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Post by lilolpeapicker on May 6, 2015 18:43:10 GMT -5
Because of the robin nesting on the wreath on my garage I went looking for earthworms. I could not find a single one. I have a huge compost pile of leaves, straw, rabbit manure and urine, veggie scraps etc. I cleared away some of it and dug down about 8" and there weren't any. I have leaves covering my garden with no worms in sight. I was SO disappointed. Now we haven't had much rain so top layer of the garden was dry, but I thought if I dug down I would like something.. WahhLA! Grubs! Thankfully not many as I had in the past.  Maybe if I do this  I'll check later! |
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Post by oliverman on May 6, 2015 23:55:09 GMT -5
Go out at night with a flashlight. Should find some then.
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Post by ahntjudy on May 7, 2015 0:54:11 GMT -5
They're at my house, pea.
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Post by Mumsey on May 7, 2015 3:13:33 GMT -5
They are here too. Too many to count! They are everywhere. But we have had lots of rain.
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Post by kimmsr🕊 on May 7, 2015 6:07:58 GMT -5
Soil temperatures may not be high enough for the earthworms to be very active yet in upstate New York.
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Post by brownrexx on May 7, 2015 7:44:10 GMT -5
I saw tons of them yesterday when I was planting my tomatoes but I keep a straw mulch on the garden at all times and they like that. The soil was moist even though other areas of my yard are bone dry. I didn't even water the tomatoes because the soil was so moist.
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Post by tbird on May 7, 2015 8:03:28 GMT -5
Go out at night with a flashlight. Should find some then. scared myself doing that! |
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Post by lilolpeapicker on May 7, 2015 9:37:47 GMT -5
What's the robin finding? Will check tonight!
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Post by mountshastagarden on May 7, 2015 11:41:19 GMT -5
I'm seeing more of the small nightcrawler type this year than previous years. We didn't have any when we started the garden eight years ago, and a couple of people planted a few fishing worms from the store. The red worms have always lived in the compost and manure piles, but don't thrive in the plots. We have a very sandy, volcanic soil.
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Post by James on May 7, 2015 11:59:18 GMT -5
Fishing supply places often have "Nite Crawlers" for sale. Buy a couple dozen and put them in your garden.
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Post by lilolpeapicker on May 7, 2015 17:00:07 GMT -5
Was thinking along those lines James!
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Post by brownrexx on May 7, 2015 20:28:59 GMT -5
I was thinking about this thread today as I was planting my pepper seedlings. I found 4-5 worms in each hole. In fact I had to be careful not to injure them as I scratched with my garden claw to loosen the soil.
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Post by tbird on May 8, 2015 8:43:12 GMT -5
is anything going on around you that might be affecting their population? A farm nearby using herb and pesticides that may run off to you?
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Post by SpringRain🕊️ on May 8, 2015 10:12:54 GMT -5
Pea, is there a Starbucks near you where you could get some coffee grounds to tempt the worms? Or, maybe the robin is busy gathering them up for her brood!
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Post by lilolpeapicker on May 8, 2015 10:29:50 GMT -5
You might be heading in the right direction, SR but the babies are just eggs at the present. I have a dunking' donuts nearby that I have asked in the past and I have several people saving them for me. I will wait a little longer to see the temps will warm the ground but we have had warm temps for over a week now...
I also think that the folks who owned this property before me did very little to take care of the property and it is devoid of nutrients to a large extent. There were also so many trees, 2 or which were diseased, and overgrowth that hardly any sun got in and roots galore that I could not put a spade into the ground. The soil test I had done was 5.0 ph, I wonder if that was unhealthy for them. There were so many grubs here.
I have removed 6 trees so far, another one next week, and we'll see about the other 2 left over but if I need to, they will be gone and I will plant new stuff which I have started to do.
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Maybe if I do this 
I'll check later!
