As I re-work the containers, especially larger 14 - 16", happily finding worms. The annuals (basil) I pull out old stalk/roots, and dirt about 1/2 way down. That goes to the 'Enriched dirt compost'. Stir the lower part, often find worms, yes I put them there. Then proceed to refill with fresh dirt-mix and stuff from compost, including a couple more worms (they are very happy these days making many more). Re-done pots where things didn't make it get the same treatment. Duh! Anyway, this certainly helps, not hurts, right?
Seems like last year a fellow who is sometimes near me at the farmers market advised people not to have any worms in the containers. In his defense, does alot right, also spills lots of bs. I didn't question, sometimes best not.
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applestar
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Yep I always put/have worms in my containers, too.
Today, I picked up a small container of pineapple sage I had sitting on the soil surface of the large avocado container, and found part of a big fat pink nightcrawler at least 4 inches long dangling from the drainage hole. I was pretty sure this was one of the big worms that is supposed to be living in the avocado container, so was reaching for it to pull it out, but I wasn't quick enough -- it pulled itself up into the 4" pot.
Today, I picked up a small container of pineapple sage I had sitting on the soil surface of the large avocado container, and found part of a big fat pink nightcrawler at least 4 inches long dangling from the drainage hole. I was pretty sure this was one of the big worms that is supposed to be living in the avocado container, so was reaching for it to pull it out, but I wasn't quick enough -- it pulled itself up into the 4" pot.
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applestar
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- Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)
I'm starting to raid my vermicomposter for worms to put in my container plants. 
Most of the big containers that had been outside, sitting directly on the ground, should have some in there already, but I did uppot and repot some before bringing them in, and some of the original worms may not have made it back into the same containers. And I have a bunch of smaller containers that I KNOW were filled with unpopulated fresh potting mix. (Those get baby worms
)
The resident worms are more likely to be night crawlers and earthworms that prefer to burrow around and aerate the soilmix and live near the bottom of the containers. And those containers have the clay-blended garden soil mixed in to keep them happy.
But these will be red wigglers from a fresh batch I bought at the end of the summer, so they may not be as helpful for aerating the soilmix, but they will do better in some of the small containers that were filled with ONLY commercial (peat and perlite + compost/organic fertilizer) potting mix.
They will get additional "food" since I'm constantly watering with UCG (used coffee grounds) and leftover beverages in the water, as well as mulching the surface of the container soil with used (herbal and regular) tea leaves from the teaball and dried/dead leaves (most of my plants experience some level of seasonal deciduous stage as well as drop leaves due to changed environment) clipped into confetti. They can also treat themselves to any dead roots due to over or underwatering.
Whatever kind they are, the worms will act as "slow-release fertilizers" producing daily worm casting to nourish the soil microbes and the plants
Most of the big containers that had been outside, sitting directly on the ground, should have some in there already, but I did uppot and repot some before bringing them in, and some of the original worms may not have made it back into the same containers. And I have a bunch of smaller containers that I KNOW were filled with unpopulated fresh potting mix. (Those get baby worms
)The resident worms are more likely to be night crawlers and earthworms that prefer to burrow around and aerate the soilmix and live near the bottom of the containers. And those containers have the clay-blended garden soil mixed in to keep them happy.
But these will be red wigglers from a fresh batch I bought at the end of the summer, so they may not be as helpful for aerating the soilmix, but they will do better in some of the small containers that were filled with ONLY commercial (peat and perlite + compost/organic fertilizer) potting mix.
They will get additional "food" since I'm constantly watering with UCG (used coffee grounds) and leftover beverages in the water, as well as mulching the surface of the container soil with used (herbal and regular) tea leaves from the teaball and dried/dead leaves (most of my plants experience some level of seasonal deciduous stage as well as drop leaves due to changed environment) clipped into confetti. They can also treat themselves to any dead roots due to over or underwatering.
Whatever kind they are, the worms will act as "slow-release fertilizers" producing daily worm casting to nourish the soil microbes and the plants