Time to Make Some Soil

[Clackamas Coot]

Damn nice mix! Good mineral diversity!

Personally, I'd probably bump the alfalfa to 2 tbsp per gallon. But that's probably just me and others will probably disagree.

CC

 

[schwagg]

about the notes, do you think the worms would live tossed into that fresh mix? or once it sits awhile?

 

[Clackamas Coot]

about the notes, do you think the worms would live tossed into that fresh mix? or once it sits awhile?

Unfortunately neither red wigglers (composting worms) or nightcrawlers can survive long in containers.

It would be great if it were possible - especially the nightcrawlders because they could provide a constant source of EWC for your plants.

CC

 

[schwagg]

i guess that means i should stop killing worms. i always throw them in pots.

 

[EatMoGrass]

I'm not trying to disagree about the redworms, but I have had them thriving in my soil mix in large rubbermaid container for many months at a time. Not currently but a couple years ago.

I used to recycle all my soil and used two separate batches of soil I would rotate between.
After harvesting cannabis from one batch I would reminelalize the used soil/rootball mix, water the soil and then put it away until needed 10-12weeks later. The worms would always seem to have increased in numbers during this time and would continue live in my 3gal containers through the flowering cycle until next harvest.

Also about 3-4 years ago I added some worm compost containing worms and worm eggs to a potted tree I had in my apt. Over a year later I noticed my cat freaking out right by the potted tree. When I looked a little closer I noticed he had captured an large redworm living in the potted tree. This was 18+ months after I added the castings/worms to the tree! I was shocked as I had read in the book "Worms Eat My Garbage"that redworms will not live outside a compost for a long time.

Unfortunately I let my worm population die off almost two years ago. I cleaned out my worm composter this last Sunday and plan on buying more worms tomorrow.

 

[Clackamas Coot]

EatMoGrass

In a large Rubbermade container red wigglers can survive as long as there's food for them to consume. Many folks use these containers for a small worm bin set-up.

I was referring to nursery pots per se. There isn't enough food to sustain the red wigglers and most of them will die. The nightcrawlers will crawl out in search for deeper soils which is how they function.

I think that the poster Mad L. uses the Rubbermade bins for his worms.

CC

 

[EatMoGrass]

Some of the worms would continue to live through my flowering cycle in my 3 and 4gal containers. I would find some larger and some smaller worms in the containers after harvest.
Many may have died, but quite a few would survive. The ones that died likely fed the soil microlife and the plants with their decomposing bodies.
I can't wait to have live worms in my soils again.

P.S The worms I used in my compost were sold at a bait shop I used to work at. I used two different types of worms. One was sold as "Red Wigglers" and other was sold as "Jumbo Redworms". I am not sure if the Jumbos are just larger redworms of if they are an entirely different species of worm. Both did well in my small indoor worm compost.

 

[EatMoGrass]

Life AND death are an important part of the soil food web.