Description
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With the clay worm composter "TUBE" from our Swiss start-up partner WormUp, you can compost exactly where fresh plant nutrients are needed. The compost tube made of frost-proof clay is buried directly between your plants, creating a permanent home for hundreds of compost worms. Worm humus can be distributed in the surrounding area by compost worms and the plants are right at the source of the black gold. The high-quality, breathable clay ensures a pleasant climate during composting and serves as a permanent food source for compost worms and positive microorganisms in the area.
Where can the TUBE be used (location)?
You can bury the TUBE directly in your raised bed, vegetable/garden bed or even in a large flower pot. In hot summer, the compost tube should ideally be protected from the sun to ensure cool temperatures for the compost worms - vegetable plants growing around it can also provide valuable shade.
How is commissioning carried out?
Dig the TUBE so that all the holes on the side are covered with soil. Moisten the TUBE and the surrounding soil well with water and ensure there is enough moisture using the "fist test". Now add 3 handfuls of worm food (max. 2/3 nitrogen in the form of fresh organic waste & min. 1/3 carbon in the form of paper, cardboard, brown leaves, hay,...). Now add your starting population of compost worms to this first layer of worm food - 0.5KG (approx. 500) is completely sufficient for this.
How does the ongoing operation / composting take place?
It is best to add new organic waste mixed with paper and cardboard (max. 2/3 nitrogen, min. 1/3 carbon) to your TUBE every week. Always make sure that the layer of fresh food is no higher than 5cm, otherwise hot rot could occur, especially in summer - then it will be too warm for your worms. Check the moisture here and there using the "fist test" - every time you water your plants, you can also moisten the TUBE. TIP: Water the soil around the TUBE well - the worms can also get moisture from the environment into the compost tube and will therefore not be surprised by the water.
Composting with the TUBE in (hot) summer and (cold) winter:
The worms are most productive between 15 and 25 degrees Celsius, use the most organic waste and reproduce the fastest. In hot summer temperatures, shade is essential, as otherwise it will be too hot for the worms. In winter, the TUBE can be insulated from above - straw or hay is ideal for this. As soon as the temperature in the compost tube itself drops below 5 degrees, the compost worms retreat into deeper layers to be protected from the frost. In spring, the worms return to the TUBE.
How do I harvest the worm humus from my TUBE and make room for new compost?
There are 2 options for this:
1) Harvest and continue composting at the same location
Remove the top layer of fresh organic waste and place it in a bucket for a short time. The finished worm humus is now underneath. You can remove this and spread it directly around your plants. If there are still worms in the worm humus (this can sometimes happen), then place the worm humus on the (previously moistened) surface directly around the TUBE and wait until the worms have retreated into the soil (worms are afraid of light and bury themselves downwards) - they will then migrate back into the TUBE on their own. The top layer previously placed in a bucket goes back into the tube - composting can continue! :-)
2) Harvest and change location
Proceed in the same way as described in point 1 - but first change the location with the filled TUBE and bury the TUBE in a new place. This can be a good strategy for supplying several places in the garden with fresh nutrients. The soil around and under the TUBE is very well supplied with fresh nutrients after one pass. In the place where the compost tube was previously buried, you can plant a plant with a high nutrient requirement (heavy feeder) such as pumpkins, tomatoes, zucchini, etc.
Dimensions WormUp TUBE:
Diameter: 25cm
Height: 32cm
TIP: Visit our blog and YouTube channel. Here you will get valuable tips on the subject of worm composting.
