You have to do what I do. Use a fork, wiggle it a bit upon insertion, and close your eyes until it's over.

If you hot compost, the worms will stay away until it cools off. If you get some worms in there between the time it cools off and the time you use it, you'll just move the worms with the compost.

If you use either your spading, hay, or manure, fork to move those leaves you will not do much, if any, harm to those earthworms.

You are providing food and shelter for worms and they will multiply like crazy. They will all die eventually. Inevitably a few die prematurely because because of your efforts but you are doing a good things for worms by making a home for them in your compost.
Bill Hill

I felt bad yesterday. I poured some concrete to set a post the other day. Then it started raining and raining and raining. I went to check it yesterday and in the water-filled hole was a drowned, nine-inch, nightcrawler. I felt bad about Grandfather Worm and fed him to a chicken who sucked and sucked on him until he went down. Now I feel differently about the chicken. Not loving her quite as much. Kind of grossed out by her.

Now I feel differently about the chicken. Not loving her quite as much. Kind of grossed out by her.

Why? Because she was eating? How odd to not love a creature because it eats.

Nonetheless, the very few worms that may perish when turning compost will be incorporated into the compost, which will in turn make other worms happy. ISTM maybe one worm a year will perish through your efforts, perhaps the same weight of the other creatures you accidentally kill as you go about your daily business.

This is how life on earth works, folks. Things die. Critters exist solely because things die.

Dan

Dan. You need to get to know annpat. :-)

Janegael, I feel the same way about worms. When there are lots of worms in the compost, I find I can turn it as easily by hand as by a garden fork -- I just pull on the gloves and grab armfuls.

Thanks Westover, that's what I shall do. More work, but what the heck, I'll sleep better.

Now Dan -- there is a vast difference between the natural cycle of life and death and killing something by your actions. I walk carefully and relocate bugs and such when I can. I am a part of the earth and want to do my best by her.

With regards to the chicken sucking down the worm, I think it's the same thing as having seen someone suck down a long string of spaghetti -- made doubly gross by the fact that it was a worm. I love 'em, but I wouldn't want to eat one. LOL

I also really don't like to kill any living creature (except maybe mosquitoes when they land on me). However if one really thinks about the "cycle of life and death" we are all likely killing something every day. Have a bath and send a few bacteria down the drain. Maybe they survive, maybe they don't. I'm not worrying about them. Eat some yogurt and some bad bacteria in your gut will not survive. That would be a plus.

I do feel bad if I spear an earthworm but, let's face it, it's a necessary part of gardening. I refuse to hand pick every worm out of harm's way. Sorry, worms, can't do it. Maybe I'm just cold and heartless. Or maybe I have yet to evolve to that level. When I do I won't be gardening anymore.

"Now I feel differently about the chicken. Not loving her quite as much."

Annpat? Chicken and dumplings maybe? ;)

*Go to your word program.

*The landlord has to give notice if you plan to work on their abode, so print out a notice telling them to make sure they're not home, that you're going to be turning their home upside down on _______ (insert date/time) and leaving it that way, so they'll need to rebuild. It would be helpful to tell them the work will be completed in _______ (fill in the number of days, or just note "same day").

*Important - be sure you set the language feature on your word program to wormese, or they won't be able to read it. Also, be sure to place the notice so the printed side is facing down, or they won't bother to crawl on top of the paper to read it - they'll just eat the notice when you're not looking. Use only printer ink derived from plants, lest you upset their tummies .... and sensibilities.

*Return at the appointed hour & turn the pile .... guilt free, except for that instilled by the knowledge you've totally destroyed their home. (Maybe they could move in with the neighbors until they can rebuild?)

Al

The manure will kill more worms than turning the pile - which, if you are doing it with a fork is rather low-impact.

Look, the bottom line is that by turning the pile you are making more food available that will increase the worm population. There is no getting around the fact that in order for things to get better, you have to jostle the status quo. In the short term it will be detrimental to a few worms, but in the long term a great many will benefit. As Spock said, "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few".

And back to the first point, if the worms are your primary concern, do not add manure. Just let the leaves cold compost for two years and use the leaf mold that is produced as a soil conditioner in the garden.

Of course, once the worms have consumed all the leaves there will be mass starvation unless they can reach another food source - but I guess that is a separate moral dilemma.