Worm charming

[Nugg]

The only reason for using the soap is to break the surface tension of the water, thus making it soak in better, it doesn't do the worms any real harm, but it doesn't do them any good either, it tends to remove the natural aroma, and that's what also attracts the fish.

[teebee]

Need worms real quick ?

Squirt a copious amount of washing-up liquid into a bucket and top up with water. Throw onto lawn. Wait almost no time at all, then collect the worms as they rise at great speed from the ground !

Don`t think it`s got anything to do with surface tension, Nugg, more to do with irritating their skin. Be warned, though - when collected in this manner they won`t keep very long, even if thoroughly washed.

A good bankside method is to push in a bankstick far enough so that when you pull on it sideways then let go, it vibrates. Voila, worms !

[MickJ]

Just digging the garden over seems to work for me, especially when the soil is damp.

 

The nosy little devils (and some big ones) come up to see what's going on.

 

[jon_a]

i find it so much easier to contact worms direct http://www.wormsdirectuk.co.uk/default.php?cPath=24 plus if you have to many u can keep them in a wooden box and damp newspaper

[kendo]

Andy, I saw the same prog myself so I gave it a try alas I have no garden of my own,so I tried it in the local park no worms and I was using the (rhythm method) but a great way of attracting attention to ones self.

[Ed Matysiak]

Rubber gloves will help with them sliding out of your grip.

[Nugg]

teebee:

 

Don`t think it`s got anything to do with surface tension, Nugg, more to do with irritating their skin. Be warned, though - when collected in this manner they won`t keep very long, even if thoroughly washed.

EXACTLY. It's not good to use soap.

To keep them longer, put them in sphagnum moss and sprinkle it with milk, it scours them and toughens them.

[GlennB]

MickJ:

Just digging the garden over seems to work for me, especially when the soil is damp.

True - brilliant in Autumn when there's always a big lob or 2 in the roots of the old veggie plants and weeds you're digging up. But this time of year it's all new flowers and broad beans and stuff and nowhere much to dig.

Last night I investigated pinning them down with a comb while I extracted the burrow-end. Works great but they get a bit, er, mangled.

Might try velcro next

[Russell Fitzpatrick]

i used t use trh ewashing up liquid tatic but as others have said i feel it may leave a soapy residue on the worms -not good,so i now use th eold bankstick way,and yes it works gimme 5 mins ill ave 30-40 worms,works best if you try a little way from the last point you tried.it alwasy works,i even do it when fishing for a change bait.

[wunnus]

I just soak the lawn, sprinkler job, slap on a sheet of blackck polythene. Lift the polytheme every 1/4 hr and pull em off.

 

I usually do this at disk, but that is because that is when I get home.

 

Soaking the lawn means that you do have to mow more often.