Bucky
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A Fertile Cocoon
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The old worm/woodlands/duff question - 2009/01/16 12:58
Not to beat this dead horse into the ground, but I'm still so confused...
Here's my story. At home, I'm an ardent fan of the worm, with an outdoor worm bed whose denizens make short shrift of my kitchen scraps plus manure plus autumn leaves, and who produce the gorgeous vermicompost for my home veg/flower garden. I love a worm.
At work, I'm a gardener at a public garden in NJ. I had an idea to use the copious amount of horse manure produced by our friendly horses at the stable to set up outdoor vermicomposting beds, so that we'd get lovely vermicompost for our garden. We have a large wooded area that is not a part of the garden and I thought that this would be a good area since there's plenty of space and it's shady. My manager, however, is concerned about the risk of the worms/cocoons getting into the surrounding woodlands and "negatively impacting" the ecology. The more I read about the Minnesota situation, etc., the more I regrettfully am beginning to believe he is correct. Additionally, the garden is a naturalistic woodland garden. So I'm wondering if the resulting vermicompost might have too much in the way of live worms/cocoons and those might also have a negative effect on the wildflowers that grow there, and the shade-loving plants we cultivate.
Can I get your opinions? Thanks.
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Larry C
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A Mature Breeder Earthworm
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Re:The old worm/woodlands/duff question - 2009/01/16 13:15
Bucky,
I don't have an answer for you, but what is the Minnesota situation? could you explain or post a link to what you are referring to?
Thanks,
Larry
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Bucky
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Re:The old worm/woodlands/duff question - 2009/01/16 14:04
Larry,
if you go to the home page and search for "duff", you'll find a number of articles about the loss of leaf litter on the forest floors in Minnesota and the resulting loss of wildflowers, etc., due to non-native earthworms.
And here's another link I found in my researches. But I don't know if it applies to NJ woodland.
http://www.nrri.umn.edu/worms/forest/index.html
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Larry C
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Re:The old worm/woodlands/duff question - 2009/01/17 01:35
Thanks Bucky...That's interesting. Never realized that there was a down side to earthworms. Sounds like the main issue is with night crawlers.
Larry
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Bucky
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A Fertile Cocoon
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Re:The old worm/woodlands/duff question - 2009/01/18 11:14
I know, it's not clear in any of the articles I've read if eisenia foetida will cause a problem. That's why I'm hoping somebody expert could respond.
For now, I've got the project on hold as I don't want to be responsible for a tragic worm population explosion in the NJ woodlands.
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digger51
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A Juvenile Earthworm
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Re:The old worm/woodlands/duff question - 2009/01/20 08:37
I am no way an expert about this or even looked at many studies about it. I do know that because of not letting fire clean the forest we have already changed the ecosystem of our forest. Our forest are now covered with undergrowth that is not natural.Maybe the worm is doing what fire used to do. Maybe it is a good thing.So I think any study that does not take this in to account is only half the study. I could be all wrong here but it is something to consider.
Digger
P.S. We do know that are forests are not healthy due to lack of fire. Even the government knows this.
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Stellina99
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Re:The old worm/woodlands/duff question - 2009/01/30 05:15
Hi,
The information provided by you are very useful for me.Thanks for the information.I would like to know more about it.
Snoreta
Make Money
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wellsworms
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A Protected Species Earthworm
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Re:The old worm/woodlands/duff question - 2009/01/30 08:41
Bucky wrote:
At work, I'm a gardener at a public garden in NJ. I had an idea to use the copious amount of horse manure produced by our friendly horses at the stable to set up outdoor vermicomposting beds, so that we'd get lovely vermicompost for our garden. We have a large wooded area that is not a part of the garden and I thought that this would be a good area since there's plenty of space and it's shady. My manager, however, is concerned about the risk of the worms/cocoons getting into the surrounding woodlands and "negatively impacting" the ecology. The more I read about the Minnesota situation, etc., the more I regrettfully am beginning to believe he is correct. Additionally, the garden is a naturalistic woodland garden. So I'm wondering if the resulting vermicompost might have too much in the way of live worms/cocoons and those might also have a negative effect on the wildflowers that grow there, and the shade-loving plants we cultivate.
Can I get your opinions? Thanks.
a question if you will if you wer to leave a pile of manure spread about6 inches thick in just one area for a month or so i belive that your local earthworms will come an you can make an argument that the worm are already here...
FEED IT TO THE WORMS
WELLS,vermont
jerry walker 2008 |
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digger51
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Re:The old worm/woodlands/duff question - 2009/02/02 08:36
Hey,
I didn't want to sound angry in my last post so I hope I didn't.
We have to remember that there are not any old growth hardwood forests left in America. They were cut long ago. The worms seems to be changing a man made forest.
I don't see how the worms could be any worse than what man has done.
Now don't get me wrong I believe that we need logging
It is important for the economy also helps maintain a healthy and productive forest. In a natural state fire would have cleaned the forest floor of dead and fallen trees. Also would have clean leaf and branch matter.
In America this issue like many other related to it has become an emotional issue not a fact or eco-related issue. Until we remove the emotion and deal with fact there will be no solution forth with.
Just an uniformed opinion. Thanks for reading.
Digger
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wellsworms
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Re:The old worm/woodlands/duff question - 2009/03/18 18:05
"Hatchling Earthworm
Posts: 24
We have to remember that there are not any old growth hardwood forests left in America "
It wood[ pun] seem to me that some of those forests in oregon are pretty old at least as shown on the new logging shows that have shown up on TV lately. Post edited by: wellsworms, at: 2009/03/18 18:06
Post edited by: wellsworms, at: 2009/03/30 08:16
FEED IT TO THE WORMS
WELLS,vermont
jerry walker 2008 |
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wellsworms
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Re:The old worm/woodlands/duff question - 2009/04/07 08:37
please don't take offence to my large colored type it is not ment to be angry in any way just to liven up these otherwise dreary messages.
Post edited by: wellsworms, at: 2009/04/09 07:02
FEED IT TO THE WORMS
WELLS,vermont
jerry walker 2008 |
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BigTexWorms
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Re:The old worm/woodlands/duff question - 2009/04/07 22:23
I like your Colorful posts Wellsworms!
Liz aka BigTexWorms
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wellsworms
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Re:The old worm/woodlands/duff question - 2009/04/09 07:00
 YES THEY MIGHT TRAVEL BUT AS LONG AS THE FOOD SOURCE IS CONSTANT I BELIVE THEY WILL STAY PUT .HAVE YOU LOOKED FOR A NATIVE SPECIES THAT YOU COULD COLLECT AND BREED
are there not any native worms in your area?
Post edited by: wellsworms, at: 2009/04/09 07:04
FEED IT TO THE WORMS
WELLS,vermont
jerry walker 2008 |
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wellsworms
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Re:The old worm/woodlands/duff question - 2009/04/09 07:18
Eisenia foetida will not live in bare soil and there is not enough vegetable mater on the forest floor to feed an exploding worm population. The scavengers moles,voles, mice, large bugs,birds .will home in on any quanity or concentration of worms and keep the masses under control.i tried to start a herd in my flower garden .eventhough i had manure there for bedding the moles ate them all.
FEED IT TO THE WORMS
WELLS,vermont
jerry walker 2008 |
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