Help with wormery

Judith Drake

I bought a wormery last year to work alongside my compost bin, but to be honest it’s been a bit of a disaster and I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong. Every time I check, there are some worms in the single top layer, but most worms are in the sump in some very wet compost and I don’t know why they keep on retreating down there. Earlier this year I decided to start again, so carefully separated all the worms from the gunk, but it seems to be happening again. I’m make sure I put both green and brown in the wormery, adding exactly the same stuff, but in smaller quantities, as goes in the compost bin, which is very successful. 
I feel sad, as I was thrilled last year to buy this, but am now wondering if it’s worth the hassle. Any help and advice will be gladly received. 

Fairygirl

Hi @Judith Drake - I'll bump this up a bit to see if anyone can shed light for you 
I have no real knowledge of them I'm afraid, and we used to have someone on the forum who had a lot, but he doesn't seem to post now.
I do remember him saying that when it's too hot they find a cooler part, which makes sense, so perhaps the wormery is in too hot a spot, and they're trying to find a cooler area?

Asarum

I've had a wormery for years, infact now it's my only composter as I have downsized to a very small garden.  I have always had worms in the bottom sump.  I used to worry about it and remove them to the top regularly but have accepted it will always happen and now only clear it occasionally, usually when I add another section.

Fairygirl

Hopefully that will reassure Judith, @Asarum

Dovefromabove

Edd seems to have removed all his posts so his posts on vermiculture have gone ... but one of the threads had a link to this site https://www.anglersmail.co.uk/fishing-tips/bait-fishing-tips/how-to-set-up-a-wormery-15455 which others seemed to find helpful. 

A former neighbour who had a wormery seemed to use only kitchen waste and shredded paper ... no garden waste at all. 

Fairygirl

I think you're right @Dovefromabove. Just household/kitchen waste - that rings a bell.

I've just remembered that the place I gto my new compost bins from have wormeries. There might be useful info here  
https://www.originalorganics.co.uk/wormeries

Judith Drake

Thank you for all the comments. I don’t think it’s in too hot a place as it is next to the compost bin and I only put kitchen waste in the wormery. I don’t mind the worms being in the sump if that’s where they feel comfortable, but it’s just that the compost down there is very very wet, rather than the nice crumbly stuff I’m used to in the compost bin. 

Fairygirl

Do you have one of those little taps for draining off excess liquid Judith?
Perhaps that's creating a problem. 

Judith Drake

Yes there’s there is a tap and I’ve always left it open to make sure if there are worm# down there, they won’t drown. I suppose the hole may well be blocked by the compost, so I suppose the only thing I could do about that is keep on checking. 

Fairygirl

That might be worth doing Judith. Maybe you could put a wee filter of some kind on the tap - some thin material or similar.
Might be tricky to attach as it would need to be on the inside though. 

Asarum

I tried that, it was tricky so I don’t bother now. I just put the worms and wet compost back in the upper section and it gets re-recycled.