Few Worms need more

[Digeroo]

There are very few worms in the soil at my allotment.  Does anyone know where I can get some more.  I tried a quick dig in a few road side verges but found none there either.  Where are they?

There are plenty in the manure but they are the wrong sort of worms.

[Digeroo]

[Baccy Man]

Continue improving the soil & the worms will appear of their own accord, there is no point adding more if they don't have the right conditions to survive in large numbers.

[Digeroo]

But where will they come from the pigs ate them all.  The conditions are otherwise quite good.  Plot surrounded by gravel so they will not come that way.

[Baccy Man]

They breed rapidly when the conditions are right.

[Pescador]

Fishing tackle shops sell them quite cheaply

[BarriedaleNick]

You can buy em online!!

http://www.wormsdirectuk.co.uk/acatalog/Earth_Worms.html

[Digeroo]

Yes but they are very expensive.  We used to dig up handfuls of them when I was a child.

Composting worms are cheaper but I already have loads of them.

I think the soil here may be too dry.  In the garden I have round circles cut from cupressus trees as walk ways and they live underneath.  So perhaps I need some places that also stay moist on the lottie.  Problem is they also shelter the slugs.

[Chrispy]

So perhaps I need some places that also stay moist on the lottie.  Problem is they also shelter the slugs.

One of the many methods of getting rid of slugs is to give them somewhere to shelter, and then just go there and pick them off.

I agree with Baccy Man, if you improve the soil, lots of organic mater will give the worms more to eat, and will also hold moisture, then any worms that you have left will go forth and multiply.

[artichoke]

I throw big fat worms into my compost bins and they multiply like mad. When the compost is ready it is absolutely heaving with worms, and I spread it on the beds, worms and all. Must be win-win, as the more compost is put on the beds, the more friendly the beds are for the worms you are adding. Are you already doing that?

[star]

When its very dry or cold the worms go deep for moisture and temperate conditions, as Baccy man says if you improve your soil you'll improve the moisture content and you'll get.........lots more worms  :) ;)

[Robert_Brenchley]

Don't bother adding worms, just add anything organic you can, and the worms will soon appear. A lot of the worms they sell are the wrong variety. They move around, they breed fast, and all you need to do is create the right conditions. A couple of inches of organic mulch will bring them in like lightning.

There hasn't been much rain recently, so worms will be deep down. You'd probably see more in damp soil.

[manicscousers]

we dig pits and trenches for squash and beans, fill with kitchen waste, chicken hut sweepings,shredded paper, well rotted muck, etc..these are some of the best worm colonies on our plot :)

[flowerlady]

When its very dry or cold the worms go deep for moisture and temperate conditions, as Baccy man says if you improve your soil you'll improve the moisture content and you'll get.........lots more worms  :) ;)

This has happened on my plot ... the soil was so dry dooown to 10" ... but since the bit of rain we had they are all coming back up to the top agian!  If you mulch as much of your soil as you can they will soon be back ;D

... and I totally agree about the bean trenches too  ;)

[Digeroo]

I throw big fat worms into my compost bins

I have lots of worms in my compost bins.  But they are the banded worms which eat the vegetable matter and make compost.   If you bury the things they must dig their way up to the surface and find some more compost.

What I am short of is lob worms which live in the soil, they mix up the soil and mix in the manure and generally do a good job improving the soil. 

[PurpleHeather]

How can you have 'the wrong worms?'

They do seem to appear from nowhere if you get a load of compostable stuff and leave it for a while.

No point in buying them, just be patient.

[Robert_Brenchley]

I throw big fat worms into my compost bins

What I am short of is lob worms which live in the soil, they mix up the soil and mix in the manure and generally do a good job improving the soil. 

Add loads of organic matter and watch them multiply! If you really are short of worms, and you add them without improving the soil, they'll just move away.

[amphibian]

People seem a little confused on their worms here. There is no point chucking earth worms in to your compost heap, they will not thrive; there is no point buying worms from a fishing shop and putting them in your garden, they will not thrive. Why? We are talking about completely different species of worms. Earth worms burrow deep, they do not want to live in compost. Composting worms live near the surface in woodland mulch and also in compost heaps and manure heaps, they are not the same thing as earth worms. Fishing shops sell one particular species of composting worms, a species that carries on wiggling even when submerged in water, these worms will not do well in your garden, especially if earth worms are already struggling.

There is absolutely no need to introduce worms, worms breeding puts rabbits and mice to shame, when conditions are right their population will explode.

[chriscross1966]

Vermisell do both composting and earthworms.... not chepa though....

http://www.vermisell.co.uk/shop/116/24/index.htm?gclid=CPXx1pzUyJ0CFZQA4wodJ306sQ

chrisc

[amphibian]

Vermisell do both composting and earthworms.... not chepa though....

http://www.vermisell.co.uk/shop/116/24/index.htm?gclid=CPXx1pzUyJ0CFZQA4wodJ306sQ

chrisc

Wow! I'm off to dig up some earth worms, I'll be a millionaire.

[Digeroo]

Great thrill I was digging and saw three worms this afternoon, lets hope that they get breeding.  Up to now 0 x 0 = 0.