Will worms survive in container garden?

[Kallie]

I found some free worms in my yard and put them in my containers. I put some pieces of scrap paper on top of the soil and buried some down in the soil. Will they survive? And can they climb out and flee?

 

[InvasiveCreeper]

A better idea, create a worm compost bin, and add the worm castings to your potted plants. Earthworms in a pot with your plant, that could create problems for your plant. Just make sure you get tiger worms for the compost bin, don't use common earthworms.

 

[OursIsTheFury]

I think I did the exact same thing you did when I was a kid, it was for a science project and I thought the worms would help. Apparently not. They kinda died a few days later. If you feel mercy for those worms you captured, I suggest you release them back into the wild so they can get home to their families

 

[Novelangel]

The problem with worms is that they have to eat, so the compost bin suggestion is a great one. In a small living area like a pot, they are likely to either crawl out or simply die from lack of food. If the aeration the worms provide is what you're going for, you can simulate it in your potted plant soil by poking around with an old fork or a small stick. Soil tends to pack down over time so it's good to keep it worked up every now and then to allow the roots to move throughout.

 

[granjera]

I'm always surprised when I find worms in planters. But I do find them.

 

[remnant]

The worms can survive if the container is big. The plant roots would be able to absorb the excrements released by the worms. But I tend to think that the soil in the container will be easily compacted which could result in poor aeration resulting in the death of the worms. To solve this problem, I would advise you to bore holes at the bottom of the container for better aeration.