[Odin]

Turned my compost heaps today first time since xmas, first decent Sunday but inclement now.
I was hoping to find a few worms. Counted a grand total of 4 and not much decay taking place.
How are the worms surviving in the earth after all the saturation ? BBC Farming Today covered the subject saying a lack of oxygen in the ground under the flood water will have a detrimental affect on t'worm population. 

[HesterF]

Hmmm - bit worrying. We seem to still have our fair share around here based on weeding and manure spreading over the last few days. Hope yours are just hiding somewhere.

[Lesley Silvester]

That is worrying. Maybe I'd better get mine checked.

[Fleecewife]

It should help to make your compost heap as attractive to worms as possible, so they will breed and build up their numbers again.
Is your heap well rotted and just cooling down naturally, or is it not breaking down at all?  Turning will let in oxygen and help it to heat up, but the best thing to do is to activate it with urine.  Easiest for a man to do on his evening stroll round checking the animals before bed.  Not so easy if you have neighbours, but it can also be watered on from a bucket or watering can.  Also, make sure the heap is covered to keep the rain out.  Mine are not currently covered and they are getting too wet as well.

[Kitchen Cottage]

I have been underwater but have tonnes of worms!  My chooks are like moths to a flame as soon as they are let out to get to the compost "pile".... (its not a well ordered area...)

[Odin]

Over past couple of month I have been tipping urine on  but I don't think that it has warmed up as no decomposition has taken place, despite it all been wet. So I have mixed it all up with older decomposed stuff and re-stacked it with torn bits of cardboard for air pockets. The top I have covered with more cardboard for warmth and weighed down. Will come back to it in a fortnight ??

[Backinwellies]

I have been underwater but have tonnes of worms!

 

[Odin]

Just turned it all again one fortnight later and poured a half pale of urine (from the collection) on. Counted one earth worm. Still no decomposing taking place so have put cardboard and old rags around the side and top to try and warm it up. Some old potatoes in there that have started to grow, so chopped them up.

[Lesley Silvester]

You can buy composting worms. Try www.wigglywrigglers.co.uk They do composting worms from £13.50 for 250gms and also garden worms.

[RUSTYME]

The worms , tiger worms/brandlings call them what you will ,  will move in after the initial heat up process .
If the pile is too dry , it will just sit there and do nowt . Too wet and it will do much the same , lol .
It just needs to be damp , and kept damp , and well mixed .
Horse manure will help get it going , try  not to use manure from horses that have been wormed or are on other meds .
Adding compost from a previous heap will not really help get things going , as it is in a different stage of decomposition , it may , in fact , slow things down .
Manure and urine , is what is needed . Worms , as i said , move in later as things cool down .
You can do it just the wormery way . This way you start off with a layer of compost complete with worms .
You don't want this way to heat up , it will just cook the worms . 
Just add a layer of damp composting material 3" or so deep , on top of the compost and worms .
The worms will eat their way through this food , how long this takes depends on how many worms , how big the area , how deep the food layer . When they are well through it , add another layer . Repeat as many times as you want .
The worms will be in the top 6" or so , the worm eggs , deeper in the bed .
To make a new bed , take of the top layer of food and put to one side .
Skim off 6"-9" of the next layer and place where you want the new bed , then put the food layer on top of this new bed .