Hey all you DGers. I have heard in the past that there are companies that sell beneficial bugs like earth worms and praying mantises. Anyone purchased earth worms before? Would like to know the company and experience. Thanks for any help!
LimeyLisa Kay
Earth Worms
LimeyLisa,
The worms you purchase are generally reds. They are for composting or fishing, or breeders for starting your own worm beds. They cannot survive in common soil--most commercially available worms are species that live only in manure or very rich soil, again they cannot survive in common soil. The type of worm that can live in common soils is a Nightcrawler.
BTW, Chemical fertilizers run off earth worms.
Praying Mantises I would not classify as a true benefical insect. They eat everything include the true beneficals!
Olds
Limey Lisa,I am not sure if this is still running,but there is some good info on this thread.
Root.
http://davesgarden.com/t/371604/
Gardens Alive
Sells waht you are lookng for
Heres the link
Paul
http://www.gardensalive.com
This message was edited Sunday, Sep 7th 12:24 PM
Thanks for the help! I will look up the links.
LimeyLisa Kay
Red worms are naturally found in manure,hence the name 'Einsenia Foetida' { fetida},...they will also live if introduced into your compost pile ,but not in soil.
I have been a horse breeder for decades and guess what ? Reds are blood worms,a parasite that horses carry.
If you live near a horse farm,ask if you can dig in the pile out back in the spring.:-D
shirley
This message was edited Sunday, Sep 7th 11:39 PM
scooterbug, look at my member page and you can see me with my other hobby! And it is actually earth worms that I want.
LimeyLisa Kay
Heheheheh! Got your own supply of reds ,eh?
Not if we worm them on time! At least we try! ;~D
LimeyLisa Kay
I started my vermicomposting (worm composting) about a year ago. I bought the worms from a company in Sonoma County, CA. If I can locate the info, I wil post it. I started off with two pounds of red wrigglers. These are the same worms that live in my clay soil here in San Jose. I made "bedding"out of shredded newspaper as instructed and started feeding them the kitchen scraps (minus meats and dairy). Took a while for the process to get going since the worms were small at first, but once they got going, lots or rich worm castings. I did some research of worm castings online and the information was incredible. I think I recall one tablespoon will fertilize a plant for a month. My plants love the stuff!
elsie
Oct 31, 2003
Since you've had your worm composters for a while I'll ask you this question. I've been composting since about May. Just recently I've noticed what looks like little brown crawling insects on the inside near the lid. Do you know what they are?
hmmm...that I don't know. Since both both my worm and other compost bins are not air tight various bugs do turn up at times. By buring any food scraps in the compost each time you add them, that really helps cut back on bugs. I had a great brochure with lots of info on the worms, I'll have to look for it. I don't recall any particular bugs.
elsie
Nov 01, 2003
Thanks, Plant_fiend. It's so weird, I'll try to take a picture.
elsie
Nov 02, 2003
I took a picture but it's not so great. I can't get close enough.
I had posted this question on the Organic gardening forum but since we are discussing worms - here is my question:
I was reading rootdoctors compost 100 before going
out to rebuild mine. My old compost looked great
and when I built it last june it had lots of worms.
But I found no worms....other stuff ants and centipeds
but no worms......
Puzzling this I went and dug a hole in my garden
(a generally wormy place) but NO WORMS?!
Panicing I went to the great leafpile that my neighbor
has put leaves in since before the dawn of time.
I figured if
anything had worms it would be there.....again NO WORMS
Do they fly south for the winter? I am kinda late
rebuilding this year....
Still it has not been very cold yet - balmy even
This message was edited Nov 6, 2003 9:13 AM