A Gardeners Forum Forums Members History Forum Life 2006 Newby gardener has questions about worms

I have been reading a lot of posts about worms and I have a few questions. I've heard that worms are good for gardening and was wondering why? Is it good to have earthworms in my garden? What are grubs, and how are they different from slugs? I've heard that slugs are bad for gardens, is this true, and if so why?
I think that's all the questions I have for now. I'm sure the more answers I get, the more questions I'll have.

Worms eat organic matter and their waste is pure organic fertilizer. They also transport this matter deeper into the soil, effectively digging the soil over for you. Encourage them with lots of compost, organic fertilizers, good mulching habits, constant soil moisture and minimise the use of pesticides and chemicals including chemical fertilizers.

Grubs are the larval stage of insects like beetles. They may do damage to plants or they may not, depending on the species.

Slugs are like snails and feed on growing plants, except for a few like leopard slugs. Generally not desirable because of the damage they can do to seedlings and softer tissued plants. Ducks love to eat them.

How can I tell what species of grubs are around here? I noticed last fall when we had many rainy days there were litterally hundreds of tiny black slugs on the sidewalk. How can I keep them out m=of my gardening area? What type of worms are best for a small flower garden? Last for now, how can I make my own organic compost in a very small area. I rent an apartment and would not be allowed to have a compost pile outside.

My landlord let me compost in a trash can in the back of the building. I just put a sign on the lid that said compost only and it's worked great. Now I even have a little potting table out beside it that I painted white so it wasn't an eyesore.

I haven't seen any slugs in my garden and I use crushed egg shells around the base of my hostas. So either it's working or there just aren't any around this area to begin with. I'm not sure which way it goes.

Good luck with your garden.

There are many ways to compost inside. A plastic tub is a great way. You want to check some of the posts in 'Organic Gardening'.

To find out the types of grubs, you'd need a foto and /or an expert i reckon. it's quite possible someone here may be able to help you with ID's. You can post fotos on this site.

Are the slugs doing any damage in your garden area? If not, don't worry about them. There are gazillions of critters in or on the soil and most of them are friendlies. Don't be worried about these little critters, a healthy soil and regular maintenance like weeding and a water supply for birds and insects will keep a balance in a garden. It may take a few seasons but it will level out.

Earthworms are best for your soil, and if you add organic matter to the soil, as described previously, they'll just show up. Dunno where they come from, they're just there already. If you increase the food availability then they breed up and away you go. (If you build it, they will come).

There is an indoor compost system called a Bokashi system. I haven't used one but they will apparently use all your organic kitchen waste and turn it into compost and they fit neatly in a cupboard. Just google 'Bokashi' for more info.
I think they cost about $80 and you need to buy this additive regularly. Not sure of the details.
Alternatively, you can just bury your fruit and vege scraps, (no meat, chicken etc) in the garden. 12" deep so critters don't dig it up. Keep moving the spot where you bury it.

How do you know you wouldn't be able to have a compost outside? You never know if you don't ask. May even find a few other like minded tenants. Is there a community garden where you live? These are great places to learn gardening from others with the same space shortages. They're becoming fairly common in some cities. May be worth a look???

Longy, I don't know for sure that they wouldn't let me have a compost pile, even if a bunch of us got together for one. I rent through a housing authority and they can be VERY picky about some things. A neighbor have a portable basketball hoop in the parking lot last summer, it wasn't blocking anyone or mucking up parking and the kids moved when people came and went, and they made him get rid of it.
So........ I'll have to check.

Worms are great for the soil! If u have a lot of them, that generally means your soil is fertile and "workable".

The two most common grubs would be the japanese beetle grub and the june beetle grub. Although i have them in my flower garden soil, they don't seem to bother anything. Although they can be troublesome if there's an infestation (they can eat the roots of plants), i think they are most likely to cause damage to the roots of grass growing in your yard.
I will also say that the adult japanese beetle is by far the worst nuisance to my garden! I hate them. This past year they were terrible.

As far as the topic of compost is concerned, i'll let other people in the forum give u advice on that. That's not my expertise...

The second worst pest in my garden would be the slug... and i am NOT afraid to use chemicals to kill them or japanese beetles!
I use the pellets for the slugs and assorted sprays for the beetles.
No, i don't have to worry about poisoning cats or dogs, because i am happily FREE from that "ball and chain"!!!

All I know about worms is that if you see fat ones, then your soil's pretty good.

They aerate the soil as they worm around - that's about all I know about 'em . . . other than a couple I met in my younger days - yeah, well . . . more than you wanna' know.

"I will also say that the adult japanese beetle is by far the worst nuisance to my garden! I hate them. This past year they were terrible. The second worst pest in my garden would be the slug
i am NOT afraid to use chemicals to kill them or japanese beetles!
I use the pellets for the slugs and assorted sprays for the beetles."
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yeah that's OK Bob. I was suggesting Becky doesn't get too concerned about pests until she actually has some and that to create a diverse plant and animal ecosystem will create a balance that will naturally take care of these threats. As for the chemicals, i have a dog, no serious infestations of slugs or grubs and no chemicals. No dead friendlies. Lots of birds, wasps and spiders. And i'm NOT afraid either. Obviously for different reasons though.

Another worm question:
Can I get worms from a bait shop and "grow" them indoors until I start my garden?
If yes, then what's the best method to "grow" worms?

Can I get worms from a bait shop and "grow" them indoors until I start my garden?
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Becky, as previously stated, just get a garden growing and keep up the organic matter. The worms will come to you. Gauranteed. If you want a worm farm, they are a different type of worm to the earthworm, and are from a rainforest environment and live under the mulch and they won't live in a garden situation when you release them. So step one is get a garden area and start improving the soil. Step 2 is to get on here and see what to do next.