To the causal gardener earthworms may seem like a slimy unwelcome guest. Something that has to be tolerated if there is to be a lawn and garden. If that is your attitude this article will help change you mind.
* Worms it turns out are very beneficial to our gardens and lawns. As they tunnel through the soil, they loosen the soil making it easier for plant root growth. Their tunneling also tends to aerate the soil which is beneficial for plant root growth.
* As they tunnel, the earth from the tunnel they make passes through the worm scavenging any organic material and bacteria. Decaying organic matter is full of bacteria as a result of the decaying process. Worms process these bacteria into beneficial bacteria.
* The material that has passed through the worms digestive system is called worm castings or sometimes worm compost. Worm compost is often referred to as vermicompost. This brings out the importance of having organic matter or humus in your garden soil. Worms need organic material and bacteria to live and multiply. Gardeners have noticed that by adding humus to their garden soil worms will show up. I don't know how they know organic matter has been added, but, they do.
* Organic matter or humus is virtually any thing that once was growing. Even cow and horse manure as well as rabbit droppings are enjoyed by the worms. Although dead animals were once growing, it is not recommended to add dead animals to your garden soil. Adding citrus peals and garlic to the garden soil is not recommended either as they are difficult for the earthworm to digest.
* When adding organic material to your garden, grind the material if possible. Small particle size make the material decay more rapidly and therefore more accessible to the worms.
* The use of chemical fertilizers has been popular for the past several years. These chemical fertilizers often produce deep colors and large foliage and fruit. But, as beauty is only skin deep, so is the plant appearance using chemical fertilizers. The good looking foliage lacks essential nutrients making it more susceptible to insect damage and diseases. The fruit which is the part we eat has less nutritional value. This causes humans and animals dependent upon the fruit and foliage of plants to be more susceptible to diseases. If the unused parts of the foliage and fruit raised with chemical fertilizers were added to the soil as organic material it would still benefit the soil in that the soil would be more friable and it would have a greater water holding capacity, it would not return essential nutrients to the soil.
* Chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides are not organic matter and are toxic to earthworms. To encourage earthworms, these chemicals will have to be minimized or eliminated.
* Attracting and encouraging earthworms to visit our gardens can eventually restore our garden soil nutrients to levels that again will be beneficial to man and animals. This will require a continuous program of adding organic material to our gardens.
