Compost Question

[taxboy]

I've started digging out the compost bins to use as a mulch and it's broken down very nicely. However I've not seen any worms. Is this unusual?
The compost is a mix of shrub prunings which I've shredded and grass clippings. I don't use any lawn weedkiller btw

 

[arclight]

I've started digging out the compost bins to use as a mulch and it's broken down very nicely. However I've not seen any worms. Is this unusual?
The compost is a mix of shrub prunings which I've shredded and grass clippings. I don't use any lawn weedkiller btw

I have not composted anything for many years. However, I do recall that worms were seen as very beneficial for composting. Gardeners used to buy Brandling worms (often called Tiger worms now - because of their markings, I expect) from Angling retailers for compost heaps.

 

[LCPete]

Not an expert by any means but I think it needs to be quite wet for worms to live in it
I put coffee grounds in ours daily so it ends up being watered daily we get a reasonable amount of worms
I put in cardboard, unprinted, as well as grass cuttings and vegetable waste from kitchen
Our hedge is leyandii so dont put that in

 

[taxboy]

Not an expert by any means but I think it needs to be quite wet for worms to live in it
I put coffee grounds in ours daily so it ends up being watered daily we get a reasonable amount of worms
I put in cardboard, unprinted, as well as grass cuttings and vegetable waste from kitchen
Our hedge is leyandii so dont put that in

That may well explain it - the compost coming out is not especially wet

 

[Mozthecat]

I was digging out my mums a few days ago. The broken down, ready to use stuff at the bottom had almost none, the material at the top that was still being broken down was absolutely full of them.

 

[Clive K]

For the soil to break down and create compost it has to be damp for the worms and bacteria to be able to exist. As Mozthecat said; once the worms have been through the top layers if you don't add more then they will go down to the bottom of the compost. Just water the compost with a watering can if it gets too dry and make sure that you add new vegetation or coffee grounds, tea leaves (not the bags though), apples and egg shells. They will soon come back.

I have some pet worms that I keep in a covered bucket in the basement. I change the compost every four or five weeks and add powdered milk and coffee grounds to feed them. All the old compost and the smaller worms go on the veg' plot and get mixed into the soil. I will be taking some of the larger worms from the bucket for a day out on the river bank tomorrow. Some will be going for a swim.

 

[taxboy]

For the soil to break down and create compost it has to be damp for the worms and bacteria to be able to exist. As Mozcat said; once the worms have been through the top layers if you don't add more then they will go down to the bottom of the compost. Just water the compost with a watering can if it gets too dry and make sure that you add new vegetation or coffee grounds, tea leaves (not the bags though), apples and egg shells. They will soon come back.

I have some pet worms that I keep in a covered bucket in the basement. I change the compost every four or five weeks and add powdered milk and coffee grounds to feed them. All the old compost and the smaller worms go on the veg' plot and get mixed into the soil. I will be taking some of the larger worms from the bucket for a day out on the river bank tomorrow. Some will be going for a swim.

Thanks for that it sounds that I kept it a little on the dry side