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Drought and heat

We're having a drought here.  I'm keeping my plants well watered though.  Tommorrow's temps are supposed to be in the low '90's...Friday's temps even higher.

Should I have the trays with my Sarrs. up off the ground? Some of the trays are on concrete...some of them are on asphalt.  

When I watered one tray of Sarrs. tonight, I noticed these little red worms, about a half an inch long...flexing around in the water, they are quite active. Are these red-worms going to hurt my plants?  

Thanking you in advance for any help!  Aprilh
 
The red-worms will not hurt your plants.
But it will affect the PH of the compost.
Mostly CPs like acid compost.
It's will eat all bacteria and make a alkaline compost.
I advise to you that remove all red-worms.
 
get rid of as many worms as possible. i had a nasty run in with them my first year with cp's. sometimes the only way to get rid of 'em is to replant everything. :::groan:::
off the concrete/asphalt is advisable also, got some grass or a lawn to throw the tubs onto for a day or so?
-julie
 
Can mosquitos larva not survive in acidic tray water? I always have water in mine and have never seen a single mosquite wiggling around in there.
 
they most certainly can! they can even life in Nepenthes.
 
Thanks, guys n gals! Is there a name for these red worms?  I will de-worm tomorrow.
 
I think, not positive... that what you have is actually a blood worm. I'd have to see a photo. They're relatively harmless. I had them once over here in a pond. They are the larvae of the midge fly. If you freeze dry them, you could start a business and sell them as Tubiflex-like worms to sell to ponders who have fish.

They're a member of the insect family Chironomidae. They are aquatic so just tossing the standing water in your drip trays will help reduce their population but if you really want to get rid of them, you will have to use a larvicide. I don't see any need to use a chemical as they pretty much only feed on algae to the best of my knowledge so there would be little or no effect on the potential hydrogen in your medium. Toss a Gambusia in there. They are a small fish and find them yummie. Just kidding but the Gambusia will gobble them up.
 
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