Ask a Grow Question

[TheTrimReaper]

Is there any disadvantage to putting worms into my 5 gallon pots?

My theory is that they will improve soil aeration as well as create castings (which I wouldn’t have to supplement anymore) to help fertilize the soil. I know they’ll need some sort of organic material to eat so I’m wondering if I can just put my leaves that I defoliate into the soil and let them munch on those or what a better option could be. My soil base this time is Ocean Forest and I top dress every few weeks. Next time I will add some coco to lighten up the soil a bit because I always seem to have a little issue with soil compaction/overwatering with the straight OF, which is another reason that I think the worms could be beneficial. Any input appreciated, thanks in advance.

0

Discussion

[Thickems]

Do you plan to reuse this soil? Biology like this takes time to establish. 1 round will have some benefit, true benefit will be after multiple rounds. The worms will eat whats in the soil, as well as any top matter at night. The top dressings are good, compost, worm castings all work. A cover crop such as clover helps structure. A mulch layer straw, rice halls, chop and drop cover crop and leaves you defoliate. This being scratched into suface and moisture kept there will break this down. Bacterias and microbes help too. Grokashi is great starter of some this surface establishment. The beneficials will come in castings. Sticking with same products over time helps balance all this. Constantly switching things up curves it all around. A lot more than a simple answer, for 5 gallons just a dozen worms to start. They will populate themselves for the space. If they are constantly crawling out, youre probably to wet. They have other benefits to.

0

[TheTrimReaper]

The only reservation that I have about reusing the soil is normally the 5 gal is a total rootball by the end and Ive always heard that it will be more beneficial to have a higher volume of soil for living soil. I don’t know what I would do with the root ball or how to go about that if I were to re use it. Maybe the worms would break the old roots down..? Theoretically I would re use it because I feel that would save some money in the long run too. I am using recharge so I’ve got microbes going in all the time, it sounds like ideally I’d add a mulch layer too like you said with some cover crop to chop and drop or maybe the rice hulls as you mentioned.

0

[Thickems]

Smaller pots you would have to remove and break up the soil and root ball in a bin. Ideally will be adding more soil to meet your 5 gallons again. Small containers are not so ideal for this. As stated below the carbon to nitrogen in mulch layer. The rice hulls, straw, your browns and greens basically. Agreed ordering worms will outweight benefit in this situation. I prefer pumice over perlite as side note, as well as slow watering will help with compaction.

• This reply was modified 2 months, 4 weeks ago by  Thickems.

0

[BuddyBranch]

Good with rich soil, better in larger pots, i have tried 3 or 4 times, they dont always thrive, i would be carefull about leaving the leaves on the soil indoors, but the worms needs to resurface and rub there slimy ass in dryish carbon like stuff, they also need some gritty stuff like sand, perlite or oystershell. But all in all they reproduce with the presence of nitrogen, although i jave lost them a few times, i’m sure they never did any harm.

0

[purp-terp-pheno-god]

if u have extra in a worm bin or a compost bin, you can use them but the benefit isnt worth it to just buy worms and use them. Thats what I found. Tried in 7 gals quite a few times.

0

[Newleaf]

I agree with what alot of people are already saying. Worms would only be beneficial if you were planning on resuing the soil for multiple runs. Like thickems said this biology takes time to establish. I run 7, 10, and 15 gal pots and still wouldn’t consider worms. I have reused and reamended soil a few times in the past with good results. In my case though i poored the soil out of the containers and remixed them altogether in a big tote with their new amendments. When you start getting into using full on beds or say 30 gal pots. That’s when i would contemplate keeping the roots and soil where they are, and allow worms and microbiology to establish. Only then would i rely on them breaking down these roots and creating good aeration.

0

[TheTrimReaper]

This is where my head is at, I don’t think that it would be the most beneficial until I get up to a literal bed of soil or a huge pot especially just leaving the root ball. Id have to get rid of it and re mix the soil.

• This reply was modified 2 months, 4 weeks ago by  TheTrimReaper.

0

[jmystro]

Use some quality worm castings and you’ll see worms show up in your pots after a cycle or two. I use about 10-15% castings and will see worms in all the pots after a few months.

0

[RedWeasel]

I placed four, only four, red wigglers in at the very beginning of my current grow. Now, if you even scratch under my mulch layer anywhere, they come poking out. Makes a fella pretty happy knowing his soil is full of & supporting beneficial biology.

0