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turned pile today
+3
CapeCoddess
Scorpio Rising
jimmy cee
7 posters
Square Foot Gardening Forum :: Square Foot Gardening :: Outside The Box :: Non-SFG Gardening discussion
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turned pile today
55 deg, so I thought I would get some turning and drinkin...
Just a few days ago my pile had a crust of about 4 frozen inches.
Today that was gone and here are pics I took while during and after turning.
Temps are 45 deg F in the compost
![turned pile today Compos15](https://i.servimg.com/u/f68/18/16/45/79/compos15.jpg)
![turned pile today Compos16](https://i.servimg.com/u/f68/18/16/45/79/compos16.jpg)
![turned pile today Compos17](https://i.servimg.com/u/f68/18/16/45/79/compos17.jpg)
![turned pile today Compos18](https://i.servimg.com/u/f68/18/16/45/79/compos18.jpg)
![turned pile today Compos19](https://i.servimg.com/u/f68/18/16/45/79/compos19.jpg)
Just a few days ago my pile had a crust of about 4 frozen inches.
Today that was gone and here are pics I took while during and after turning.
Temps are 45 deg F in the compost
![turned pile today Compos15](https://i.servimg.com/u/f68/18/16/45/79/compos15.jpg)
![turned pile today Compos16](https://i.servimg.com/u/f68/18/16/45/79/compos16.jpg)
![turned pile today Compos17](https://i.servimg.com/u/f68/18/16/45/79/compos17.jpg)
![turned pile today Compos18](https://i.servimg.com/u/f68/18/16/45/79/compos18.jpg)
![turned pile today Compos19](https://i.servimg.com/u/f68/18/16/45/79/compos19.jpg)
jimmy cee
Certified SFG Instructor-
Posts : 2215
Join date : 2013-02-16
Age : 88
Location : Hatfield PA. zone 6b
Re: turned pile today
Bet your worms were surprised! Lol
Scorpio Rising-
Posts : 8801
Join date : 2015-06-12
Age : 62
Location : Ada, Ohio
Re: turned pile today
I was totally amazed in that they were so close to the surface..at least none asked for a beer.
jimmy cee
Certified SFG Instructor-
Posts : 2215
Join date : 2013-02-16
Age : 88
Location : Hatfield PA. zone 6b
Re: turned pile today
Oh Jimmy, your wormies are just beautiful!!! They look so happy! And healthy! Thank you for sharing them with us. I miss mine so much. Soon enough though...
CC
CC
CapeCoddess- Posts : 6824
Join date : 2012-05-20
Age : 68
Location : elbow of the Cape, MA, Zone 6b/7a
Re: turned pile today
If I remember correctly, that microbe book indicates a lively worm population means a good compost / growing area.
jimmy cee
Certified SFG Instructor-
Posts : 2215
Join date : 2013-02-16
Age : 88
Location : Hatfield PA. zone 6b
Re: turned pile today
jimmy cee wrote:I was totally amazed in that they were so close to the surface..at least none asked for a beer.
Honestly, I was too! I thought they "burrowed down" in the cold....however, we haven't had our usual winter, here, it has been warm, cold, warmish, cool, warm, cold etc. Maybe they haven't needed to dive deep? Maybe they don't really do that?
Scorpio Rising-
Posts : 8801
Join date : 2015-06-12
Age : 62
Location : Ada, Ohio
Re: turned pile today
Scorpio Rising wrote:jimmy cee wrote:I was totally amazed in that they were so close to the surface..at least none asked for a beer.
Honestly, I was too! I thought they "burrowed down" in the cold....however, we haven't had our usual winter, here, it has been warm, cold, warmish, cool, warm, cold etc. Maybe they haven't needed to dive deep? Maybe they don't really do that?
They really do dig deep when it gets cold. They can only take so much. You will never see them when it is freezing solid anyway.
Here in the British Columbia Interior this winter I cannot recall any deep cold except for about a week near the beginning of winter. I fear that the insect baddies will be in abundance this spring and summer.
Re: turned pile today
Remember, I mentioned 45 deg F that was the temps in areas throughout that pile.
Should warm up a bit, wasn't completely finished yet..
Should warm up a bit, wasn't completely finished yet..
jimmy cee
Certified SFG Instructor-
Posts : 2215
Join date : 2013-02-16
Age : 88
Location : Hatfield PA. zone 6b
Re: turned pile today
Interesting thought...now that my beds have been elevated the worms have no where to go, not down anymore. I need to find out if they freeze, as my entire bed does, will they hibernate or does that freeze kill them.Kelejan wrote:Scorpio Rising wrote:?
They really do dig deep when it gets cold. They can only take so much. You will never see them when it is freezing solid anyway.
Maybe when frozen they enter a state of dormancy.
If they do die when frozen, then I will need to make sure their replenished in spring. Even at that their deaths will be utilized by bacteria and fungi.
jimmy cee
Certified SFG Instructor-
Posts : 2215
Join date : 2013-02-16
Age : 88
Location : Hatfield PA. zone 6b
Re: turned pile today
If the compost pile is thawed and the worms are in the compost, then the ground underneath the compost would be frost free as well. Why would they not just burrow down again if they need to escape freezing temperatures.
deriter-
Posts : 107
Join date : 2011-12-25
Age : 78
Location : Iowa - zone 5b
Re: turned pile today
Deriter, Jimmy's beds, as well as mine and some others', are really elevated off the ground, with an air space between the beds and earth. This was done because tree roots were coming up through the weed fabric on the bottom and into the Mel's Mix. For the compost piles with unrestricted bottoms, yes, the worms have access to deep terrain if they need it.
Jimmy, here in Zone 8b-9a, the worms are alive and well, as we get hard frosts at the worse. I don't know how your worms will do with frozen MM. Please let us know when you are able to get into the beds.
Jimmy, here in Zone 8b-9a, the worms are alive and well, as we get hard frosts at the worse. I don't know how your worms will do with frozen MM. Please let us know when you are able to get into the beds.
Re: turned pile today
Oh I see. I thought they were on the ground. Ok I too would be interested to see if they survive the freezing.
deriter-
Posts : 107
Join date : 2011-12-25
Age : 78
Location : Iowa - zone 5b
Re: turned pile today
One thing I do know !!! sowbugs do not freeze, or they freeze and then come back to life,...Lots of them when warmer temps are here pop up in my beds
jimmy cee
Certified SFG Instructor-
Posts : 2215
Join date : 2013-02-16
Age : 88
Location : Hatfield PA. zone 6b
Re: turned pile today
I know those woolly worms, the ones with the black stripe around the middle, can freeze and will be just fine in the spring. I saw one in the corner of my garage one year, all curled up. It just laid there all winter, but as the days started to warm up, I noticed that it had moved from its original place. Then one day I saw it crawling along like nothing had happened. Amazing.
deriter-
Posts : 107
Join date : 2011-12-25
Age : 78
Location : Iowa - zone 5b
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Square Foot Gardening Forum :: Square Foot Gardening :: Outside The Box :: Non-SFG Gardening discussion
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