Increasing worm population

[Sylvismum]

Hi, this is another newbie question. My raised beds have been filled with topsoil by the landscapers working on our garden, and I also have a bag of spent mushroom compost I can dig in. While digging in the beds this afternoon I could see that there were no worms in the soil. Will they come of their own accord or should I rehome some from other areas of my garden? Any advice gratefully received.

[Zelenina]

They should come when the conditions are right for them. They like plenty of organic matter, which the mushroom compost will help with, and watering if the soil is dry, because worms need moisture. But if you import them when the conditions aren't right they'll just die.

[nickdub]

the more compost the better - the worms will turn up when conditions are right. You might want to sow some green manure - that'll help restore structure to your soil.

[Sylvismum]

Thank you for your replies! It has been quite damp here in Norfolk so hopefully the wormies will not mind being rehomed, if I get around to digging them up. Someone else did recommend a green manure on another thread on here, but when I looked there are so many different kinds! I suppose it must be trial and error as to which is best for any particular soil. The other thing I wondered is whether I should bury some of my kitchen waste in those beds to compost down. Does anyone do this as an alternative to having a wormery? Thanks again.

[Dynamite]

Thank you for your replies! It has been quite damp here in Norfolk so hopefully the wormies will not mind being rehomed, if I get around to digging them up. Someone else did recommend a green manure on another thread on here, but when I looked there are so many different kinds! I suppose it must be trial and error as to which is best for any particular soil. The other thing I wondered is whether I should bury some of my kitchen waste in those beds to compost down. Does anyone do this as an alternative to having a wormery? Thanks again.

I've buried kitchen waste in my raised beds and also used compost out of my bins that isn't quite decomposed. Both cause potatoes, tomatoes and other stuff to grow from the waste. It puts goodness in though. Best start a compost heap or bin and then use it. I also moved some of my worms to the new beds at the same time as adding the organic matter and they seemed to thrive.

Regards........Rob

[Cadalot]

Build it and they will come as I found out with my compost dalek https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ahk-2JX-tYM

[Snadger]

Build it and they will come as I found out with my compost dalek https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ahk-2JX-tYM

These are what I call 'S**t worms' though, or brandlings. They break down waste matter but are very rarely seen once added to the soil. Lob worms are the boyos required in the topsoil to aerate the soil.

[nickdub]

I use a plastic barrel with a horizontal pole through it propped off the ground for my kitchen waste type compost - too big a risk of attracting rats if they can get at it easily otherwise.

There are several sorts of green manure, but they really fall in to different usage groups - for growing over Winter and turning in in the Spring "grazing rye" was a traditional answer, longer term a mix with white clover works well.

[MarkPelican]

Its something I keep going on about, but I found Bokashi Composting increases worm population a lot!