The Solstice Warning every worm farmer should read

In the Southern Hemisphere, it is the winter solstice — the shortest day, the start of the coldest months. Either way, the solstice is a turning point. And every year, worm bins around the world fail in June because their owners did not prepare for what comes next. This month I want to share the one thing I have learned from 20 summers and 20 winters of worm farming that has saved my bins every single year.

☀️ THIS MONTH'S MAIN TIP The solstice lesson that took me years to learn Heat kills worms faster than anything else — and it does it silently Most worm bin disasters I hear about happen the same way. The farmer goes away for a long weekend, the temperature spikes, and they come back to find the bin silent and the worms gone. The cruel thing about heat damage is that worms do not show symptoms until it is too late. A worm bin at 32°C (90°F) usually still looks completely normal. At 35°C (95°F), the worms are already in lethal danger. At 38–40°C (100–104°F), the situation becomes critical — most worms will die quickly if the temperature stays at this level for more than a few hours. The rule I follow every June: Before the solstice, I do a full bin audit. I check the location, the shade, the moisture, and the temperature. One hour of prevention in June saves a catastrophic loss in July. Here is the exact checklist I use:

🌍 YOUR JUNE CHECKLIST North or South — do this before the solstice Northern Hemisphere (US, Canada, Europe) — Summer is here The danger window is now open. Do not wait for a heatwave to act. ✅ Check bin location — will it receive direct afternoon sun between 12pm and 4pm? If yes, move it now ✅ Ideal spots: north-facing wall, under a deck, inside a shaded garage, under a tree ✅ Test moisture right now — squeeze a handful of bedding. Only 1-2 drops should appear. Add water if dry ✅ Add a thick layer of damp newspaper on top — acts as cooling insulation ✅ Freeze a water bottle and place it inside the bin on very hot days — worms will gather around it ✅ Reduce fruit scraps during heatwaves — they ferment fast and attract flies within hours in heat ✅ If temperatures will exceed 30°C (86°F): move the bin indoors temporarily — a cool garage or basement is perfect The most important thing you can do: check the bin temperature with a thermometer every week in June and July. Ideal is 18-24°C (65-75°F). Southern Hemisphere (Australia, NZ, South Africa) — Winter is here Your challenge is the opposite — keeping enough warmth for worms to stay active. ✅ Move bin to a north-facing position to catch maximum winter sun ✅ Wrap bin with an old blanket, bubble wrap, or hessian on cold nights ✅ If temperatures drop below 8°C (46°F) regularly: move the bin indoors ✅ Reduce feeding frequency — worms eat much less in cold weather ✅ Harvest any finished castings now and use them on your winter garden beds ✅ Add extra bedding — a deeper bin retains more heat than a shallow one ✅ Check moisture — cold weather slows evaporation but bins can still dry out unexpectedly The most important thing you can do: don't give up on the bin if it slows down. Worms in cold weather are not dead — they are resting. They will bounce back when temperatures rise.

🌡️ THE 5-MINUTE TEMPERATURE TEST Do this today You do not need an expensive thermometer. Any kitchen probe thermometer works. Push the probe 5-8cm into the bedding. Wait 30 seconds. Read the number. 🟢 18-24°C (65-75°F) — perfect, do nothing 🟡 25-28°C (77-82°F) — add damp newspaper layer, check shade 🔴 Above 30°C (86°F) — move to shade or indoors immediately 🔵 Below 12°C (54°F) — insulate with blanket, polystyrene or bubble wrap ❄️ Below 8°C (46°F) — move indoors urgently

🪱 DID YOU KNOW? A fact that surprises most people Heat kills worms faster than cold — by a significant margin. Research shows that worm cocoons (eggs) can survive near-freezing temperatures and hatch when conditions improve. But once a bin overheats above 38°C, the worms themselves die within hours and cannot be recovered. This is why summer is actually more dangerous for worm bins than winter. Cold slows worms down. Heat kills them. Worth sharing with any fellow worm farmer who thinks winter is the main threat.

⚡ YOUR QUICK WIN THIS WEEKEND Takes 10 minutes Walk outside right now and check where your bin sits at 2pm on a sunny day. If any part of the bin is in direct sun at that time — move it before the weekend is over. That single action prevents the most common cause of summer bin failure. No other preparation matters as much as this one.

✍️ FROM MY EXPERIENCE 20 years, one honest lesson In my second year of worm farming I lost an entire bin over a long weekend in summer. I came back to find it silent and empty. The bin was in a spot that looked shaded in the morning — but got direct afternoon sun from about 1pm onwards. I never made that mistake again. Now I do a June audit every year without fail. The bins that fail are almost never the bins that owners are paying attention to. Worm farming is mostly about noticing small things before they become big problems. I have been putting together something that I think will be the most useful resource I have ever created for worm farmers. I cannot say much yet — but if you have ever struggled with your bin, watch this space.

💬 MY QUESTION FOR YOU THIS MONTH Reply — I read every message This month's question: Has heat or cold ever damaged your worm bin? What happened and what did you do? I would love to hear your story. Hit reply and tell me — even two sentences. Your experiences are exactly what help me write better content for the next issue.

👀 NEXT MONTH — COMING IN JULY Something worth waiting for Next month I am going to share the story of the single worst worm bin problem I have ever been asked to help solve — and the simple fix that saved everything. I am also going to reveal what I have been quietly working on for the past few weeks. It is something worm farmers have been asking me for years. You will be the first to know. See you in July.

Happy worm farming, Stephan Kloppert 20+ year worm farmer / Author

🌐 worm-composting-help.com

📗 My book: How to Start a Profitable Worm Business on a Shoestring Budget Available on Gumroad and Amazon — link at worm-composting-help.com You are receiving this because you subscribed to Global Worming News. Unsubscribe any time — no hard feelings.