"Kay" wrote in message
...
In article ,
writes
On Sun, 13 Feb 2005 11:28:15 +0000 (UTC), "Mike" wrote:

The worms used in a compost bin are different to 'yer actual garden
worms'
so where do they come from?

From the soil. There are several species around in the soil. The ones
that like high humus levels don't do very well in ordinary soil, but as
soon as you dump a compost heap on top of it, they start breeding like
mad.

I have seen advice on here that one can buy them, but our compost worms
'get
themselves' into the compost bins. Could this be because most of our
bins
are part on but part off the garden in that we have concrete/bricks
under
them to an extent of about 80%, not by design but by where we want to
'fit
them in' to the overall picture.

Yes, they'll get in through the 20% that is in contact with the soil,
and also from any soil that you put on the heap along with plant roots.


If you get compost you get worms. It's automatic, and I can see why it used
to be considered magic. Some years ago I was doing some work with a roofing
contractor, and we went to ten-storey office block to clear the drains etc.
on the flat roof. In one corner a pile of leaves had accumulated where the
wind had left them. There were worms underneath it.

Steve