Instructions TUBE

Location

The WormUp TUBE is either buried in your raised bed, your garden bed or even in a large plant pot. An easily accessible place is ideal so that you can simply put your waste in it. Shady places, for example under a plant, can be good locations due to the natural cooling effect. The TUBE is frost-proof and can remain buried all year round.

Composting basics

Composting with the HOME is easy. To ensure that the worms do well and that you enjoy composting, follow the composting basics.

Get started

Your WormUp TUBE is as simple as it is ingenious: It transforms organic waste into the best fertilizer right where it's needed. Within a radius of about 60cm around the TUBE, the soil quality is significantly improved thanks to essential nutrients and microorganisms. To enhance these positive characteristics, we recommend using several TUBEs placed 120cm apart from each other.

Bury the TUBE so that all holes are below the surface of the soil.
Prepare a worm bed: For this, mix ± 5 liters of soil (ideally garden soil, but old potting soil or purchased organic bagged soil is also possible) with two to three handfuls of wilted leaves and small twigs, and a handful of shredded organic waste. Moisten the mixture with some water.
Place the mixture into the TUBE.
Now, you can carefully add the starter population of worms into the TUBE.
After the worms have been added, add some more water. Then wait 3 to 4 days before adding your first organic wastes into the TUBE.

Operation

± WEEK 2-8

The composting capacity of the TUBE will be about 300 grams per week in the future. Initially, however, carefully add waste and gradually increase the amount slowly. Then add more waste to the composter when half of the waste has been processed. Chop the waste, for example, with scissors, ensure a good C/N ratio, and regularly check that it is moist (see the composting basics).

± FROM WEEK 8

wormup-tube-betrieb

From now on, you can regularly "feed" your TUBE with waste. Naturally, the amount processed varies depending on weather conditions and the type of waste you put in.

For efficient composting, the layer of fresh waste should not be thicker than 5cm. If microorganisms and worms can't keep up with the decomposition, take a few days off from feeding.

If you've filled the Tube rather quickly, take a break of about two weeks. The waste will decrease in volume, and there will be space for new waste again. Even during the break, ensure sufficient moisture.

TUBE in Winter

When it gets cold, the winter break begins. At temperatures below 5°C, the composting processes in nature more or less come to a halt. To avoid an accumulation of waste in your TUBE, we recommend pausing waste additions during this time. The TUBE is frost-proof and can remain buried. Since the TUBE is open at the bottom, the worms will retreat into the soil below the frost line during longer periods of cold. If you live in the mountains or particularly cold regions, a layer of straw can be added from the top into the TUBE for additional insulation. The worm cocoons survive even extreme cold periods, and the young worms hatch in the spring when it warms up again.

Useful links

Food list

Harvest

Is the Tube filled to the top and the layer of fresh waste only a few centimeters thick? Now it's time to harvest. Remove the top, fresh layer of waste and temporarily set it aside in a container.

wormup-tube-ernten

Option 1: Harvest and continue composting at the same location

Below the top layer, you will find the mature compost. Remove this compost and distribute it among your plants. You can then return the fresh layer from the container back into the emptied TUBE. And so the cycle continues.

Option 2: Harvest and relocate the TUBE

You have the option to dig out the TUBE and relocate it to start anew at another site. Leave the finished compost in place, mix in some soil, and plant a heavy-feeding plant such as a pumpkin, zucchini, cucumber, or tomato. Use the top layer from the container as the starting substrate at the new location. And so the cycle continues.

Also look here

Application and dosage of worm humus

Checklist

Regularly check if everything is running smoothly in your WormUp TUBE by observing your composter with all your senses: Watch the nimble worms hide from the light, feel the moisture, temperature, and crumbly structure, smell the earthy scent of the worm humus, and listen to the comforting smacking of the worms ;).

