Winter Worm Composting

by Marc
(Ft. Worth, Texas)

Hello,

I am new to the idea of raising worms and will be purchasing one of your bucket of worms kits very soon.

My question is can I keep the worms in a large bin outside during the winter months (I live here in Ft. worth, Texas). Will there enough heat produced from the compost to keep them alive?
Also, I cannot put the bin down into the ground due to my yard holds water after rain. A major rain storm can leave 0-4 inches of rain water in my yard and may take days to a weeks before it drains just off the lawn surface.

Would wrapping the bin in cloth or covering it in hay help?
Answer from BigTex Worms
Funny, you have the same concern I had when I first started worm composting. Us Texans are more concerned with things dying in the cold but the heat is far more dangerous for worms.
All my worm bins are outside and all do fine all winter long. It is the summer heat that you really need to watch the bin temps. Unless your bin is getting the north wind, there is usually no need to even insulate. Yes, your food scraps provide plenty of heat. So, you must feed regularly all winter long.
Hope this helps,
Liz
BigTex Worms
P.S. Since you are so local, please consider taking the on site worm composting class, it will really help you get the bin going right.