Adding Live Red Wiggler Worms to Your Container Gardens

I used to be squeamish around live worms.  If I was digging in my garden and saw a worm, I would sometimes go to extra-ordinary measures to not touch it.

Now, after learning how beneficial they are to the garden and to my container gardens, I have learned to really appreciate them.  Not that I want to handle a lot of them at one time, I’m still squeamish, but now I pick them out of my garden and take them to my container gardens.

After visiting with Texas worm farmer Jerry Schiller, I appreciate what these Red Wiggler Worms really do for the soil and especially our gardens.  He has over 3 acres of worms he has to take care of.  His duties rand from feeding them, keeping them damp, to making sure they are covered to protect them from worm loving predators.

The benefits of the live Red Wiggler Worms and the Worm Castings they produce can really make a difference in a container garden, small garden, or even a commercial garden.

Live Red Wiggler Worms eat organic matter and digest it converting it to delicious nutrients that plants need.  Adding nutrients to container gardens (and outdoor gardens), they loosen the soil, making it easier for the roots to grow and develop.  Worms increase the soil’s capability to retain water and help with drainage.

Worm castings are rich in nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, and magnesium. These are important nutrients needed for plant growth.

Before adding live worms to your container gardens, you need to sort them and separate them from the cardboard or soil in your garden that is used to feed them while they are in transport.  It’s important to wear gloves.  The slime that is on the worms is full of bacteria (which is good for plants) and if you wipe your eye, you could end up with an infection.  I always use my garden gloves or exam type gloves you see in the photo when handling worm castings.

Dampen the soil around your plant. Once the worms are sorted, you just add a small handful (approximately a dozen) on top of the soil.  In a few minutes the worms will dig their way into the soil.  They will only go about 2″ deep.  It’s important to keep the soil moist and not let it dry out, but not soaking wet, neither plants or worms don’t like wet feet!

In the video with Jerry Schiller, we talk about using Live Red Wiggler Worms in container gardens, and I show you how to sort them and add them to your plants.