Greasy food is no good for a worm bin

Q. I followed your advice and started a worm bin. But I am having problems with the bin smelling, attracting fruit flies and the worms are climbing the sides of the bin. What do I do?

A. I am sorry to hear about your problems. There are several possible causes for these. The worms are trying to escape because they are not happy with the environment for some reason.

Check to see if there is any standing fluid on the bottom, which would indicate the bedding is too wet. If so, mix in some dry newspaper strips to absorb excess water and leave the lid off for a day.

Alternatively, if the bedding is too dry, you can spray it with water.

Odors generally occur when the food is not buried in the bedding deep enough, the bin is too wet, or there is too much food or greasy food. If this is the case, remove the offending food. The presence of fruit flies or other insects is generally from the same causes as odors above.

Also, the holes may be too big, which allows bugs to enter. Try covering the bin with fine netting.

I should also mention how to harvest the compost. Compost is done when it is dark brown and most of the food and bedding has disappeared. You can harvest it in one of several ways:

• Bring the bin to a brightly lighted area and remove the top layer of bedding. The worms will avoid the light and burrow deeper. Repeat until you have mostly worms, which you should supply with new food and bedding to start over.

• Take one-third of the compost (worms and all) to use for plants and add fresh food/bedding to replace the amount harvested.

• Move finished compost to one side of the bin and add fresh bedding and food to the other side. The worms will gradually migrate to the food over time. When you find few worms in the old compost, you can harvest it.

I hope this solves your worm bin problems.

- Pete Landwehr

• Provided through the Master Gardener Answer Desk, Friendship Park Conservatory, Des Plaines, and University of Illinois Extension, North Cook Branch Office, Arlington Heights. Call (847) 298-3502 on Wednesdays or email northcookmg@gmail.com. Visit web.extension.illinois.edu/mg.