Checklist

	Worms
	You should find the worms under the layer of waste, moving around and not clumped together.
	When you lift the lid, the worms hide from the light, and if you spray them with a spray bottle, they quickly retreat.
	Compost Quality
	The top layer of fresh/undegraded waste is no thicker than 2-5 cm.
	It smells like earth and slightly like what you have just fed (e.g., banana or onion). If it smells bad, something is wrong, likely due to insufficient oxygen in the system.
	The worm compost is pleasantly loose, crumbly, and you can see worm castings.
	The compost is pleasantly moist like a wrung-out sponge or like garden soil a few hours after rain. The lower tiers also have a pleasant moisture level.
	Temperature
	The worm humus is "hand warm." If the compost is significantly warmer than the surrounding temperature, you probably have given too much or too much protein-rich food.
	Co-inhabitants
	Various organisms are present, but not in extreme amounts. Some Co-inhabitants can be indicators of how the system is running.

If any of these indicators show that things aren't going smoothly, then take action or contact us. We're always here for you if you have questions!

Immediate Measures

Over time, you will become an expert on your little ecosystem. You will immediately notice when the system is out of balance, and you will sense whether you need to take action or simply wait for the system to balance itself out again.

The most effective remedies for almost all worm composting problems

Reduce or pause feeding: You can detect overfeeding by the smell. Learn with patience how much waste your worms can process. It might not always be the same amount.
Regulate moisture:

If the compost is too wet, add dry structural material and temporarily reduce the amount of feed.
If the compost is too dry, add water. Moisten the surface with a spray bottle. Note: If the composter is very dry, it requires larger amounts of water (2-3dl).

Play mole occasionally: At some point, you will feel the urge to stick your hands in the composter and thoroughly mix everything. This adds extra oxygen to the system and gives you a feel for the condition of your compost.
Mix in moist soil (2-3 liters, e.g., garden soil)
Sprinkle minerals over the individual elements: Mineral mix or rock dust

What to do if the compost is mushy and stinks?

Mix in structural material or soil to get oxygen back into the system. Do not water anymore.
Remove or otherwise dispose of rotten, mushy, or hot spots, e.g., bury in the garden/raised bed.

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Related topics

The compost worm

In this article, you will discover everything you’ve ever wanted to know about earthworms, particularly about compost worms (Eisenia fetida), a species within the earthworm family. Characteristics Earthworms are the...

The compost worm

In this article, you will discover everything you’ve ever wanted to know about earthworms, particularly about compost worms (Eisenia fetida), a species within the earthworm family. Characteristics Earthworms are the...

