Earthworms for compost?

warontv

If so, how many do you use? Where do you buy them? Have you purchased online & had them shipped?

dirtyred

If I need worms, I go to the bait store.  Around here, they sell both night crawlers and red wigglers.

alliapistor

I think the red wigglers are supposed to be better for composting.

I've just added worms that I found around my yard to our bin.

warontv

I for the life of me cannot find worms in my yard.. Do worms speed up the process? Or are worms actually needed for the compost to work?

alliapistor

There is a form of composting that is dependant wholly on worms called vermiculture.

As for regular compost, I don't think it is absolutely necessary but it may speed the process up.

FSUalum

I think it helps and the casings are supposed to be rich in nutrients.

CollegeGrrl219

I don't purchase worms. They just show up in my compost on their own. They just like it and they are drawn to it.

jen5-03

Unless your yard usually bakes into brick-hard dirt and you have no flowerbeds at all, I'm willing to bet you have worms in there somewhere. They are just hiding with the freakish cold we're having now.

You do not need worms to compost. They will speed the process, but they are not needed, especially in a humid sub-tropical climate like Houston where everything rots a bit more quickly in the humidity.

Just set you bin out (on the grass or dirt not concrete) and the worms will find it.

warontv

I

jen5/03:

Unless your yard usually bakes into brick-hard dirt and you have no flowerbeds at all, I'm willing to bet you have worms in there somewhere. They are just hiding with the freakish cold we're having now.

You do not need worms to compost. They will speed the process, but they are not needed, especially in a humid sub-tropical climate like Houston where everything rots a bit more quickly in the humidity.

Just set you bin out (on the grass or dirt not concrete) and the worms will find it.

Thank you! I will continue to dig around the yard, maybe front yard where there is more vegetation. That is...if it warms up. I just wanted compost for my veggies I'm planting in a few weeks. What kind of composter do you use? I'm using a black trash bin with holes in it. I now plan on drilling holes in the bottom for worms.

kastle

warontv:

I

jen5/03:

Unless your yard usually bakes into brick-hard dirt and you have no flowerbeds at all, I'm willing to bet you have worms in there somewhere. They are just hiding with the freakish cold we're having now.

You do not need worms to compost. They will speed the process, but they are not needed, especially in a humid sub-tropical climate like Houston where everything rots a bit more quickly in the humidity.

Just set you bin out (on the grass or dirt not concrete) and the worms will find it.

Thank you! I will continue to dig around the yard, maybe front yard where there is more vegetation. That is...if it warms up. I just wanted compost for my veggies I'm planting in a few weeks. What kind of composter do you use? I'm using a black trash bin with holes in it. I now plan on drilling holes in the bottom for worms.

A few weeks *may* not be enough time to make compost, FYI.

alliapistor

Do you have any bricks or concrete blocks in your yard?  When I was a kid and wanted to go fishing, that's where I always looked.  I still find worms under ours and in our beds.  

warontv

Our entire yard is clay, & under rocks are smaller rocks for"drainage". I looked and dug up anything & everything possible. I guess I will be purchasing worms.

almond1123

warontv:

Our entire yard is clay, & under rocks are smaller rocks for"drainage". I looked and dug up anything & everything possible. I guess I will be purchasing worms.

There are worms in that clay believe it or not.  They are probably deeper than you're digging.  We planted another tree with weekend and there were lots of worms.  Not sure what part of town you're in, but your results should be the same.

Buying them is still an option though.