70 cL Sprayer, easy refill
Removable copper nozzle, prevents blockages
4,61 €
Practical guide
Vermicomposting
Guide contents
01Getting started5▸
02Choosing your model5▸
03Daily care4▸
04Solving a problem4▸
05Living with your wormery6▸
Other topics in the guide
How to look after your wormery while you're on holiday
One of the advantages of keeping compost worms rather than a pet: there's no need to find a boarding kennel or ask a neighbour for a favour for a weekend, a week, or even two. Your worms are perfectly capable of fending for themselves while you're away for short periods. Here's how long you can leave with peace of mind, and how to manage longer absences.
Up to 3-4 weeks: nothing to worry about
Your worms can go without fresh food for 3 to 4 weeks with no problem at all: they simply carry on feeding on whatever is left in the active tray. Before you leave, a few simple steps are all it takes:
- Feed them a little more generously than usual, but without overdoing it — there's no need to empty your entire compost caddy in one go, as that is more likely to cause excess moisture and unpleasant smells by the time you get back. Our WormFood, a protein-rich feed designed precisely for this purpose, is a good alternative if you'd rather not leave fresh scraps building up while you're away.
- Leave the sump tap fully open, with a large container placed underneath, so that no compost tea builds up while you're away.
Did you know?Unlike a pet, your worms will never need you to find someone to look after them for a weekend or a week's holiday.
Longer than a month: arrange some cover
After 3 to 4 weeks, the worm population starts to decline for lack of food, and your wormery will need a little time to get back into its stride when you return. For a longer absence, there are two options:
- Ask a friend or relative to pop in and feed your worms from time to time — bear in mind that a worm eats roughly its own weight in a day, which will give you an idea of how much to leave.
- If you've kept some coir from your starter bedding, now is the time to use it: it makes an excellent emergency food for an extended absence. We describe this bedding in detail in our guide How to set up your wormery
One thing to bear in mind if you're going away in winter: if you turn off the heating in your home while you're away, it's best to think about the cold before you leave rather than when you get back — we explain what to do in our guide Protecting against cold and heat
Have your worms arrived just before you leave?
This can happen if you ordered your worms without realising you'd be away: don't panic, simply keep them in their transport substrate in the fridge until you return. You can then set up your wormery as normal — we go through each step of getting started in our guide How to set up your wormery
When you get back
A quick look is usually all that's needed: if the bedding has dried out a little while you were away, moisten it slightly before resuming your usual feeding. If you were away for more than a month, build back up gradually rather than all at once — giving your slightly reduced worm population time to get back to its normal pace. We explain the right feeding rhythm in our guide What do earthworms eat?
In a nutshell
No need to book boarding for your worms: for absences of up to 3-4 weeks, a slightly more generous feed before you leave and an open tap are more than enough. Beyond that, an occasional visit from someone or a supply of coir will take over, while keeping the cold in mind if you're leaving in winter.
