White worms! Beneficial or Bad?!?

[GreenBean 420]

For the seasoned organics people, video link at the end


Day 34 from soil
Coco/Peat mix
Using Down to Earth amendments
Insect Frass, Neem Meal etc
I’ve given a single aerated tea so far

I have a decent amount of white on my medium. Hoping it just mycelium and I’m creating a nice living medium.

However the top inch has become rather hard from the topdressing etc so I decided to randomly break it up gently and crumble it back to a soft mix. I notice a LOT of tiny white/clear worms. I have no gnats flying around but I’ll put some sticky paper in there today to make sure. Hoping they’re just eating up my amendments and making them available to the plants. I’ve attached a pic of the soil and a video link for the worms

the video is just a chunk from the top of the soil flipped upside down White Worm Video

 

[CrunchBerries]

For the seasoned organics people, video link at the end


Day 34 from soil
Coco/Peat mix
Using Down to Earth amendments
Insect Frass, Neem Meal etc
I’ve given a single aerated tea so far

I have a decent amount of white on my medium. Hoping it just mycelium and I’m creating a nice living medium.

However the top inch has become rather hard from the topdressing etc so I decided to randomly break it up gently and crumble it back to a soft mix. I notice a LOT of tiny white/clear worms. I have no gnats flying around but I’ll put some sticky paper in there today to make sure. Hoping they’re just eating up my amendments and making them available to the plants. I’ve attached a pic of the soil and a video link for the worms

the video is just a chunk from the top of the soil flipped upside down

White Worm Video

Maybe Pot worms. My worm bin has gotten Pot worms before, because I over feed and my beddings ph got out of whack. Solved it by adding pulverized egg shell. Or perhaps maybe fungus gnat larvae.

 

[GreenBean 420]

Maybe Pot worms. My worm bin has gotten Pot worms before, because I over feed and my beddings ph got out of whack. Solved it by adding pulverized egg shell. Or perhaps maybe fungus gnat larvae.

Hmmm been watering between 6.2-6.8, watered once to runoff and was 6.3. Did a soil slurry test a week ago and was 6.6-6.8. But maybe that’s acidic for them haha! Not sure. I am probably overfeeding though… I want to throw a net over these girls tomorrow maybe so hopefully I can get some confirmation sometime today because I’d hate to have to take them back out of the trellis haha.

 

[Medskunk]

I ve had some white worms that look like the redworms ..but white. About a couple inches max. I dont see any in your soil pic though.

 

[GreenBean 420]

I ve had some white worms that look like the redworms ..but white. About a couple inches max. I dont see any in your soil pic though.

There’s a video link at the bottom the pic is just for the white stuff on the soil question.

 

[GreenBean 420]

Damn all these organic growers and no one looks at their soil lol… was hoping this was just a quick easy answer

 

[green_machine_two9er]

Damn all these organic growers and no one looks at their soil lol… was hoping this was just a quick easy answer

Nothing worthwhile is quick and easy.
I can tell you right away those are not something I would ever want.
Could be just white pot worms. I don’t think they are considered problematic until populations get out of control. I would irradicate right away.
Maybe some diatomaceous earth might help

 

[GreenBean 420]

Nothing worthwhile is quick and easy.
I can tell you right away those are not something I would ever want.
Could be just white pot worms. I don’t think they are considered problematic until populations get out of control. I would irradicate right away.
Maybe some diatomaceous earth might help

Yeah I mean I’m getting a lot of conflicting info. People say to get rid of them and then other people say leave them they process the decaying matter in the soil. I did read like you said, that it’s not as ok if populations get way out of control. There’s also worm farmers that love th and worm farmers that don’t want them. This is why I’m here asking hahaha

 

[Skuxx]

I've never had them, but the video looks like potworms.

 

[green_machine_two9er]

Yeah I mean I’m getting a lot of conflicting info. People say to get rid of them and then other people say leave them they process the decaying matter in the soil. I did read like you said, that it’s not as ok if populations get way out of control. There’s also worm farmers that love th and worm farmers that don’t want them. This is why I’m here asking hahaha

Your not farming worms in your container. If I saw some of those in my warm bin or compost pile I would be less concerned but idk thsts just me. I’m guessing there eating fungal matter potentially, you said it’s like crusty in top? Not nice and humus at? And moist?

