Many composting enthusiasts worry about their composting worms dying in the summer heat. This is a rational fear. The worms are trapped in an enclosed bin, at the sun’s mercy. However, there are several easy ways to protect the worms from the heat.
It’s Not Just the Heat
The main problem with warm weather is not directly the heat. The primary problem is dryness. Worms breathe through their skin. If their skin dries out, they suffocate and die. Composting worms must remain moist. A worm laid out in the direct sun can die of suffocation in just three minutes.
Worms get their moisture from their bedding. Heat causes evaporation. When the bedding gets dry, the worms cannot breathe as well. They may try to reach moister parts of the bin, such as the bottom.
Place the Worm Bin to Retain Moisture
Your primary defense against dryness is keeping the bin out of the sun. Find a shady spot. Under an awning, carport, or shed roof is ideal. Trees or large bushes may provide adequate shade. If the area has a breeze, so much the better.
Cover the Worm Bin and Bedding
Most types of worm bins can be covered. Keep the lid on to retain moisture.
- A pre-made composting bin should come with a lid.
- If you made your own composting bin from a tote, don’t drill holes in the lid. Put the lid on the bin.
- Fashion a cover for bins made from pallets or scrap lumber.
- Chicken wire composters and other open designs are more difficult to cover with a lid.
Note: If rain enters your bin, the bin might become too wet. Protect from rain by keeping the lid on. If the lid is leaky, put the bin under shelter.
Additionally, use a worm blanket to keep in moisture. You can soak several sheets of newspaper in water and place on top of the bedding. Or, purchase a worm blanket to keep moisture in.
Monitor the Bin Moisture and Take Action
The worm bin bedding should have the consistency of a wrung-out sponge. Squeeze it in your hand to find out.
If the bin is too dry, add a little water. Use a hose or sprinkler. Don’t over-do this or your worms will drown. Add a small amount of water at a time. Stir gently, if needed. After a few minutes, test the moisture again.
If you are using a worm blanket, moisten it occasionally. Newspaper should be kept damp. Replace the covering if it breaks down.
If your bin is shallow, add more bedding. You can add moistened coconut coir, composted leaves, shredded black print newspaper, or pure peat moss for example. Deeper bedding gives the worms somewhere to retreat when the top is too hot.
Too busy to deal with worm bin moisture? Put kitchen scraps in a plastic container, add water, and place in the freezer. Wait until the scrap-sicle is frozen solid. Pop the icy treat out of the container. Dig a hole in the center of the worm bin and bury the frozen scrap-sicle. The temperature will go down when the water starts to melt. And the food will be available to the worms.
Worms have evolved to survive the summer. In the confines of a worm bin, though, extra care is needed. Set your worms up for a cool summer! Vermicomposting worms convert kitchen and garden scraps into valuable compost.
The best worms for composting are Red Worms. European Night Crawlers — also called “Super Reds” — can be used for composting, but they are best released into the garden or lawn for aeration and fertilizing. Uncle Jim’s Worm Farm produces composting worms, plus accessories such composters.
12 thoughts on “How to Compost with Worms in the Summer”
If you release most of your worms on the garden, will they likely stay around providing you bury qkitchen waste there?
is it better to have a bucket, deeper bin for moisture or a flat storage container type bin?
We can always use more worm knowledge!
My Banana peels as well as whole Strawberries are still getting my Spring Tail population lower(I have thousands of them). As I put the worms in the new coconut material they get a bath also, as the Spring Tails are clinging to all of the worms. All fruit pieces get rinsed in water to remove the Spring Tails, then they get a Sun Bath. The little Buggers seem to last several hours in their swimming pool until they hit the Sun. It appears they do not like light. When I shine my very bright LED flashlight on them, they really start moving around.
Have had worms (red wigglers) approx. 5 months. They don’t seem to be getting very big.
I am having a huge problem with fruit flies. I can not use poisons to kill the fruit flies, (and other flies) because It could hurt the worms. What would you suggest?
Cover the compost with a layer of bedding about 2 or 3 inches thick
I have done everything that you mentioned about keeping the worms in the compost bin. The only thing that I can figure out is that the New Orleans area summer heat is just too much for the worms to survive in a compost bin. So I bought a thousand worms and they all died except for just 6 of them.
I appreciate your newsletters.
I am going out of town for two weeks, will my worms be OK. They are in a thee tier bin, in a basement with ventilation.
I love this information about summer heat and the worms. Although I keep my bins in a air conditioned building at 65-70 degrees. I do check on the moisture almost every day. I put news paper moisten on top of the bedding. I have also started adding some plain corn meal in the bins and the worms seem to love it. I am new at worm farming and I do enjoy Uncle Jims tips. thanks for all the useful info
Hat is black gold and what does it liok like and should i remove it?
I’ve been composting 3 weeks. Should I stir up (gently) the cotents of my tote farm or just add
more food and woody/paper/leaves layers?
I just started vermicomposting and it doesn’t look like the worms are eating. I checked on them and they’re very much alive but bunched together. Is this normal and when will I start seeing results? I’m using a Biovessel.
Please advise.