Wriggly worms

Our worms farms are a work in progress.  Due to excessive heat, the worm farms need some extra tlc to establish.  I currently have 2 farms in a cool spot outside my building which are functioning beautifully, and will be helping to establish another 2.

Here are some hints and tips to get worm farms through a hot summer:

1. Keep your farm out of direct sun. Under the house or the canopy of a lush, transpiring shrub are good spots.
2. Never leave the tap closed.  A closed tap is a great way to create a smelly hot worm stew. 
3. Keep a bucket under the tap to catch that worm juice.  Any escapees should be returned to the farm.  They will only drown if left in warm water for a long time
4. Build up your layers.  A full-ish worm farm over summer has a higher thermal mass and more volume for the worms to escape into.
5. Use torn or balled up newspaper or hessian in the top tray and keep it wet.  You don't want a blanket - it still needs to breathe.
6. On really hot days, leave the lid open but keep that top tray moist. Evaporative cooling is good, but needs air flow.
7. Keep up the fluids.  A bucket of cold water through the farm will help cool it down. If the liquid comes through opaque, you've probably got a problem.  It can be dark like tea, but not cloudy.
8. If you're really desperate, a couple of blocks of ice might help.
9. In an established and well looked after farm it is rare to get a full kill. Usually the numbers will build back up, even if it's from eggs.  Be patient and don't overfeed.
10. As our community of worm farmers grows we should be able to help you restock in Autumn if tragedy does strike, but hopefully we don't get to that point.