worms got flooded, help with capsules?

billc-2007

18 years ago

Hello, Some how rain got into my plastic bin and flooded the bin to 1" from the top of the castings. Most all of the worms were on top. I took off the top and put them into another bin. I didn't find one dead worm to my surprise.

I removed the clogged holes in the bottom and side but just kept cloging so I emptied the water under a fruit tree and drained out the water. The castings were like a jello mud. I removed all the rest of the worms into the other bin and added some new cardboard, news paper and some dried leaf mold I had in a plastic bag.

I had to mix this all up to get the water to absorb into the new material.

My question is did I kill all those eggs. There were alot of them in yellow and green color. I started taking them out at first until I realized I would be still at it for about 48 hours. So I decided to mix the bedding up with wet mud like castings.

I know time will tell if the water killed them from lack of oxygen. The new bedding and castings look good for starting another bin although it is 3/4 full now and heavy. I have brought it inside the house, where outside the low temps were from 32' to 40' at night.

Will the warmer climate inside the house be helpful to the worms eggs? Will they hatch faster in 70'temps?

My plan is to let all these eggs hatch if they are alive and when the worms are big enough to remove add the soil to the garden in late March or April.

What do you think my chances are the eggs are OK? I think the wate got inside overnight or maybe the day before?

Thanks for any input, if you have an idea or experieced something like this. Bill C

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Comments (5)

flanna
18 years ago
NOOO tell me it isen't true. My mentor had a disaster. Dohhh

I hope we aren't going to take turns Bill. Lol

Perhaps you have contributed to this forum. Everyone wants to know how to seperate thier worms from their bedding. Maybe flooding the bin is the simplest solution. Ok I'm done.

Sorry to hear the bad news. You know the saying if at first you fail try and try again.

Good Luck
Darren
AbbeysDad
18 years ago
Bill,

I'm thinking the cocoons will be fine. Think of what happens in nature - a long freezing winter (here in the NE anyway) followed by a cool, wet (sometimes very wet) spring... and they survive just fine.
Get them to around the right temperature and moisture and they should hatch and be fine.
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just1morehosta
18 years ago
Bill,i didn't tell you how sorry i am you had the disaster with your worms,i can only imagin how you must feel,some times little creatures,even worms become our pets,not to mention all the hard work you put into rasing them, i do so hope the little cocoons will hatch for you,keep us all posted will you?Wishing you luck,just1more
billc-2007
Original Author
18 years ago
Things are looking good for me. I still have the bin in the kitchen. I have been checking every other day and missed a few worms. So I've been feeding just a small amount. The eggs seem fine. It is definately not too wet. I like the idea abbysdad, that in the wild they survive in the rainy ground. That makes alot of sence.
I am going to keep them insede for a while until they all hatch and next month in March I'll put them out in the shade again.
I have three bins Darren but I would definately try again if I lost a group. Plus I have some in a raised bed doing well.
Thanks for your concern just1morrhosta, I really was worried when I first found them and the first day. But I think I just paniced. once the water was out and the bin filled with some dry material, it looked good the next day when it all evened out ( that is the moisture ).
So everything is KOOL, I really suspect the eggs to hatch. BillC
just1morehosta
18 years ago
Bill,that is such good news,i thought about you all week and was hoping every thing turned out good for you.My worms should be here Tuesday,can't wait.Just1more