So I'm pulling weeds in my yard not too long ago, and I notice there are worms around the roots. I think "Great! Earthworms!" ('Cause they're in the EARTH. And they're WORMS ) So I pick 'em up and throw 'em in my strawberry pot.
Then I start to go nuts. I now have a whole trench around my patio from my worm hunt, and I've found all sizes and colors. I've thrown them into all my plants, even into my terrarium with my carnivorous plants (where the soil's very acidic).
Now I'm thinking ... "Hmmm ... maybe I should have made sure these are actually EARTHWORMS?? And maybe not some harmful type of worm? Or parasite that I'm bringing into my home?"
Any thoughts, anyone? Plants: 292 | From: Arizona | Registered: Oct 2004
| Seeded: 68.104.164.228
posted
the worms are great up here! i've never seen such enormous ones! in fl the "dirt" was mostly sand. so my gardens there were sandy with top soil added in. anyhow when we planted this garden here i was out one summer with my mom poking around and saw a HUGE worm- we both about freaked out! i swear the thing had to be 8 inches long and FAT too! blew my mind!
Plants: 362 | From: NE PA | Registered: Jun 2004
| Seeded: 71.241.103.37
posted
Geesh, that's seems pretty long even for a night crawler, but maybe they grow bigger in other other parts of the country.
patches
* * * * "Lord, I love you and I need you, come into my heart, and bless me, my family, my home, and my friends, in Jesus' name. Amen!" Plants: 6492 | From: Illinois | Registered: Feb 2006
| Seeded: 199.217.139.130
posted
One day, when my oldest was about 3, and out in the garden, he was in the back 40 area and I in the middle 40 area... and all of a sudden, I hear this blood curdling scream, SNAKKKEEEEEE MOM, AHHHHHHHH.... Welllllllllll, needless to say, I was scared, *not knowing what kind it was, and picturing a cobra type standing up staring at him, and tongue twitching*....
I got over there, and he's pointing at it, and it was a night crawler, "IN MOTION", and when in motion, going somewheres.. It was at least 8" to 10", when moving, it was stretched alllll out...
And boy was I soooooooo relieved to find it ONLY a night crawler...whewwwwwwww, I didn't know what I was going to do, if it was a real bad snake..
* * * * Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it. - Bible - Hebrews 13:2
posted
LOL- maybe that's what mine was too- the thing was huge! no- i didn't get a picture- taking a picture of a worm wasn't my first reaction. Plants: 362 | From: NE PA | Registered: Jun 2004
| Seeded: 71.245.2.124
**Every winter while I clean my garden and I let my chickens for the first time enter my garden. I let them do what ever they please to do. (their poop is very good for my plants!!) I dig around loosing up the soil and there are fat looking worms and my chickens really love them!..
But now after thinking what are worms good for the garden them making holes under the ground?... Please, any help would be appreciated.
posted
They not only aerate the soil with their tunnels, but their poop, is the one of the purest, nicest bestest stuff for the quality of soil... It's nutritious, and makes the soil very pliable and fluffy..
And chicken poop on the ground, encourages worms to come more, they love to encorporate that stuff back into the ground too...
* * * * Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it. - Bible - Hebrews 13:2
posted
when we used to go fishing all the time on a lake here,there were piles of leaves that we'd always go bait hunting for worms to fish with and there were always TONS AND TONS AND TONS of worms there!well anyway sometimes we'd find those REALLY long worms and my mom and dad always said that they were some type of snake worms or worm snakes! I'll have to go do some research and see what I can come up with to see if such a thing really exists!
posted
ok so I went looking and found that there is a snake called a worm snake but apparently wasn't what I was talking about but I did find this site about earthworms and it says....
quote: Earthworms range in size from a few inches long to over 22 feet long. The largest earthworms live in South Africa and Australia.
woah! so I'd say that the long worms ya'll are talking about are regular ol' worms! I know I'd REALLY freak out if I found a 22 foot long worm in my yard!! THAT THING COULD EAT MY CAT AND ME!!
posted
Nightcrawlers eat different stuff than red worms.
* * * * One OS to rule them, one OS to find them: One OS to bring them all and in the darkness bind them In the Land of Redmond where the shadows lie. Plants: 1077 | From: Haskell Oklahoma Zone 6b | Registered: Feb 2005
| Seeded: 152.132.9.73
posted
well, i guess all i know about worms is that up here they are huge, they are good for the garden, and i just let them be! LOL thanks for more info guys!
