COMPOSTING
Troubleshooting
Here are some common issues and solutions that you may experience with your vermicompost bin:
| Problem | Possible Cause | Solution |
| Bedding too wet | Not enough absorbent bedding material. | Add more paper, cardboard or peat moss to absorb extra moisture. |
| Condensation is building up inside bin. | Leave the lid off the bin until the bedding reaches the ideal moisture level (as moist as a wrung-out sponge). Keep a light on to encourage worms to stay down in the bedding. | |
| Too much food waste. | Refrain from adding more food waste until the current feeding is consumed. Add more paper, cardboard, or peat moss to absorb excess moisture. | |
| Compost is ready to be harvested. | Follow the harvesting instructions (click here) and mix up a new batch of bedding. | |
| Bedding too dry | Not enough food waste. | Add more food waste to the bin, especially materials with high water content like moist fruit and vegetable peels and scraps. |
| Cover is left off or bin is too close to a heat or draft source. | Use spray bottle of water to moisten the bedding until it reaches the ideal moisture level (as moist as a wrung-out sponge). Move the bin away from heat and draft sources. | |
| Worms crawling up sides and cover of bin | Worms adjusting to new surroundings. | Gently brush the worms off the sides and cover of the bin and replace them in their bedding. This problem should rectify itself as the vermicompost system matures. |
| Worms migrating from bin | Bin is resting on a cold floor or near cold exterior walls. | Move the bin to a location with a warmer floor (or walls) or insulate the bin by placing a rug under (or along the sides of) the bin. |
| Bedding is too acidic. | Add crushed eggshells or powdered lime to balance out the acidity of the bedding (peat moss and coffee grounds are acidic). | |
| Material is ready to be harvested. | Finished vermicompost can be toxic to the worms. Follow the harvesting instructions (click here) and mix up a new batch of bedding. >>> In the unlikely event that your worms migrate from the bin, they won't get far. You may find them alive around the bottom of the bin, where you can pick them up and place them back in the bedding. Or, you may find them dried up on the floor surrounding the bin. |
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| Unpleasant odour | Bin is overloaded with material. | Make sure the last feeding is almost consumed before adding the next feeding |
| Improper materials added. | Avoid adding meat, fish, bones, dairy products, fats, oils, and sauces. | |
| Not enough oxygen present - anaerobic decomposition | Fluff up bedding with your hands; make sure the bedding is not too wet; make sure the holes in the cover of your bin are exposed | |
| Fruit flies around bin | Food is exposed on top of bedding | Cover each feeding with at least two inches of bedding. |
| Visibly moudly material | Food is scattered throughout the bin | Place feedings in concentrated piles and cover feedings with at least two inches of bedding. |
| Avoid mixing up the bedding around feeding locations. | ||
| >>> Mould is a natural part of the decomposition process and will be present - though you likely won't see it - throughout your vermicompost bin. |