Viewing post #3089630 by Leftwood

You are viewing a single post made by Leftwood in the thread called Differences in Purchased Compost.
Image
Apr 16, 2024 5:51 AM CST
Name: Rick R.
Minneapolis,MN, USA z4b,Dfb/a
Garden Photography The WITWIT Badge Seed Starter Wild Plant Hunter Region: Minnesota Hybridizer
Garden Sages I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Plant Identifier Million Pollinator Garden Challenge
Oh yes! do be careful. Asian jumping worms are literally* attracted to soil high in organic matter. Real compost is 100% organic matter, and they especially like the barely decomposed stuff, like natural mulches.

You can't identify a worm as a jumping worm until it reaches maturity, and jumping worms get big, like night crawlers. But at 70°F and warmer, they squirm a lot more than regular worms. Don't just throw the infested "compost" in the garbage: you will infest the landfill where it is dumped. if you can put the bag in the freezer, that will kill all the hatched jumping worms, but not the eggs. After freezing, dry it out to bone dry, then seal it so can't re-wet, and that's the best you can do.


*Our Minnesota arboretum has jumping worms in some places. They bought yards of mulch known to be jumping worm free, and put it in the middle of their tarred parking lot to keep it that way. Jumping worms (that were in the ground previously) crossed the bare tar and infested the pile!
When the debate is lost, slander becomes the tool of the losers. - Socrates

« Return to the thread "Differences in Purchased Compost"
« Return to Ask a Question forum
« Return to the Garden.org homepage

Member Login:

( No account? Join now! )

Today's site banner is by Zoia and is called "Pink Shell Azalea"

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.