Have redworms,what about earthworms?

[desertgirl]

My vermicomposter and its redworms are doing great! I know you can't put eathworms in the bins, and redworms don't do well in the soil. But what about...if I work the soil really well in my backyard and then add eathworms to it? Here in NM the soil is so rough I don't think the wormies would wander off, leaving them to live in my garden soil and work their magic, right?

Thoughts?

 

[bid]

I saw a major increase in worms from working compost, leaves, etc into my garden. Kind of a "if you build it, they will come" type of thing as I didn't add any, they just liked the new neighborhood, showed up and multiplied. Sounds like your plan would work to me.

 

[vfem]

Sorry, I just did what my grandma always did... you find a worm working out in the yard, have the little one run it over and throw it in the compost pile!

Fairly simple!

And I STILL can't bring myself to pay for a worm!!!!!!

 

[Lavender2]

I like the idea of trying to lure the locals if you can, as bid mentioned, rather than introducing a possible alien species that you may regret later on.
... unless you can get or raise a known native type that is beneficial to gardens in your area...

 

[ducks4you]

Sorry, I just did what my grandma always did... you find a worm working out in the yard, have the little one run it over and throw it in the compost pile!

Fairly simple!

And I STILL can't bring myself to pay for a worm!!!!!!

vfem--this sounds like W O R M I C I D E!!!!!!!


..does it really work?

 

[desertgirl]

But I don't think I've ever seen an eathworm here in the desert clay...so hard. I like the idea of just building Nirvana and having them make the pilgramage, but I'm not sure they exist in my desert world.

 

[HunkieDorie23]

Sorry, I just did what my grandma always did... you find a worm working out in the yard, have the little one run it over and throw it in the compost pile!

Fairly simple!

And I STILL can't bring myself to pay for a worm!!!!!!

Yep, this is the way we always did it. I don't buy them either. Seem to have lots of worms around and in the garden.

Although my grandma loved fishing and used to use one of the electric wands to shock them to the surface. I still think that is funny, of course I'm not a worm. That didn't kill them either (the fish, did them in).

 

[aquarose]

One time I shredded a bunch of oak leaves and left them in a big pile in a corner of the yard. About two years later, you could stick your hand in the pile and you could feel bunches of worms moving and wiggling. It was so full of worms that just showed up and multiplied it was amazing! Kids would come from blocks around to see the "worm farm" It was also filled with casings. Great stuff. I never let a pile sit for two years anymore.....too impatient.

 

[jamespm_98]

I agree with adding organic matter such as leaves or straw. Since I went to raised beds and a no plow approach in my garden the earthworm population has exploded. This weekend we cleaned out a raised bed for peas, as me and my wife pulled back the old leaves and straw on top of the ground to get at the roots of some grass left from last year there were tons of worms just under the surface of the soil or mixed in with the leaves. My daughter kept collecting the ones on top of the ground and would take them to the chickens. The worms need food and moisture and they love organic matter, wherever you pile organic matter they will come as the pile begins to break down. I "sheet compost" meaning I just pile on the organic matter (leaves, straw etc...) right onto my raised beds, then over the winter and with the help of my chickens it breaks down. I am just too lazy to work a traditional compost pile. The worm population has exploded in my garden since I started this two years ago.

 

[bid]

The last several years I have been piling the fall leaves in a wire frame attached to the outside of the garden fence ( just some leftover fence wire too small to be much good for anything else). I put a layer of leaves about a foot deep and throw a few shovel fulls of soil on top. Then just keep on layering until it gets full. By the next fall, I have some pretty good leaf mold and a lot of worms as well. The best part is, it's not really any extra work. I have to rake the leaves and get them up anyway. Mother nature does all the rest.