Wormfarming

4Avoiding problems

Worm farms are fun to maintain and shouldn't become smelly or attract pests. If a problem does arise you might want to try one of these solutions.

Tips

  • Chop up or blend food scraps, so they are easier for worms to eat.
  • Worm bedding should smell earthy like soil. If it starts to smell rotten, mix in a source of dry organic materials such as newspaper or dry leaves to balance the moisture, nitrogen and carbon. You can even sprinkle in some dolomite lime to balance the pH.
  • The worst case for any scenario is simple: empty the worm farm and start again with some new worms.
  • Compact worm farms generally service a small household (1-2 people) – if you have more scraps than your farm can handle, try adding a compost or bokashi bin, or upgrade to a larger worm farm.
  • It's best to avoid food waste in the first place by planning your weekly meals in advance

Did you know?

Worm farms aren't just home to worms. You'll see lots of other tiny creatures that are part of a healthy ecosystem, including spring tails, earwigs, mites and billions of microorganisms like bacteria you can't see.

Carrots