Start a Wormery

Meet the hardest-working little recyclers in your garden.

You don't need a big garden, a compost heap or even much space to start worm composting. Just a suitable home, some composting worms and a few kitchen scraps.

The worms do the rest. Well, most of it.

At Wiggly Wigglers, we've been working with worms since 1990, and we still think they're rather extraordinary. They turn everyday kitchen waste into beautiful, crumbly worm compost that helps bring your soil to life.

Whether you've got a balcony, a garden, an allotment or a classroom full of curious children, there's a wormery for you.

QUICK GUIDE: Which wormery should I choose?

I want to compost kitchen peelings regularly and make worm compost → Choose an Urbalive Wormery.

I want a smaller wormery that doesn't take up much room → Choose a Compact Worm Farm.

I want to compost directly in my garden or raised bed → Choose an In-Ground Worm Farm.

I'd like to make my own wormery → Start with composting worms and our DIY guide.

I've already got a wormery but need help → Explore our worms, bedding, accessories and advice.

A little Wiggly tip

Composting worms aren't quite the same as the earthworms you find when digging your garden. They're specialists in breaking down organic matter near the surface.

Wiggly Urbalive Worm Composter Wormery - Complete Kit STONE / Start Later (Includes 500g Voucher)

Urbalive Wormery

Your kitchen scraps. Their dinner. Your garden's reward.

A tidy, tray-based wormery for turning fruit and vegetable scraps into lovely worm compost. Ideal for households that want to compost regularly, without needing a traditional compost heap.

The stacking trays make it easier to manage your composting and harvest the finished material as the worms work their way through the system.

Choose this if: You want a dedicated wormery for regular kitchen waste, with an easy way to collect your finished worm compost.

Shop Urbalive Wormeries

Compact Worm Farm

Small on space. Big on worm power.

You don't need a huge wormery to get started. The Compact Worm Farm is a practical way to turn suitable kitchen scraps into useful worm compost without taking over your garden or patio.

It's a lovely introduction to worm composting, particularly if you're short on space or simply want to start small and see how you get on.

Choose this if: You want a smaller, manageable wormery that's easy to fit into everyday life.

Shop Compact Worm Farms

In-Ground Worm Farm

Bury it. Feed it. Let the worms get on with it.

This is worm composting right where your plants grow.

Simply install the In-Ground Worm Farm in a suitable garden bed or raised bed, add your composting worms and feed them with appropriate kitchen scraps.

The worms help break down the waste, and the resulting organic matter benefits the surrounding soil.

There's no need to move trays around or regularly harvest separate batches of compost.

Choose this if: You've got a garden or raised bed and want a simple way to feed the soil directly.

Shop In-Ground Worm Farms

Composting Worms

Already got a home? Now meet the residents.

If you're making your own wormery or setting up a suitable empty system, you'll need the right worms.

Our composting worms are specially suited to living in organic-rich material and helping turn suitable waste into vermicompost.

Choose this if: You're building your own wormery, establishing a new system or adding worms where conditions are suitable.

Shop Composting Worms

Soil and Sense Compost Culture - Living Microbes for Active Composting 200g

SOIL & SENSE Compost Culture

Give your composting system a biological helping hand.

Worm composting is a partnership between worms and microorganisms. The microbes begin breaking down organic matter, and the worms help process it further.

Our SOIL & SENSE Compost Culture is designed to introduce a diverse community of composting microorganisms and support the decomposition process.

Choose this if: You want to support the biology in your composting system.

Discover Compost Culture

HOW DO I CHOOSE BETWEEN THE THREE WORMERIES?

Our advice: If you want to make worm compost to use around the garden, choose the Urbalive or Compact Worm Farm. If you'd rather feed your garden beds directly, choose the In-Ground Worm Farm.

Features	Wiggly Urbalive Worm Composter Wormery - Complete Kit £179.95	Wiggly Wigglers Urbalive COMPACT Worm Farm – with Complete Value Pack £104.95	In-Ground Worm Farm Complete Kit £65.95
Best for	Regular kitchen waste	Smaller spaces and beginnners	Garden beds and raised beds
Where it goes	Sheltered patio or suitable indoor space	Small sheltered space	Buried in the soil
Main benefit	Producing and harvesting worm compost	Simple, compact composting	Feeding the soil directly
Compost Harvesting	Yes	Yes, depending on the system	Usually left in the surrounding soil

HOW DOES A WORMERY WORK?

It's wonderfully straightforward.

Make a comfortable home. Start with suitable damp bedding, good ventilation and drainage.