In this article, you will discover everything you’ve ever wanted to know about earthworms, particularly about compost worms (Eisenia fetida), a species within the earthworm family. Characteristics Earthworms are the largest soil invertebrates. The compost worm reaches a body length of 6-13 cm and is 3-4 mm thick. There are approximately 3,000 species of earthworms worldwide; about 40 of these live in Switzerland. The Australian earthworm (Megascolides australis) can reach a body length of about 2 meters and can be 2.5 cm thick. The compost worm is reddish with yellowish bands, distinguishing it clearly from other species. All worms breathe through their skin. Earthworms can survive in water, provided it contains enough oxygen. Earthworms have 5 pairs of "hearts." Worms have tiny bristles on their skin that help them move. Earthworms do not have eyes, ears, or a nose. They possess sensitive light sensory cells, a sense of touch and gravity, and a very good sense of taste. Earthworms cannot tolerate sunlight: Ultraviolet sunlight causes respiratory distress in these lightly colored animals the next day and leads to death after a state of paralysis. The earthworm is one of the few living beings that can form the valuable clay-humus complexes important for soil fertility. Worm castings contain on average five times more nitrogen, seven times more phosphorus, and eleven times more potassium than the surrounding soil. 1 ha of pasture can feed a cow (0.5 t); underground, it's 4 cows (3-4 t) in the form of soil organisms, of which up to two cows (1 t) are earthworms. On a pasture, 3 t of earthworms produce up to 600 t of worm castings per ha per year. Earthworms are tunnel builders: 200 g of earthworms create a tunnel system with a maximum extension of 900 m in one cubic meter. That's 9,000 km per hectare. Relative to their body size, earthworms are one of the strongest living beings: They can lift 50 to 60 times their own body weight (1323 g/cm2; in comparison, humans: 200 g/cm2). Earthworms have calcium glands: They can absorb calcium compounds from their food and counteract acidification by binding excess CO2 with dissolved lime and excreting it as calcium carbonate. Worms consist of up to 70% protein and are therefore a popular prey. The earthworm was called "reger Wurm" (active worm) in the 17th century, likely because the worms come to the surface when it rains (presumably to access oxygen). Life Cycle Some worm species can live up to 8 years, but the average lifespan is 2 years. Earthworms are hermaphrodites, having both reproductive organs. However, they do not fertilize themselves; it requires two worms. Earthworms mainly reproduce in spring and autumn when soil temperature and moisture. Sexual maturity is indicated by the saddle in the front third of the worm. From this point, one can distinguish the front and back: The saddle is located at the head end. After mating, the saddle moves to the front end, and the worm pulls itself out of it. In this process, the eggs are laid and fertilized. The shed saddle becomes a lemon-shaped cocoon. A cocoon contains 8-20 eggs, from which about 2 hatch. The compost worm hatches at 25°C after 16 days and is sexually mature after another 9 weeks, while the dew worm takes up to 135 days to hatch at 12°C. Behavior Compost worms eat up to half their own weight per day. Worms have no teeth: They ingest material and metabolize the carbohydrates and proteins of dead plant residues and the microorganisms living on them; Decomposition occurs through the microorganisms in the worms and through mineral particles as milling stones. In danger, the compost worm secretes a foul-smelling yellow fluid from its back pores to protect itself from predators; hence the species name foetida (stinking). In an emergency, the worm has the ability to sever its hind end (up to 50 segments, the worm has up to 200 segments, the compost worm 105 segments), for example, if a bird tries to pull the worm by the hind end out of its living tube in the ground. Parts of the segments can regrow. This behavior has also been observed in cases of strong acidification.
Bokashi or vermicompost?

Both methods turn organic waste into fertilizer—but there are fundamental differences. The main difference is in the air. More precisely, in the oxygen and the associated microorganisms, which are crucial...

Bokashi or vermicompost?

Both methods turn organic waste into fertilizer—but there are fundamental differences. The main difference is in the air. More precisely, in the oxygen and the associated microorganisms, which are crucial...

Both methods turn organic waste into fertilizer—but there are fundamental differences. The main difference is in the air. More precisely, in the oxygen and the associated microorganisms, which are crucial for decomposition. In the bokashi, the conversion of organic waste takes place in the absence of oxygen (anaerobic), the process is called fermentation. Composting, on the other hand, is an aerobic process that requires the presence of oxygen. Oxygen based processes do not stink. Odor occurs as soon as a process is deprived of oxygen or it is used up. The best example: the green organic waste bin made of plastic. Hardly any oxygen gets to the decomposing materials here, which leads to putrefaction - foul-smelling for us, a place of desire for flies. However, fermentation in the Bokashi is not a putrefaction process, but a controlled oxygen-free decomposition process with the help of so-called effective microorganisms (EM), which makes sense in certain cases. In the following table we have compared the main differences between the two methods: bokashi WormUp worm composter Suitable for indoors Yes Yes degradation process Anaerobic - fermentation (without oxygen) Aerobic – composting with oxygen Microbial Diversity ±85 types of microorganisms up to 500,000 types of microorganisms purchase costs (one time) Bokashi bucket If waste is to be recycled continuously: additional Bokashi bucket worm composter worm population running costs (recurring) Effective Microorganisms (EM) none space requirement Low, + outdoor space for earthing Small amount Recyclable waste All kitchen waste including meat and dairy products All kitchen waste with the exception of cooking leftovers and meat and dairy products operating effort Waste crushing, addition of EM mixture, pressing of waste, daily draining of leachate Chop up the waste, check on the worms from time to time, keep them moist Harvest/ application Easy Harvest. However, substrate must be buried and neutralized before use. 1 week waiting time after the bucket is filled + 2-3 weeks «soiling» Easy to harvest, can be applied directly Odor Slightly to strongly acidic Odorless to earthy material plastic made of clay (WormUp TUBE and HOME), made of metal + untreated wood (WormUp SCALE) Both methods allow you to recycle organic waste indoors. An advantage of the Bokashi method is that, in contrast to worm composting, cooking residues as well as meat and dairy products can also be used. No compost worms are used, but there are always unpleasant odors when draining the seepage water. The Bokashi bucket is made of plastic, which is not for everyone. The operational expenditure in terms of time and money is significantly higher than with worm composting and the end product has to be buried outside (or in the composter) and "grounded" for several weeks before it can be used until humus is formed. In the case of worm composting, on the other hand, there are one-off acquisition costs. The operating costs are low and the vermicompost can be used directly. Vermicomposting is odorless and there are products made from natural materials, such as the WormUp HOME.
Checklist WormUp TUBE – Is your composter doing...

