Speaking of earthworms...........

Earthworms and their prized castings have been mentioned in several threads, I think worms really are a good indicator of healthy soil. Something I have wondered about- does tilling your garden- I mean with a power tiller not a hand tool, destroy the worms? I just turns one of my beds over and there are so many worms and I can see their tunnels, would rototilling drive them away or kill them?

They hate to hear the Mantis start. Any at the till depth or above, well, a moment of silence in remembrance.

I wouldn't even till if I had a lot of earthworms in my soil. They do a better job on the soil than I ever could by turning it.

and here i thought my soil was crap! I have a one of earthworms! so i guess its not as bad as i thought.

cue_chik,
If you have a ton of worms, you have PRIMO soil! Start planting! And keep your worms very, very happy by doing "hole" composting. Keep all your veggie peels, confetti shredder paper& coffee grinds (like catnip to a worm!) - but no meats, oils, dairy, or protein. The finer your scraps are chopped up, the faster they'll break down. I chop mine up and keep 'em outside in a huge plastic container with a screw top. It gets slushy which is absolute acceptable. Then all I have to do is pour it into a long trench!

Dig a hole in that soil deep enough to receive your scraps. Cover over the hole with the soil making sure the scraps are deep enough so you can cover the hole completely. No smells or scraps seeping out ensures no animals/rodents trying to dig up your stuff. Now, sit back and watch your worms build condos!

Soon you'll be shouting proudly, I'VE GOT WORMS!" ^_^

Linda

hmmmmmm. There goes another brilliant T-shirt idea!

Ditto here against tilling! We tilled the new garden space once 7 years ago, but it was compacted clay. I have always used mulch on my rows and then mixed it in with the soil that fall or the next spring before planting. Have not had to till since and I don't even need to to use a shovel to dig out my potatoes. The mulch seems to attract even more worms.

Like the hole composting idea.

Spread the holes around..

You all have ansered all of my quesrions, THANKS. First garden in years, rototilled an area with yard mulch. There were no worms in this area of the new DIGGS. I will have to retill for the fall crop, no question on that subject, and remulch.With our sandy soil I can turn over a 9X 24 on the 3RD go around easly by hand. I will go down to the bait and tackel and buy some worms after the fall tilling. On the lighter side of life I have done business with said bait shop for 27 years. Fun fishing, deckhand on charter boats, and dive boats. I can see it now, hooks, line, steale leader, bait and WORMS! This ole gulf fisherman gona take some ribbing! Thanks again.

Ah, but you'll have the best looking garden down there! LOL!

I used "trench composting" when I lived in South Florida because a regular compost pile would break down quickly to almost nothing. Last summer, I dug small holes here and there and placed kitchen scraps in them - worked great!