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Keep your composting worms happy through the seasons with Tumbleweed

Caring for your worm farm year-round is the key to creating a thriving environment for your worms — and a steady supply of nutrient-rich compost for your garden. As the weather changes, so do the needs of your composting crew. But with a few simple seasonal adjustments, you can keep your worms productive, healthy, and safe from environmental extremes.

Here’s how to adapt your worm farm from winter through to summer.

Winter: Protecting Your Worms from the Cold

In cooler regions, winter poses the risk of cold stress — especially if temperatures dip below 13°C. Composting worms like red and tiger worms thrive between 13°C and 25°C, so keeping them warm is essential.

Winter worm care tips:

• Insulate your worm farm: Surround your Tumbleweed Worm Café® or Tumbleweed Worm Factory® with straw, old blankets or even insulating foam to keep the chill out.

• Bring it indoors: If possible, relocate your worm farm to a shed, garage, or undercover patio where temperatures are more stable.

• Watch moisture levels: Cold + wet = trouble. Keep the bedding damp like a wrung-out sponge but avoid excess moisture to prevent freezing.

Spring: Time to Rejuvenate
As temperatures warm up, your worms will wake from their slow winter state and get back to business — breaking down food scraps and producing beautiful castings.

Spring worm care checklist:

• Spring clean your worm farm: Remove old or soggy bedding and replace it with fresh bedding like shredded paper, cardboard, or a Tumbleweed Worm Blanket.

• Feed gradually: Start feeding small amounts of scraps and increase as your worms become more active.

• Harvest castings: Spring is a great time to collect worm castings from your Tumbleweed Worm Café®'s lower tray — perfect for your veggie patch or pot plants.

Summer: Beating the Heat

Summer can be tough on worms. High temperatures, rapid decomposition, and moisture fluctuations can stress your worm population if not managed carefully.

Tips for summer worm farm success:

• Keep it cool: Move your worm farm to a shady spot, like under a tree or pergola.

• Use frozen water bottles: Lay frozen bottles on top of dry bedding (not directly on worms!) to cool the system down.

• Feed less during heatwaves: Reduce food to prevent rotting and pest issues.

• Maintain moisture: Regularly check bedding moisture and use a Worm Blanket or damp newspaper to regulate humidity and temperature.

Year-Round Success with Tumbleweed
By understanding seasonal needs and adjusting your worm care routine accordingly, you’ll keep your Tumbleweed worm farm running smoothly all year long. Whether you're using a Worm Café®, Can-O-Worms®, or Worm Factory®, Tumbleweed’s range is designed to make worm farming simple, even as the seasons shift. 

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