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No Worms

sharon59sharon59 Posts: 7
in Problem solving
We've just moved.  The house was built in 1968 and so the garden and surrounding areas are fairly established.  The front and rear gardens were more or less destroyed by the previous owners who membraned, slabbed, slated, gravelled and rubber chipped everything to death.  We're slowly bringing it back to life but how long does it take for the worms to reappear?  I loosened the compacted soil at the front and then put down top soil and have planted into that.  This was about a month and a half ago.  No signs of worms.  No worms in new compost bin either.
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  • amancalledgeorgeamancalledgeorge Posts: 2,736
    Well done for tackling it @sharon59 sounds a right old mess. I would mulch with manure on the planting areas and over the winter some critters should move in. It will take a few months to see any improvement, but by feeding the soil and aerating as you have done it should really help. By planting and looking after the soil they will return but be patient until the spring. On the positive side of it, you have a blank slate (terrible pun) to plant as you please. 
    To Plant a Garden is to Believe in Tomorrow
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    There will be worms in your neighbours established gardens. They will come eventually. If you've had a lot of rain, that will help too.
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • sharon59sharon59 Posts: 7
    Thanks for this.  I will definitely use chicken poo pellets and be more patient!
  • BenCottoBenCotto Posts: 4,718
    You can buy worms on eBay and in angling shops. Check you’re getting the right ones before you purchase.
    Rutland, England
  • Pauline 7Pauline 7 Posts: 2,246
    edited October 2020
    I started a thread about the same thing back in April  .  
    https://forum.gardenersworld.com/discussion/1036572/no-worms/p1
    I still haven't seen more than the one worm, but my garden continues to flourish.
    West Yorkshire
  • TopbirdTopbird Posts: 8,355
    I had a worm desert for a garden when we moved here. (Literally) truck loads of compost / top soil have been added over the last 10 years and we now have a thriving soil ecosystem.

    I think it was probably around 6 months from beginning the soil improvement to seeing the first worm - they will come if you continue to add plenty of organic matter. 

    If you know somebody with a well established healthy garden it might be worth begging a small bucket of soil to add to the compost heap if you want to speed things up in there as well.
    Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    My garden was the same - slabs and gravel and compacted clay. 
    It can take years for there to be a good population, but plenty of applications of rotted manure/compost etc is what helps get the balance in the end.
    It can be a slow process though  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • amancalledgeorgeamancalledgeorge Posts: 2,736
    I now feel lucky that we inherited a garden that was just left to go grassy...the soil beneath is full of life. 
    To Plant a Garden is to Believe in Tomorrow
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    If there's a decent food source the worms will move in.
    Decaying organic matter like home made compost is great.
    If there's not much to eat they'll stay away

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • NewBoy2NewBoy2 Posts: 1,813
    Just had bags of well rotted horse manure delivered and ther were 100s of brandlings.

    Over the next few months they will dive down and start producing more.

    From the interweb.

    How long does it take for worms to reproduce?
    approximately 27 days
    The breeding cycle is approximately 27 days from mating to laying eggs. Worms can double in population every 60 days.

    As this is your first time in trying to increase the population you must count them and send the results to The Soil Association so they can be aware of the UKs population..
    Everyone is just trying to be Happy.....So lets help Them.
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