I think the soil conditions might need slight alterations snd it would resolve itselfs.
Either way if it were my. I would diatomaceous those fuckers.

 

[PadawanWarrior]

For the seasoned organics people, video link at the end


Day 34 from soil
Coco/Peat mix
Using Down to Earth amendments
Insect Frass, Neem Meal etc
I’ve given a single aerated tea so far

I have a decent amount of white on my medium. Hoping it just mycelium and I’m creating a nice living medium.

However the top inch has become rather hard from the topdressing etc so I decided to randomly break it up gently and crumble it back to a soft mix. I notice a LOT of tiny white/clear worms. I have no gnats flying around but I’ll put some sticky paper in there today to make sure. Hoping they’re just eating up my amendments and making them available to the plants. I’ve attached a pic of the soil and a video link for the worms

the video is just a chunk from the top of the soil flipped upside down White Worm Video

My guess is they're beneficial worms, breaking down your amendments. Did you get the soil from your yard or buy it?

 

[GreenBean 420]

My guess is they're beneficial worms, breaking down your amendments. Did you get the soil from your yard or buy it?

It’s promix hp and Mother Earth coco. Tons of ewc etc etc ha. I hope so! Figuring out the watering I’m thinking is my problem like green machine is suggesting. The promix is holding the water too long I think and I’m giving too much at each watering maybe. I’ve been splitting a gallon between the three, 3gal pots every other day(ish). Never using this mix again haha. Going to try backing off the amount I’m watering I guess?

 

[GreenBean 420]

Your not farming worms in your container. If I saw some of those in my warm bin or compost pile I would be less concerned but idk thsts just me. I’m guessing there eating fungal matter potentially, you said it’s like crusty in top? Not nice and humus at? And moist?

I think the soil conditions might need slight alterations snd it would resolve itselfs.
Either way if it were my. I would diatomaceous those fuckers.

Yeah true. But as long as they’re eating the amendments and not my roots I don’t care lol.
Yeah when the medium begins to dry up the top inch dries first and that’s where the topdressing is at. It seems to kind of bind together and get crusty. It broke up beautifully into very organic feeling stuff but it was making it harder for the water to soak through the way it was.
Might look into the dom earth stuff. I just was worried about trying to kill them for no reason and possibly hurting my soil biology or whatever I dunno thanks for listening man ha

 

[CrunchBerries]

Hyroot explains in this vermicomposters thread that pot worms are not bad, but a sign of low ph. They can only survive in a low ph environment, whereas red wrigglers need a more balanced ph. Pot worms do break down organic material, but at a slower rate.https://www.rollitup.org/t/vermicomposters-unite-official-worm-farmers-thread.637587/page-69#post-13865781

 

[HydoDan]

You might want to Google fungus gnat larvae.. See what you think..
Also, break up that top layer of soil.. let it breath!

 

[kratos015]

Hyroot explains in this vermicomposters thread that pot worms are not bad, but a sign of low ph. They can only survive in a low ph environment, whereas red wrigglers need a more balanced ph. Pot worms do break down organic material, but at a slower rate.https://www.rollitup.org/t/vermicomposters-unite-official-worm-farmers-thread.637587/page-69#post-13865781

The mycelium on the top of the soil in the first photo also confirms this, as it is typically only found in low pH environments.

Just stop watering them as much and you'll be fine, you can see the plants drooping from too much water in the photos as well. Overwatering can and will create acidic pH conditions, while the plants look healthy overall right now you want to get this corrected before flipping to 12/12.

All the best.

 

[Dosmokethereefa]

For the seasoned organics people, video link at the end


Day 34 from soil
Coco/Peat mix
Using Down to Earth amendments
Insect Frass, Neem Meal etc
I’ve given a single aerated tea so far

I have a decent amount of white on my medium. Hoping it just mycelium and I’m creating a nice living medium.

However the top inch has become rather hard from the topdressing etc so I decided to randomly break it up gently and crumble it back to a soft mix. I notice a LOT of tiny white/clear worms. I have no gnats flying around but I’ll put some sticky paper in there today to make sure. Hoping they’re just eating up my amendments and making them available to the plants. I’ve attached a pic of the soil and a video link for the worms

the video is just a chunk from the top of the soil flipped upside down White Worm Video

Springtail larvae are tiny white worms harmles to established plants and a sign of a healthy biosphere