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Worms

ccsffs2013ccsffs2013 Posts: 6
edited January 2019 in Wildlife gardening
Hi folks. We moved into our house 2yrs ago. It has a mature garden with lots of bulbs, bushes and some trees. We have a lot of leaves fall into our garden from Ash, sycamore and beech. The lawn is fairly compacted and can be boggy in places but the beds drain well and the plants seem to do well.
So far I haven't found a single lobworm or earth worm. 
We currently have 3 compost bins which are maintaining a host of tiger worms and the garden itself seems to support slugs, snails, beetles etc but no worms.

Will buying some worms be throwing my money away or is it likely to just need a kick start?
We plan to do veg beds this year and will be lacing them with a handful of blood bone and meal. 

Posts

  • ccsffs2013ccsffs2013 Posts: 6
    No none at all. Locally there are worms, you'll see them on the paths after its been very wet but I've not seen many casts on playing fields or where I walk the dog. 
  • ccsffs2013ccsffs2013 Posts: 6
    No, no chemicals in the two years we've been here. Neighbours don't either that I've seen. 
    My thinking was the worms aren't here for a reason and adding some will just mean they die or go away. 
    I'll see what happens when we get the veggies going and have some more variety in the organic material being dug in. 
  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    Maybe you have the flatworms that eat earthworms.  Check under pots that have been standing on patios or soil.
  • ccsffs2013ccsffs2013 Posts: 6
    Don't seem to be any, the compost worms are doing OK. 
    Did find a lot of centipedes which I believe eat worms but again, the compost worms seem to have survived.
    Slugs and snails of all variety do well too. As do woodlice. Just a bit weird not a red or lob worm to be discovered. 
  • LiriodendronLiriodendron Posts: 8,328
    I don't have that many worms in my soil either, even in the raised veg beds which get the best treatment in terms of added compost.  Things seem to grow ok though...
    Just wondering if the pH of the soil makes a difference.  Mine is very acid.
    Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
  • ccsffs2013ccsffs2013 Posts: 6
    Liriodendron said:
    I don't have that many worms in my soil either, even in the raised veg beds which get the best treatment in terms of added compost.  Things seem to grow ok though...
    Just wondering if the pH of the soil makes a difference.  Mine is very acid.
    Ours will be acidic, north Scotland but should be the same, or at least no worse than neighbouring soil that releases worms when it's wet. I'll see how our veg does this year and if its dismal I'll send off some samples for testing. 
  • SkandiSkandi Posts: 1,723
    It could be too wet, we have worms only in the dryer areas, as most of our land has the water table only just under the surface, since in winter the top 4-5 cm will freeze and under that is saturated worms cannot survive
  • ccsffs2013ccsffs2013 Posts: 6
    Skandi said:
    It could be too wet, we have worms only in the dryer areas, as most of our land has the water table only just under the surface, since in winter the top 4-5 cm will freeze and under that is saturated worms cannot survive
    Yes that could be another factor. The flower beds appear well drained but the lawns a different matter and I did wonder if the total volume was overly wet. But next door seems OK and I expected worms in the bed that borders her garden. 
    I'm going to be dealing with the lawn in the spring so hopefully improve matters. 
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