I have read 55-77 is optimal, so you should be fine in the basement.- jim

I would choose the basement. They will still be OK at 55, rather than being cooked.

55-60 should be fine. It's not optimal, but it's adequate, and will be better than either too high or dramatic temperature swings.

What keeps your basement at such a low temperature?

Dave Nelson

My house is heated/cooled by a geothermal system and my basement stays at this temp all year long. I would have to turn the heater on down there to make it any warmer. In the winter, we keep our house at about 62 to save energy so it works out well.

Wendrew

That's great. I think your worms will do fine but possibly the whole system will operate a little slower than it would at a higher temp. That's just a thought, not based on any data.

Dave Nelson

Dave-Do you think that there might be a way to keep the bin temp up a little bit by placing certain types of food/bedding in together sort of like heating up a traditional compost pile or is this too risky for the little squirmers?

Apparently the worms and composting generate a small amount of heat anyway, so it might be enough to wrap it up with eg bubble wrap.

I don't think I'd deliberately try to heat the bin up with food unless I could keep a near constant eye on it and had a compost thermometer. There are too many variables to say A+B = temperature C.

I don't have a compost thermometer but I'm going to get one as soon as I get a round tuit.

I don't think that overheating should be a big problem in worm composters because the depth to provide overbearing weight isn't there. We all know how hot a pile of grass clippings can get if you pile it up to a depth of a foot or more so that it self insulates. However, if you put a 1/4 inch layer on top of a container of worms and compost I doubt that it would cause significant heat rise. That's all just my opinion but I'm going to check it all out scientifically as soon as I get that round tuit.

I agree, do not deliberately heat up the bin.

Dave Nelson

I tried to turn up the heat all winter in my tiny bin with zero sucess. I would love a 1/2 cup of corn meal equals 5 degrees for 10 days formula. I even shaked and stired. I'm game to try again next winter.

What about some slight heating with some christmas lights, as described below:

Here is a link that might be useful: festive worm bin heating

That's a great idea, Antonia, thanks!!