Worms.

[AbbeyLehman]

My compost bin currently sits directly on the ground, with no bottom. If I add worms to it, will they stick around? Or will I need to continue adding them as they wriggle away to "greener pastures"?

[Yomolove]

My compost bin currently sits directly on the ground, with no bottom. If I add worms to it, will they stick around? Or will I need to continue adding them as they wriggle away to "greener pastures"?

Thats a great question I wondered myself. and what special instructions do you think applies to getting it ready for the winter months. Mine currently was purchased from the city... the black one that you just bend into a circle and pin w/ a cone top.... The bottom has a cone in it w/holes.

[Backyard Permaculture]

Worms reproduce faster than rabbits. Some will escape into the ground, but as long as there is food and enough bedding, plenty will stay.

Redworms, which are most commonly used for composting, don't like regular soil very much. They like a whole lot of organic material in thier life. If you find many redworms in your soil, congratulations. You have a very good soil.

You may find them occasionally in other nearby areas, under a plastic bag of leaves that hasn't been added to the compost pile or someplace else after having migrated from the worm bin.

I don't think that is necesarily a bad thing.

Ron

[flatlander]

Even though the topic is a couple of months old, i'd like to add my 2 cents. I've been "worm ranching" for about 15 years and in my experience, adding worms to the compost pile really doesn't accomplish much since you usually use the compost before it can truly be worked by the worms. A better choice, in my opinion, is to make a worm box out of a Rubbermaid or equlivant tub, much like the one shown in another thread on this forum. The result of the worm box is wonderful stuff that can be added to the garden, or used as probably the best seed starting medium ever. Once i started doing that, i use all my worm castings and compost only for the seeds.

I agree with the other comments here. The compost worms typically won't burrow down in the soil since they need the decaying material for food. Nightcrawlers and the like tend to not move up into the pile since they need deep burrows.

[gardengirl72]

Thanks for you advice Flatlander. I have worms everywhere, including my rubbermaid bin. I shot a video on it that I hope to finish someday soon.