Vicky..What kind of bin do you have? Any chance or place to put them inside? I have lots of outdoor and indoor bins, and there is a way to do outdoor bins but indoor is easier.

My bin is a wooden outdoor bin 2'x4'x2'. I have NO place at all in this house for the worms. We live in a 1400 sq foot house with four kids and a library of about four thousand books. Not one place to store worms. The garage is not heated and in my way of thinking it is colder in there than outside but it would block the wind.

Vicky~

When temperatures drop, worm activity slows, plain and simple. Worms become slow-moving and lethargic, reacting only minimally to stimuli that, in warmer weather, evokes strong, quick reaction; they consume far less than during more temperate periods; and reproduction slows, often to point of ceasing all together. This is normal behavior and is expected in systems that are managed outdoors in colder climates.

If the reduction in activity is problematic for you, it can be mitigated somewhat by placing the bin out of cold wind, rain and snow, insulating (stack straw bales or bags of leaves around the unit, attach styrofoam insulation sheets to the bin, and/or cover with an old blanket or sleeping bag) to capture the naturally occuring biological heat, and feeding high energy foods in sufficient quantity that they actually generate heat in the system. Supplemental heat can also be added to the bin by burying a gallon jug of water containing a birdbath heater in the bedding, or by using seed flat heat mats inside the bin (be sure to insulate the bin in conjunction with the addition of supplemental heat to hang on to all that additional warmth!).

If you are able to adapt to the natural seasonal fluctuation in worm activity, then simply insulate the bin to the best of your ability and keep feeding as you normally would. While the worms are highly unlikely to stay abreast of the inputs, the feedstock is essentially being refrigerated in the cold worm bin, meaning breakdown will be slow and unlikely to cause problems in the system over the winter. As the weather warms next year and decomposition of the winter's slowing degrading material ramps up there will be abundant feedstock to support the sudden increase in nutritional demand on the part of all warming and wakening organisms in the system.

Many cold climate vermicomposters mix winter feedstock additions with compost, shredded paper or leaves, or other bulking agent to ensure the system has sufficient absorbant materials to soak up any excess moisture as feedstocks freeze/thaw and slowly decompose during time of low biological activity. As the weather begins to warm next spring, keep an eye on the system moisture level, mixing in dry bulky material if conditions become overly wet.

What you're seeing is normal and what we expect for worm bins outdoors in New York at this time of year. Keep observing the bin, take action that feels right to you based on what you see happening, and trust your instincts more than the recommendations of others, Vickie. You know more about your own system than does anyone else!

KellyS