Sunday, July 27, 2008

Pot Worms in the Worm Bin

In the last 6 months, I've noticed a curious growth of tiny white creatures in my redworm bin that I, at first, mistakenly took for baby worms. They actually are pot worms and "bloom" in the bin when the soil becomes acidic. Baby redworms (Eisenia fetida) have a red vein running down the length of their bodies within hours after birth, so if you're seeing a bunch of tiny, undulating, white lines, they are probably pot worms. Opinions are mixed as to whether they are bad to have in a bin, but I have seen the amount of food being digested in my bin double since they moved in, so I don't mind them at all! In fact, Happy D Ranch says Pot Worms are good for my compost system, which I can believe. I did question how they would impact my garden when I work in the vermicompost (there is no chance you could separate these guys out of the castings/compost). According to All About Worms, "pot worms won’t harm other living worm species, they do no damage to living plants either. Their diet is strictly bacteria and fungus." However, the pot worms plus the mites are indicating that my bin is probably getting too acidic. That means no more coffee grounds and more eggshells.

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