In any composting where you are pulling weeds, you will get cacoons and then worms in tumblers, bin, etc. The best thing to do is move them to a worm “hotel” and let them do the work they are good at while being able to come and go from your garden, ie, a “hotel.”

Worms are also the simplest (and sometimes faster) way to turn scraps into high-value soil life. They do the work quietly, indoors or out, and give you the most concentrated fertility back. Set it up once, keep it moist and fed, and you’ll have a steady supply of castings and new worms to tuck into beds and pots.

Worms thrive where hot compost struggles: small spaces, slow rhythms, cooler temps. They don’t like heat, so they stay near the surface and will occasionally come right up in your bin to say hello. In return, they create worm castings that are basically microbial gold for plants.

It’s a closed loop you can do year-round, without turning piles or needing big space.

Composting worms are commonly known as “red wigglers” —tiny soil workers that live near the surface and love decaying food. They’re different from earthworms you find in the ground. These species (Eisenia fetida or Eisenia andrei) specialize in breaking down organic matter fast, turning scraps into rich castings that feed your soil ecosystem.

Fun fact: they can eat roughly half their body weight in food each day and double their population every few months when conditions are right.

Keep them cool, moist, and fed, with a bed!

Red wigglers thrive around 55–75°F in a dark, breathable bin with damp bedding like shredded paper, straw, or leaves. (or “Worm Bedding and Breakfast”!) Feed small amounts of fruit and veggie scraps (no meat, dairy, or oily foods) and cover fresh food with bedding to prevent flies. If it smells bad, it’s too wet or overfed; add dry carbon (dry material) They don’t need much else—just steady conditions and time to turn your scraps into soil.

I recommend a worm hotel because it lets the worms self-regulate—you’re caring for livestock, not a machine. They can wander when it’s too hot, too cold, or too wet, which means you’re less likely to “lose” them and more likely to stick with it. Let them come and go, if you get it right they will stay and repopulate.