Add Worms to SWC?

[bughunter99]

I have three 37 gallon self watering tubs that I grow tomatoes in each year. I also have a worm condo that generates some nice worm compost. Next year, I am thinking of adding a few of my red wigglers to the SWC to see what happens. If I bury some carrot peels etc in the container mix the worms will be happy. Will this work or have I missed some huge item that is going to mess up my tomatoes?

Stacy

[RinTinTin]

Won't they eventually start eating your tomatoes roots?

[bughunter99]

I have no idea. Occasionally things sprout in the worm condo and they seem to leave the roots alone. I don't know if that is because there are better things to munch or they just don't like roots.

Stacy

[RinTinTin]

It is a long growing season, and when the carrot peels are all gone, they'll have to find something to eat.

[beeman]

Originally Posted by RinTinTin

It is a long growing season, and when the carrot peels are all gone, they'll have to find something to eat.

Compost worms live on bacteria not roots.
They can exist for some time on the available bacteria in the SWC, and in fact will do the plants good as they will release trace elements that the plants need. A symbiotic relationship, but I would suggest they might eventually use it all up. So it might be a good idea, for the worms sake, to add worm food periodically.

[dice]

You could get some bagged coffee grounds from an espresso
place that will give them away (Starbucks, for example), and
mix that into your container mix. The worms will eat that as it
decays, in fact it is reported to be a favorite food.