Hello Susan, yes all this I am familiar with. The part I want to know is what do I do with those buckets of mud and water. I did put some dish detergent in, hoping this would kill whatever was in there. I didn't see any worms ever but I was wondering about the tiny egg sacs that I could miss in the murky water. What else should I drop into that water, do you think? Sorry to hear that you have this problem. Cooperative ext has not told me the end of the story. ☹️ They did mention that commercial places have something but it is not for us mere mortals at this time....

I haven't dealt with the soil. Sorry. I'd have to dig out 4 acres of land and forest to do that. Between these worms and the Japanese stiltgrass that is taking over all the land, gardening is pretty hard work these days.

I don't think you have to worry about that bit of mud. Dump it in a lake and the eggs will drown.

The roadsides all over NY used to be covered with blue chicory and white queen ann's lace in September but now it's all stiltgrass, and it's seeding now. Very depressing and I am powerless over it all (including the worms) except in my own garden.

Now I live near Kingston, NY and the roads here are still lined with chicory and queen anne's lace. I think they are invasives too...I will check. Plus I saw a wildflower on the thruway, maybe a relative of penstemon? Not sure, going too fast. The stiltgrass is annoying but at least easy to rip out. Did my Mom's whole 2+ acres in Putnam last summer until she sold the house and moved in with is. The worms another story. So you think if these buckets have been sitting with water on top of the mud and some dish detergent in them that any eggs are DONE!!?? I left them in the sun also, during the heat waves we have had. But I was thinking how some labryth fish can survive high temps in tiny puddles in SE Asia so I figured I would let them just fester indefinitely...

Yep, both from elsewhere, QAL is an official noxious weed in Minnesota, but they sure are a lot prettier than stupid Japanese Stiltgrass, that's for sure.

I'm near you in the Catskills. It's just a matter of time till the stiltgrass colonizes Kingston. I bet it's already there if you look. It destroys almost every plant in its path. Queen anns lace may be a noxious weed but right now it's a treat for the eyes. I'll keep a watch for that penstemon lookalike on the Thruway.. Add some alcohol to the pails of water if you want to be sure.

Trees are starting to turn here, daytime mosquitoes are gone and it's beautiful, finally.

Thanks for the alcohol suggestion. I love the way Queen Anne's Lace looks even in the winter when the dried heads get that white frost all over them. The white wildflower that looks like a Penstemon relative comes out in the summer. There was one plant of what I think was the same in an empty lot next to my yard. I am still waiting for the seeds to ripen and if the lot owner doesn't mow it down before then I hope to harvest. Huh, the mosquitoes are still partying and the leaves just look tired out but not turning yet. I have heard bizarre things for repelling the evil worms but I am surprised they came from Coop Ext ladies. They involve massive and unaffordable quanties of mustard powder and peppermint oil respectively.