with water. (If bedding gets too wet, add dry newspaper strips.) Fluff up bedding once a week so the worms get enough air.
Why do my nightcrawlers keep dying? ›
If worms are dying the most likely reasons are temperature (too hot or cold), moisture (too dry), or bedding in the worm bin. For temperature and moisture, simply relocate the worms to a better environment and ensure the bedding is moist like a wrung-out sponge.
Are coffee grounds bad for compost worms? ›
Coffee grounds are highly suitable for worm farms by providing a natural pesticide to ward off pests such as snails, slugs and ants. Since worms have no teeth, the fine particle size of the grounds helps make it easier to consume and provides a gritty substance in their guts which helps them grind and break down food.
Can you overfeed composting worms? ›
Over-feeding your composting worms can cause problems in the bin, including odors, acidity, excess moisture, pests and sick worms.