Regularly check if everything is running smoothly in your WormUp TUBE by observing your composter with all your senses: Watch the nimble worms hide from the light, feel the...

Checklist WormUp TUBE – Is your composter doing...

Regularly check if everything is running smoothly in your WormUp TUBE by observing your composter with all your senses: Watch the nimble worms hide from the light, feel the...

Regularly check if everything is running smoothly in your WormUp TUBE by observing your composter with all your senses: Watch the nimble worms hide from the light, feel the moisture, temperature, and crumbly structure, smell the earthy scent of the worm humus, and listen to the comforting smacking of the worms ;). Checklist Worms You should find the worms under the layer of waste, moving around and not clumped together. When you lift the lid, the worms hide from the light, and if you spray them with a spray bottle, they quickly retreat. Compost Quality The top layer of fresh/undegraded waste is no thicker than 2-5 cm. It smells like earth and slightly like what you have just fed (e.g., banana or onion). If it smells bad, something is wrong, likely due to insufficient oxygen in the system. The worm compost is pleasantly loose, crumbly, and you can see worm castings. The compost is pleasantly moist like a wrung-out sponge or like garden soil a few hours after rain. The lower tiers also have a pleasant moisture level. Temperature The worm humus is "hand warm." If the compost is significantly warmer than the surrounding temperature, you probably have given too much or too much protein-rich food. Co-inhabitants Various organisms are present, but not in extreme amounts. Some Co-inhabitants can be indicators of how the system is running. If any of these indicators show that things aren't going smoothly, then take action or contact us. We're always here for you if you have questions! Immediate Measures Over time, you will become an expert on your little ecosystem. You will immediately notice when the system is out of balance, and you will sense whether you need to take action or simply wait for the system to balance itself out again. The most effective remedies for almost all worm composting problems Reduce or pause feeding: You can detect overfeeding by the smell. Learn with patience how much waste your worms can process. It might not always be the same amount. Regulate moisture: If the compost is too wet, add dry structural material and temporarily reduce the amount of feed. If the compost is too dry, add water. Moisten the surface with a spray bottle. Note: If the composter is very dry, it requires larger amounts of water (2-3dl). Play mole occasionally: At some point, you will feel the urge to stick your hands in the composter and thoroughly mix everything. This adds extra oxygen to the system and gives you a feel for the condition of your compost. Mix in moist soil (2-3 liters, e.g., garden soil) Sprinkle minerals over the individual elements: Mineral mix or rock dust What to do if the compost is mushy and stinks? Mix in structural material or soil to get oxygen back into the system. Do not water anymore. Remove or otherwise dispose of rotten, mushy, or hot spots, e.g., bury in the garden/raised bed.