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beesee_gw

Curious about worm poop

beesee
14 years ago

I have to make a decision either to take the worms with me to S. Korea or not. With this tough decision in mind, I enjoy these worms so much that I am procrastinating the decision as long as I can.

Currently, I have some indoor veges such as salad mix, basil, lettuce and so on growing under light and so I was going to water these plants with casting tea.

So, I scraped the side of the 55 gallon worm bin which has 100% pure worm casting.

I was surprised to find that this small amount of worm castings look quite similar to very fine peat moss.

Making worm tea, As I was trying to disolve this hardened worm caasting in the water but it won't disolve readily or quickly.

What do you do with hardened worm castings? Do you just scatter on top of the plants? If you would like to make worm casting tea, do you just leave it in the water overnight or something like that?

Comments (5)

  • african
    14 years ago

    Hi besee,
    I think it would be ecologically irresponsible to take your worms to a foreign country. This type of uncontrolled movement of species from one continent to another often has caused many an ecological disaster in the past as the consequences are not always so easy to predict.

    Read up about Lumbricus rubellus, an imported European species of worm that is now believed to be damaging North American and Canadian forests - see the reference below. You should rather give your worms to a friend and find a local supplier in South Korea - there are many people doing vermiculture there.

    Here is a link that might be useful: The Worm Dictionary

  • beesee
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    african,
    I appreciate your comment, however, you had drawn the conclusion without knowing the some details. S. Korea have imported many EFs and EHs from America recently. They also have imported Japanese worms recently. Apparently they thought it is OK to bring them to their own country. Needless to say it is legal too.

    I am not sure if I want to go through the hassle of taking them with me for a long trip. Without worms, I have enough things in my mind.

    It may be ecologically irresponsible or it may be just fine. I don't know and I hope you don't pretend you know that either.

  • african
    14 years ago

    Sorry if I've offended you Beesee,
    However I live in an area of South Africa where Port Jackson Willows were imported from Australia as a means to stabilise sand dunes under an officially condoned program. We now have a massive fire risk problem and our exquisite native Cape flora is being squeezed out of existance by rampant invasive alien vegetation that is way outside our means to control. Our biodiversity is under major threat and every year the fires get worse.

    I really don't hold with moving species from one area to another (legally or otherwise) as no-one can ever fortell the eventual consequences.

    I'm sure that many people in the US are happy to continue raising Lumbricus rubbelus - an excellent composting worm - but can we really predict what eventual price will have to be paid by the northern forests? Why does sections of Canadian legislation now go against the promotion of this worm?

    I wonder if South Korea might regret lax import laws in the future.

    I don't know - do you? Enjoy your move.

  • beesee
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    I live in Oregon where IVYs from Europe (?, that's what my memory tells me even though my memories, I found out, can be not-trustworthy at times ) are choking native trees and it is the econological problem.

    Even though I responded to your comment defensively, I very much appreciate your thoughtful considerations about not hurting our environment. We all decided to raise the earthworms for the sake of keeping environmnet as best as we can after all.

    It is certainly a joy to see these vigorous worms greet me when I open the bin, but I will leave them here. You are right. We don't know the consequences of so called many legal acts we do upon ourselves.

    None of my friends is interested in worms. I wonder if there is anyone in this forum who is willing to buy the whole thing, 55 flow through gallon, worms, baby worms and many cacoons from me.

    Is it aginst forum's policy to advertise personal sale in this forum? Then, I will erase the last few statements later.

  • cathd66
    14 years ago

    Also, if I can just add a bit here. Although worms are totally native here in Ireland, I wouldn't bring them in myself. They are imported regularly from The United Kingdom, but from growers. And to import any living animal, you have to be licensed.
    What you have to remember, is that in your worm bin you won't just have worms, but plenty of other creatures as well. A commercial grower will have controlled bedding and feed and so have a much narrower range of critters in it. There may also be regulations in place that involve starving the worms or feeding a specific feed for a period before licensed export to reduce even the range of micro-organisms in the worms guts. Export bedding is also usually near sterile peat moss which is added back to washed worms reducing any risks even further.
    Just as well you decided to leave them at home!!

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