Can you feel the warm sun on your face? Are you watching the big, fluffy white clouds track lazily across a deep blue sky? Spring is here and that means the red wiggler worms living in your compost bin may need a little TLC to revitalize them.
Clean Up the Mess
To make your compost bin a little more livable for your wiggly pals, try to remove any stray sticks or rocks that may have ended up in the bin. These barricades make it difficult for your wigglers to effectively do their job of aerating the compost and can slow down the process.
Keep it Humid, but Not Too Humid
Good humidity levels in your compost are crucial to keep your worms happy and munching away. The summer can bring dry heat that can make the top layer of your pile dry out and increase the temperatures of the bin beyond the composting temperature of 120 to 150 degrees F.
To battle the dry-out and prevent a possible burn-out, move the bin to a shaded area in your yard during the hotter months. If necessary, trickle the hose over the contents to add a bit more hydration. Also, turn the materials a little more frequently to maintain proper moisture levels all through the bin.
Bring Friends to the Party
As living organisms, there is always a certainty that one day you’ll head to you bin and find a few of your wriggly little buddies has move on to that great garden in the sky. Keep you worm to bin ratio at the ½ lb. of worms for every cubic foot of worm bin you have. Despite fast breeding, these levels can fall. Replenish your worm stock with a hearty, heat and cold resistant variety like or Super Reds.
