Worm bin problems – worms are dying

We’ve looked at composting and how to make a homemade worm bin before, but sometimes you may run into work bin problems and the worst is when your worm die off. I mean, most likely you’re not super attached and you don’t name them but really you need the worms to be healthy. Following are some common worm dying issues and solutions.

If your worms seem to be dying off

Moisture check: Make sure your bin is not too wet or dry. Water at the bottom of the bin means the oxygen has stopped flowing about the bin at a reasonable rate so soak it up. If it’s too dry, which can pull moisture right out of worm bodies, add some damp bedding.

Food check: Worms in the bin need to eat. If they polish off the bedding and food they’ll move on to eating their own waste which soon becomes toxic to them. If this happens get the compost out and add new fresh bedding and food.

Temperature check: If your bin gets super hot (above 80 degrees) you need to move it to a cooler location. If the worm bin is too cold (usually under 50-55 degrees) move it to a warmer spot like a basement or garage OR insulate is possible. Straw bales and solid foam can be used as an insulator.

The worms are vanishing (and dead most likely)

If your worms are gone there’s a good chance they’re dead; gobbled up by a rodent of some sort. Sometimes worms do leave but it’s not common for a bunch to get out and take of. Worm bins are fairly unattractive to most rodents but rats find them fun and will munch on worms. Make sure you have a good strong lid and that the holes in your bin are a quarter inch or smaller.

[image via stock.xchng]