Plants: 362 | From: NE PA | Registered: Jun 2004
| Seeded: 71.241.86.149
posted
oh hey- once i start my compost pile can i just buy some worms from the bait store and dump them in there and let them multiply? i mean worms are worms right?
Plants: 362 | From: NE PA | Registered: Jun 2004
| Seeded: 71.241.86.149
posted
Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!! I'd loose if I was on there, and had to do that.. I'd be scoopin' the worms out and putting them in my pockets and going HOME *and putting those guys in my compost piles of leaves.. *
The one's where they do the maggots reallly gross me out...
* * * * Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it. - Bible - Hebrews 13:2
posted
If I ever saw a WORM 22 feet long you'd here me screaming all the way in Australia!!! Holy moly! In Michigan we can grow some whoppers but that's hilarious!!
* * * * Sandy R. Plants: 239 | From: SW Michigan | Registered: Aug 2005
| Seeded: 12.1.219.253
posted
How about the scorpions GAG ohh the rotten fish I think eating is one thing but when they have to lay in all those snakes I would freak out!!!
* * * * Tonight I am having friends for dinner... Hanibal Lector My Album Plants: 13562 | From: Lawrence,Ma | Registered: Mar 2006
| Seeded: 66.31.21.34
posted
Now the scorpions - THAT'S real fear. Seems to me that lately fear factor is more "physical challenge factor" or "gross-out factor".
But try to get me to let scorpions crawl on me ... I'd have to being a second pair of underwear. Not for $50K NO WAY!!! One of my biggest fears.
Plants: 292 | From: Arizona | Registered: Oct 2004
| Seeded: 68.104.164.228
* * * * Tonight I am having friends for dinner... Hanibal Lector My Album Plants: 13562 | From: Lawrence,Ma | Registered: Mar 2006
| Seeded: 66.31.21.34
quote: Night crawlers are the biggest worms around here, but they pale in comparison to Australia's giant earth worm that may exceed 3 metres in length!
How long is 3 metres...
* * * * Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it. - Bible - Hebrews 13:2
posted
Not all earthworms are good and earthworms are not native to many parts of the northern United States. Places like Minnesota and Pennsylvania are having problems with these non-native, invasive species from Europe and Asia killing the forests.
Parts of the northern US that had glacieral activity, do not have native earthworms. When the Europeans arrived they had soil on the ships and this is how some of the first European species got here.
What causes the problem in the north is earthworms feed voraciously on the leaf litter, breaking it down too fast and flooding the soil with nutrients, especially nitrogen. The second factor is the worms actually change the pH of the soil with their body secretions. This is changing the native soil chemistry and pH so native plants are having a hard time growing.
Since Colonial times about 45 exotic earthworm species have been introduced to North America. Now in the south, there are over 100 species of native North American earthworms. The glaciers never made it to the south.
So keep in mind that on the north earthworms are damaging the ecology, but in the south the invasives do not seem to be causing a problem.
there are many website out there on this subject if you want to learn more. Minnesota Worm Watch
* * * * The Buglady Suzanne Wainwright-Evans, www.bugladyconsulting.com Educating the world... one bug at a time Plants: 435 | From: PA | Registered: Jan 2004
| Seeded: 64.12.117.7
posted
Crap! They change the pH of the soil? I put some in my carnivorous plant tank! What was I thinking??
Plants: 292 | From: Arizona | Registered: Oct 2004
| Seeded: 68.104.164.228
posted
well being many carnivores plants are from the south i would think they would be fine with the worms. Its the northern plants that have the problems.
Also depends on the worms you put in.
* * * * The Buglady Suzanne Wainwright-Evans, www.bugladyconsulting.com Educating the world... one bug at a time Plants: 435 | From: PA | Registered: Jan 2004
| Seeded: 64.12.117.7
posted
No, the pH of the soil has to be very acidic for carnivorous plants. Too many nutrients will kill them.
Plants: 292 | From: Arizona | Registered: Oct 2004
| Seeded: 68.104.164.228
posted
Guess when NightCrawlers come out? Know what they do? Crawl. Actually they usually crawl away when the area they are in is not providing them enough food and they go searching for better pastures so to speak. That's why some people who know better go ahead and throw chicken poop on the ground as stated above, or leave banana peels or other kitchen scraps on the ground. Some people I know have even left pet poop on the ground because as gross as it is, the worms do come. Red worms aren't as picky about their food supply but they earn their nickname "Wigglers" when they are uncovered and exposed. Some will wiggle as if they are being attacked by ants. NightCrawlers just try to get away.
Plants: 52 | From: Round Rock, TX | Registered: Apr 2006
| Seeded: 66.25.187.31
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