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applestar
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Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Baby worms in my soil blocks

Early this month, we had daytime high of mid-20's and enough snow for the schools to close and for my kids to go sledding 3 days after the fall. So when I collected some sifted compost to make seed starting mix, I was just happy the compost pile wasn't frozen.

About a week ago, I started noticing holes in the side of the soil blocks. Not a whole lot, just one here, one there. This being my first experiment with soil blocks, I didn't know what to make of it. Then one day, I was re-arranging the soil blocks (yep, my soil blocks are passing the "can you pick it up?" test :wink: ) using a plastic fork to loosen it where it was stuck to the bottom of the tray, and (I must have accidentally stabbed it :roll:) a baby worm wriggled out! :shock:

Like I said, I sifted the compost so I know it wasn't there before. There must be worm eggs hatching in the warmth of the seed starting area. I've found 4 more since then. 8) Aside from the holes that potentially weaken the blocks, I don't think they're doing any harm, and now that I'm looking for them, I'm finding castings among the blocks, so I figure I'm spared the trouble of giving fertilizer to the transplants as they grow. :mrgreen: :>

BTW, it's also my first year making home-made seed starting mix with unsterilized compost mix, and so far, it's working wonderfully. No damping off, no damaged transplants (except those very first trial of 3 brassica seedlings that got eaten by something) It hasn't happened since. I'm thinking it might have been a mouse in the garage, but I haven't had any more trouble ... possibly because I had my kitties thoroughly explore the garage several times.... 8) :wink:

cynthia_h
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Location: El Cerrito, CA

It sounds very nice. Worm cocoons are pretty small, so they would have passed through most compost sifters I've ever seen. Hard-working little things, aren't they? :)

Cynthia

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applestar
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Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Yep! :D I must've looked really happy because my 7 yr old said, "Mama, I guess they're your new pets." :lol: :wink:

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smokensqueal
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Location: St. Louis, MO Metro area

LOL I moved my compost barrel the other day and there was a good number of worms under it. The kids picked up two of them and put them in a little box with some dirt and was talking to them. They wanted to see it dig through the dirt. But you know kids they just got board and threw them into the garden and off they went. So much for a long life friend for them.

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jbest123
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Location: Zone 5 WPA

Just wanted to bring this to the top of the pile. AS are you still using soil blocks and what has your experiences been.



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