Aknib
Well-known member
I've always been sceptical about compost heaps supplying enough lobworms for a heavy user but I stand corrected!
I was talking about this with Kev earlier, after quickly collecting a large supply of even larger lobs for a days fishing tomorrow.
I've read, researched and looked at all sorts of alternative ideas for keeping myself in good supply of quality lobs and often ended up buying dendras for convenience, these alternatives included all manner of dubious looking after dark collecting techniques and off the shelf wormeries that would equate to five star accommodation with the feeding regime and waste drain off required, along with online suppliers who will post the worms out to you.
And through my tightness and refusal to pay thrity quid to have my garden bin emptied every fortnight I found the answer.
A compost heap, neatly tucked away in the corner of the garden and not what I would see as an eyesore in any way.
I've been lightly forking around in there for some time and was encouraged by the size and amount of worms present and this afternoon I went all in for a good bucket full which would see me through a days fishing with ease.
Five minutes later my fears that the worms would buqqer off in the colder weather had gone and my bucket was full, not only have they not buqqered off but they have actively worked their way up the column of garden waste way above soil level and while ever the grub is there so the worms will be, I wonder if there's some sort of fermentation going on as it all rots down which in turn will keep the temperature artificially high for them?
Also and quite by accident, I found the flat part of an old bird table buried near the surface and I think this may have added some protection from the exceptional wet weather and might point to some sort of cover being a good idea during such extremes.
Either way, nature has provided a borderless answer and the worms without the need for moulded plastic, stacking containers... The 'heap' is still of a significant size from last Summer and rotting down well with more grass and garden prunings to be added in the coming season.
There were literally hundreds of 'em in there!
I may branch out and add used tea bags, food waste etc. and really go into turbo mode
(I have a cat and despite his age he's very 'on it' and rodents of any nature on his manor really aren't a problem).
One thing I will say and which I've found out from work... If you treat your lawn with chemicals or iron don't put the clippings on the compost heap or the worms will be packing their bags and buqqering off in short order.
Stands to reason really but easy to overlook.
Otherwise...
If you're not already doing it then give it a go, you'll likely reduce your bait carbon footprint and you may also be very pleasantly surprised, especially if it also diverts the attentions of those dreaded slugs and in turn provides a reliable feeding point for frogs and hedgehogs.
So that's the lobbies sorted then, anyone have any suggestions for brandlings and red worms?
I was talking about this with Kev earlier, after quickly collecting a large supply of even larger lobs for a days fishing tomorrow.
I've read, researched and looked at all sorts of alternative ideas for keeping myself in good supply of quality lobs and often ended up buying dendras for convenience, these alternatives included all manner of dubious looking after dark collecting techniques and off the shelf wormeries that would equate to five star accommodation with the feeding regime and waste drain off required, along with online suppliers who will post the worms out to you.
And through my tightness and refusal to pay thrity quid to have my garden bin emptied every fortnight I found the answer.
A compost heap, neatly tucked away in the corner of the garden and not what I would see as an eyesore in any way.
I've been lightly forking around in there for some time and was encouraged by the size and amount of worms present and this afternoon I went all in for a good bucket full which would see me through a days fishing with ease.
Five minutes later my fears that the worms would buqqer off in the colder weather had gone and my bucket was full, not only have they not buqqered off but they have actively worked their way up the column of garden waste way above soil level and while ever the grub is there so the worms will be, I wonder if there's some sort of fermentation going on as it all rots down which in turn will keep the temperature artificially high for them?
Also and quite by accident, I found the flat part of an old bird table buried near the surface and I think this may have added some protection from the exceptional wet weather and might point to some sort of cover being a good idea during such extremes.
Either way, nature has provided a borderless answer and the worms without the need for moulded plastic, stacking containers... The 'heap' is still of a significant size from last Summer and rotting down well with more grass and garden prunings to be added in the coming season.
There were literally hundreds of 'em in there!
I may branch out and add used tea bags, food waste etc. and really go into turbo mode
(I have a cat and despite his age he's very 'on it' and rodents of any nature on his manor really aren't a problem).
One thing I will say and which I've found out from work... If you treat your lawn with chemicals or iron don't put the clippings on the compost heap or the worms will be packing their bags and buqqering off in short order.
Stands to reason really but easy to overlook.
Otherwise...
If you're not already doing it then give it a go, you'll likely reduce your bait carbon footprint and you may also be very pleasantly surprised, especially if it also diverts the attentions of those dreaded slugs and in turn provides a reliable feeding point for frogs and hedgehogs.
So that's the lobbies sorted then, anyone have any suggestions for brandlings and red worms?