Worms? How many?

[applestar]

Red wigglers, not night crawlers. Some bait shops specify.

[Ozark Lady]

I was interested in starting a worm bin, and I did some research on worms and discovered that worms are not native to USA.
Odd since they seem to be everywhere.
I don't have a worm bin yet, I did try with fishing worms and they never took, not sure why, my error or not good worms.

In my research I came across that the worms used in worm beds for composting are not the same worms that are in the garden, and that one will not work for the other. The garden worms won't survive in a worm bin, and the worm bin types won't work in the garden.

I don't know, I can't seem to raise them in bins, but the garden worms are doing okay, anywhere the ground is wet for a few hours, I can pick up worms by the handful, and this is lousy soil and very rocky, but worms are everywhere, except in my worm bin.

I bought red wrigglers fishing worms and they didn't survive for me.

I don't know, I just know that I read that about there being different kinds of worms.

[*dim*]

the people here in the UK prefer tiger worms in their wormeries and compost bins ... we can get them off ebay or from fishing tackle shops:

https://www.wormery.co.uk/why-tiger-worms.htm

not sure if it's freely available in the USA

[rainbowgardener]

"In my research I came across that the worms used in worm beds for composting are not the same worms that are in the garden, and that one will not work for the other. The garden worms won't survive in a worm bin, and the worm bin types won't work in the garden. "

I can only say what works for me. My worms are all the same. My compost pile is on the ground and it gets full of worms that come in to it on their own, presumably my garden worms. Lots of them get moved back into the garden with the compost. I also started my worm bin, just by digging a bunch of worms out of the compost pile and throwing them in the bin. I figure they are eating leaves and kitchen scraps, etc in the compost pile, why wouldn't they eat leaves and kitchen scraps in the worm bin? It all seems to work.

[toxcrusadr]

As someone who lives in a worm-rich area, it's hard to imagine having to import them. However, you should do what works best for you in your area. Only suggestion I have is that when you bring in worms, you will have to be sure to have the conditions they can thrive in, or they will not take hold. Moisture and organic matter for them to eat.

There is not really a formula for how many to add, that I know of. I would think a couple hundred in the average 250 sf garden would be enough to reproduce and sustain a population if the conditions are right.

[Ozark Lady]

I still can't quote what is said earlier. Would someone pm me and teach me how to do this? I have tried and tried.

But, I did wonder if the comment, " compost worms are not the same as garden worms" was a hype to sell certain worms for compost bins.

Thanks, Rainbow, I think instead of giving up, I will try it with ordinary garden red worms. It would be nice to have worm castings.

My house is very dry in winter, so perhaps, I just never got the moisture content right. Or the worms had been in refrigeration too long, it was winter and maybe they don't sell so well in winter and were in lousy shape?

[rainbowgardener]

I do add some water to my worm bin every few days. Not sure about all the rest...