Introduce your worms. Let them settle into their new home before you start feeding heavily.

Feed a little at a time. Fruit and vegetable peelings, coffee grounds and other suitable scraps are a good start.

Add some browns. Torn cardboard or paper helps balance wet kitchen scraps and maintain good conditions.

Let the worms work. Microorganisms begin breaking down the waste and the worms help turn it into vermicompost.

Use your worm compost. Once it's dark, crumbly and ready, use it as a soil improver around your plants.

The biggest mistake people make is feeding too much too soon. Your worms need time to settle, and their population will gradually adjust to the food available.

WHAT CAN MY WORMS EAT?
Good things to feed your worms:
Fruit and vegetable peelings
Chopped vegetable scraps
Coffee grounds and paper filters
Plastic-free tea leaves
Small amounts of crushed eggshell
Torn cardboard and uncoated paper
Small quantities of suitable soft plant material
Things best avoided:
Meat and fish
Dairy products
Oily or heavily seasoned cooked food
Large amounts of citrus
Large quantities of onion and garlic
Pet waste
Plastics and other non-compostable materials

Why chop things up?

Worms don't have teeth. They rely on microorganisms to begin breaking down their food before they can process it.

Chopping your scraps into smaller pieces gives those microorganisms more surface area to work on, helping the food break down more readily.

You don't need to spend your evenings finely dicing carrot peelings. Just chop up the bigger bits.

WANT TO MAKE YOUR OWN WORMERY?

We love a bit of DIY.

You can make a perfectly good wormery from a suitable plastic storage box or other container, provided you get the basics right.

You'll need somewhere for the worms to live, suitable bedding, ventilation, drainage and protection from extreme temperatures.

And, of course, some composting worms.

The important things are:

A suitable container with enough space

Ventilation so the contents can breathe

Drainage to prevent waterlogging

Damp bedding, such as moistened shredded cardboard

A suitable population of composting worms

Somewhere cool, sheltered and protected from frost and overheating

Start with small amounts of food and increase gradually as the system becomes established.

Read Our DIY Wormery Guide Buy Composting Worms

WHAT DO I DO WITH MY WORM COMPOST?

This is the really satisfying bit.

Once your worms have processed the material into dark, crumbly vermicompost, you've got a lovely soil improver to use around the garden.

You can:

Add small amounts around established plants.

Mix it into potting compost.

Incorporate it into the top layer of soil in pots and containers.

Use it when planting into garden beds.

Add it to your wider composting and soil-building routine.

Worm compost helps add organic matter and supports the biological activity of your soil.

And the wonderful thing is that you've made it from material that might otherwise have been thrown away.

FAQs

Will a wormery smell?

Not if it's working properly. A healthy wormery should smell earthy, rather like a woodland floor. Strong smells usually mean something needs adjusting.

How many worms do I need?

That depends on the size of the wormery and how much food waste you want to process. Start with a suitable population for your system and let it grow naturally.

Can I keep a wormery indoors?

Yes, provided the wormery is designed for suitable indoor use, has good ventilation and drainage, and is kept at a comfortable temperature.

Will it work in winter?

Yes, although worms slow down considerably in cold weather. Protect above-ground wormeries from freezing and reduce feeding when temperatures fall.

Can I use the liquid from my wormery?

Liquid draining from a wormery isn't automatically a safe or balanced fertiliser. It can contain compounds and microorganisms from partially decomposed material, so it shouldn't be treated as ready-to-use worm tea.

The real prize is the finished worm compost.

How long does it take to make worm compost?

It depends on temperature, food, worm numbers and the type of wormery. Expect the process to take months rather than days, especially when you're starting a new system.

Will the worms breed?

Yes! If they're happy, well fed and living in suitable conditions, composting worms reproduce and their population can increase over time.

Do I need to buy more worms every year?

Usually not. In a healthy, established wormery, the worms should maintain their own population according to the space, food and conditions available.

Can children help with a wormery?

Absolutely. Wormeries are a wonderful way to introduce children to composting, soil life and the natural recycling process. Adult supervision and good handwashing are important.

WHY WIGGLY?

Because we've been Wiggling since 1990.

We don't just sell worms. We use them, work with them and help people understand what makes them happy.

Our interest in worms has taken us from garden composting to looking much more closely at the extraordinary life beneath our feet on our Herefordshire farm.

And once you've seen what worms can do with a few potato peelings, you'll never look at kitchen waste quite the same way again.

Ready to start Wiggling?

Find Your Perfect Wormery

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