Worm Digest - Re:how to turn worms loose

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FaithfulPastor
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A Fertile Cocoon

Posts: 2

how to turn worms loose - 2008/07/16 12:09 I just purchased 5000 red wiggler worms for the purpose of turning them loose in my 1/4 acre lot.

What the best way to turn them loose?
What time of day?
What should I avoid doing?

I'm buying the worms because my soil (hard clay) has virtually no worms in it. I think they left when the contractor scraped off the topsoil and took it with him after her finished building the house.

Thanks

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babalubird

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A Hatchling Earthworm

Posts: 17

Re:how to turn worms loose - 2008/07/16 13:39 Well, maybe some of the red wiggler raisers here can answer your question with more knowledge than I have but I had understood that red wigglers did not survive freezing temperatures or extremes in temperature as well as some other types of worms.

I have European nightcrawlers and other than unavoidable escapees, I wouldn't turn them loose in our soil here either due to the fact that we have such dryness here.

Someone posted this fascinating article about restoring worms to your yard/garden. I'm going to try it if I ever get moved to the farm:

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/2008-06-01/Soil-Building-Worms.aspx

It's a long article but fascinating and makes some sense.

Connie

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WistarWorms

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A Protected Species Earthworm

Posts: 126

Re:how to turn worms loose - 2008/07/16 17:04 Group, please correct me if I'm wrong, but this sounds like a losing venture. Red wigglers are not "earth" worms. The do not consume soil. They require a very rich mixture of rotting organic matter to survive. Your best bet would be to put them in a large bin (or several smaller bins) and use them to process raw organic matter and then use the resulting vermicompost to improve your soil. We Are WORM - Resistance Is Futile!
Buddy
Richmond, VA

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gnosnhoj

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A Protected Species Earthworm

Posts: 543

Re:how to turn worms loose - 2008/07/16 22:32 I think Buddy is on it. Composting worms are detritus dwellers & feeders, not soil diggers. I don't think wigglers would survive to improve your soil in the manner you intend, regardless of climate. Their product is what'll help your soil.
I'd get 'em in a bin or three and read back through these pages and a couple more vermi forums...this one comes to mind:
http://thegardenforums.org/viewforum.php?f=42&sid=7d3ab6f2dc65314cf904141fea16e33a
Hope this helps. Y'all have fun, whatever you're doing.
Gary
Hopkinsville, KY

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FaithfulPastor
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A Fertile Cocoon

Posts: 2

Re:how to turn worms loose - 2008/07/17 08:24 http://www.unclejimswormfarm.com/index.php?show_aux_page=3

So what you're saying here, so far, is in total opposition to what I read at the above URL.

Are you telling me I just spent $89 for nothing?

I just want worms in my lawn doing their thing. What worms do I need to add to my soil. I live in Indiana and have clay soil, with virtually no worms in the yard. The yard is about 1/4 acre excluding the footprint of the house.

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WistarWorms

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A Protected Species Earthworm

Posts: 126

Re:how to turn worms loose - 2008/07/17 11:21 FaithfulPastor wrote:
http://www.unclejimswormfarm.com/index.php?show_aux_page=3

So what you're saying here, so far, is in total opposition to what I read at the above URL.

Are you telling me I just spent $89 for nothing?

I took a look at the URL. "Uncle Jim" did not really lie, but the information IS rather misleading. He basicly says you can add them to your lawn if you keep them fed and watered. Which means if you want to spread about 4-6 inches of organic material on your 1/4 acre lot and keep it well watered, your in business.

If you don't want to set up a bin for yourself, you may want to see if someone in your area has a worm bin or a compost pile and will take them off your hands.

As for restoring your yard, www.thegardenforums.org has some really great groups that may be able to tell you how to restore land that has been scrapped for development. Not sure any type of worm is going to be able to make it in land that has had most of the organic top layer removed. I think you will need to replace that layer first so that soil dwelling worms will have some sort of food source available to them to encourage them to move in and revitilize your soil. We Are WORM - Resistance Is Futile!
Buddy
Richmond, VA

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gnosnhoj

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A Protected Species Earthworm

Posts: 543

Re:how to turn worms loose - 2008/07/17 21:37 I had the same sort of issue with foundation clay dirt, FP.
Early last spring, I laid cardboard (scrounged boxes) on top of the ugly weedy "lawn" in front of our house, then added ~4-6" of topsoil & compost (~80/20). I opted for bagged stuff because I wanted a fairly 'known' base to work from:

We planted a bunch of stuff last year:

It has done very well so far:

and there are many native worms in residence that I wouldn't have believed were in that original dirt.
It doesn't happen overnight, but I'll bet your natives are just waiting for the chance to get into some good stuff.
I enjoy building our 'sweat equity', and I'm working on the yard on the other side of the deck now.
I regularly mix vc into the bed and spray vc tea on the plants.
I wouldn't call it money lost - make some lemonade, my friend.

Edit: bbird's article link provides good info too.

Post edited by: gnosnhoj, at: 2008/07/17 21:41 Y'all have fun, whatever you're doing.
Gary
Hopkinsville, KY

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WFike

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A Protected Species Earthworm

Posts: 217

Re:how to turn worms loose - 2008/07/18 21:42 After you turn them loose you probably will never see them again. They will head out looking for the nearest rotting organic matter. If you start putting a lot of organic matter on your yard you will have worms without adding them. You could get you an aereator and use it every month when you cut grass or so and keep topdressing with compost or rotting leaves and it will eventually come. Make a worm bed and top dress your lawn with castings. That is a great thing to do.

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