Worm Tube?

I know in 2010 There was a very good post on Worm Tubes, I was just wondering  if  anyone was doing it anymore?

Me!  Every box 2' x 3' or bigger has one.  When one is full, I empty contents all over the box and set it in a new spot.  Just tall enough to clear the MM with a cap, small 1/2" holes drilled below 5" (shrunken MM).  The first photo shows a full tube from a box being raised off the ground.  I stored it indoors for a few hours with added MM to keep the worms alive until the project was done.  I now use 3" PVC instead of 4" so it doesn't take up much of a square.  One 4" showing in second photo.


Josh's thread. https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t1603-worm-tube-for-the-sfg?highlight=worm+tube

I was doing it for years and then because I have compost piles to add my kitchen waste to, I just pulled them this season.  I heavily mulch my raised table top beds so the worms are still going very strong within them.  They spread their "goodies" far and wide in the beds without my doing any work.  I LIKE LAZY GARDENING 

However, the system works really well so don't hesitate to do it.  Especially if you're like my buddy Sanderson and have NO extra room!

Here is a close up of my Mel's Mix after 4+ years of worm tubes.   I try to disturb my soil as little as possible.  When I cut down plants at the end of the season, if I can, I leave the roots and the worms dispose of them in fairly short time.  

The soil is loose, holds water really nicely and my plants LOVE it. I put my compost on top of the soil, rather than mix it in.  That works as a mulch and as worm feed.  I compost materials short of finished compost (around 60-70% composted) so that it has larger pieces that have begun to break down.  I put on average 2 inches on top of my beds each spring and as needed throughout the year.  

After planting my seedlings, I top off the boxes with ramial wood chips (chipped tree branches with their leaves that are under 3 inch in diameter) and sometimes hay/straw if I have it.  This is because are very hot and dry for our summers.

If you look closely in the center you'll see a red wiggler LOVE MY WORMIES!



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Thanks For the Info, This Morning I went BIG I used a five Gallon Bucket cut holes in the bottom and up five inches on the side and placed it in a bed it took up one square but what the heck I plan on placing one in each bed if it works out maybe I can get rid of the compost pile that would make room for another 3X3 bed.


PS another question did You buy worms ? or just let the locals move in.

I bought red wigglers to start.  We have large earthworms here naturally but didn't have the red wigglers and they're the best composting worms.  I don't know what zone you are in - I'm 8Aor B depending on the year.  They do fine in my table top beds with summer temps up to 115 occasionally as long as I keep the beds mulched.  Our winters don't get any colder than the low 20s and they do fine through the winter.

If you're colder than that you may have to experiment.  

I have literally millions of them now, lol!  I have given several pounds away to a couple of my local gardener friends and they just grow and grow and grow 

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I bought a half pound of red wigglers to start. Whenever my husband made me a new bed, I would take some from an established box and put them in the new bed. A few ground worms got in the first boxes when they were on the ground, before the boxes were made into table tops. I'm in Zone 8B-9A.

Where do red wigglers naturally live? I'm wondering if I have some in my compost pile but I can't tell, even after checking out the images of the Reds online. There are so many different sizes and colors of worms in the compost. I just thought they were all different ages of earthworms.

CC, I am in the same boat.  All the worms look the same to me.  I have worms of different sizes in the compost and in the beds.  Every time I gather a bunch of leaves and chop them up, wherever they are put, worms are sure to arrive.  I simply pick up a handful and relocated them to my squares.

4 different types of worms

Well, as I understand, worms aren't natural to North America so anything that invades leaf or compost piles has been introduced to the area, most likely some species of earth worm. I've read that "earthworms" push their castings to the surface and red wigglers just leave it in site, which is why they are great in the beds. Big help, huh?