Switched from a tumbler to a worm bin 6 months ago and my kitchen scraps vanish way faster now

I used to have this little countertop tumbler that I'd spin every few days, but it always smelled kinda funky and took like 3 months to get anything usable. Then I saw a post on here about worm bins and figured why not try it. I set up a simple Rubbermaid bin with holes drilled in the lid and got 500 red wigglers from a local garden shop for $25. Now I just toss in my coffee grounds, eggshells, and veggie peels every morning and the worms eat it up in like 2 weeks. The castings are super dark and rich, and my basil plant on the windowsill is going crazy. Has anyone else had trouble with fruit flies after switching to worms? I keep getting them and dont know what im doing wrong.

2 comments

2 Comments

bell.taylor1mo ago

Wait, 500 worms for only $25? That's wild cheap, my local place charges forty bucks for half that many. Are you layering dry shredded newspaper on top of the scraps to keep the flies off?

maxm501mo ago

You said "layering dry shredded newspaper on top of the scraps" and that got me thinking. How many times do you swap out that top layer before it gets too wet and starts molding? I've had issues where the newspaper just turns into a soggy mess after a few days and fruit flies still show up anyway. Have you tried using a thick layer of cardboard instead, or is newspaper working better for you long term?