Worms

Discussion in 'HortForum' started by sue1, Sep 28, 2006.

  1. sue1

    sue1 Active Member 10 Years

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    Hi. I don't have any worms in any part of my garden. I started a brand-new raised veggie garden 2 years ago, lotsa good stuff in it, but still no worms. I don't even have any worms in my composter. My garden beds have no worms. I would appreciate any advice in this regard, maybe I should get my soil tested? Although my plants/veggies do seem to do okay (so far).

    Thanks, Sue
     
  2. HortLine

    HortLine Active Member 10 Years

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    If the soil has little oxygen in it, if it is very cold ( in a dark spot) that doesn't get much light, and if the soil is waterlogged then the worms will not like it either. A good way to encourge worms is to create a small compost pile, to which you add vegetable wastes, layered with a few inches of manure followed by more vegetable waste. If you put coffee grounds or used coffee filters in your compost you will begin to see worms: they love coffee too.
     
  3. yousatonmycactus

    yousatonmycactus Active Member

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    Don't feel as if it is "cheating" to purchase earthworms from a reputable supplier, or to request a "loan" from a friend or neighbor that does successfully "wrangle" earthworms.
    Worm castings are a fantastic growing medium, as a matter of fact, The Getty Center in Los Angeles uses castings exclusively on their hybrid Bermuda lawns, which stay a lush green 12 months out of the year. Charles Darwin wrote extensively about these industrious creatures and goes in to such detail it makes you wonder how he had time for anything else!

    Once you have your worm colony established, you will find compost "tea" to be a great fertilizer AND insecticide. I have had great success "growing" earthworms at the historic Olivas Adobe in Ventura, CA, and use the "tea" and castings on over 375 rose bushes in the Adobe garden, as well as on what has been called "the oldest fuscia in the world" by the English Fuscia Society. We also use this "tea" through the irrigation system at Lotusland with great success (http://www.lotusland.org).

    Starbucks is a great free source for coffee "grinds" in quantity. I make the rounds to as many as time allows during the week and mix it with the soil of acid loving plants, as well as food for the worms. Be warned that the brewed coffee grounds can get VERY hot very quickly when composting, so make sure that your worms have an area they can escape to, to cool down if necessary. Also, try to avoid composting greasy waste or items that will attract ants or "critters", because they will treat your worm farm like a fast food restaurant. Good luck!
     
  4. Buckthorne

    Buckthorne Member

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    If you know any little boys or girls, hire them to find you some. It's a fantastic project for the younguns. Give them a nickle a piece and there won't be an unturned rock for miles:)
     
  5. biggam

    biggam Active Member

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    If your plants are doing well, then there is no need to worry about acquiring earthworms. Maybe there are few or no native worms in your location, in which case it may be best to leave it that way; there are other organisms that break-down organic material in the soil. Importing worms from elsewhere could mean that you are importing non-native, potentially invasive species.
    I do like the idea of having neighborhood kids find some for you!
     
  6. Don Ho

    Don Ho Active Member

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    It is my understanding that worms are at the top of the soil food web chain. If your garden soil has earthworms then the entire soil food web is present and working. If there are no earthworms it may mean that part of the soil food web is missing, and introducing locally sourced worms is a good idea.
     

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