Why We Need Worms

Worms are not pretty, intelligent, or talented. They eat, they dig, and they multiply. While most people hold some disdain or apathy for these slimy creatures, they are natural miracle workers. The ideal garden that produces bright and bountiful plants and trees requires the help of earthworms. Earthworms are essential because they help the soil release more nutrients to the burrowing roots of the plants. They plow through soft soil - forging underground tunnels, and if they cannot push their way through, they will eat through the more challenging sections of dirt. These passageways loosen the ground, allow water and air to travel more quickly, and reach the plants receiving limited nutrients.

There are a few simple ways to promote the life of worms in your backyard garden. The first step is determining whether or not your backyard is already teeming with these slimy friends. Even in cold weather, you can dig up a section of earth and find young worms and even some eggs. Earthworms are the easiest to notice in the warmer spring months, especially after heavy rains. They often surface due to the water levels in the soil and will tunnel once again later in the day when the soil is sturdier.

Earthworms feed off leaf litter of all forms and usually stay in more excellent shady areas to protect themselves and their watery bodies from the sun's heat. Placing piles of mulch and dead leaves near earthworm hotbeds helps them grow and, in turn, helps spread the fertilizer and nutrients found in your backyard. They will eat the leaves and then excrete ‘castings’ that are highly mineral-rich back into the soil to help promote plant growth.

Some territories are less likely to be the home of earthworms inherently. If you search your garden and find little or no earthworms, then the solution is to import your own. There are several ways to go about this, but the most efficient one is to find a local store that sells starter worms. Wranglers go out at night and dig in the most fertile and worm-rich areas they can find to harvest these critters for local farmers and fishers. This practice requires that your yard has soil suitable enough to sustain earthworms. If it does not, you are then collecting the castings becomes the essential part of the process. While the aeration system that is a byproduct of the earthworm's digging is a fantastic perk, the main upside to bedding earthworms is their nutrient-filled castings left in the soil. Instead of releasing worms into the garden, many gardeners recommend creating an earthworm bin. Worm bins are used to house earthworms to collect their castings to be spread as fertilizer. Building a worm bin is quick and easy. Start with a large container with substantial depth, and then add vibrant soil or manure. Poke holes so air can flow through and have a cover to keep out the flies and the sun. Of course, the worms must be fed, chop some soft vegetables and give them water. This worm bin easily doubles as a composter for those trying to recycle. After two months, collect the worms and use soil in your garden, moving the worms to a new bin to start the process all over again. Releasing worms into the garden is an entirely different process than having a worm bin hidden in the basement, and they each require entirely different species of earthworms. Nightcrawlers are the worms to use when importing earthworms straight into the backyard. They need to dig as deep as they would like and typically enjoy going down at least five feet. They prefer soil that is stagnant, working best in untilled areas of the garden. Redworms are your best option if a worm bin suits your needs more effectively. They do much less burrowing and thrive better indoors. It would be best to use the same feeding techniques for both (chopped vegetables, water, and dead leaves).

When you are ready to transplant the worms into your garden, make sure you plant them into the earth, not just spread them on the surface. Plant about ten worms every square meter, digging down the length of your shovel or trowel, and then dump a handful. Soon the worms will spread out and venture forth to fertilize the whole garden. Make no mistake; all gardens need worms to achieve maximum prosperity. These plant helpers provide plants with coveted benefits and must be utilized by any serious gardener.