Earthworms. Just the sound of them can make guys happy and girls squeamish. I remember chasing the neighborhood girls through the yard with an earth worm dangling from my fingers as I threatened to throw it on them. Well, time has moved on, I no longer chase girls through the neighborhood, and I have found a greater use for earthworms (yes, even besides bait).
Earthworms serve two functions for me in my garden and flower beds.
First they are the proverbial “canary in a coal mine”. Simply by their presence they let me know that everything is okay. Even before I ship my soil off to be tested, I can be relatively certain that I have a reasonable amount of organic matter and that my pH is neither too acidic or too alkaline if i see earthworms wriggling about.
Secondly, they help me till and fertilize. The tunnels they create beneath the soil provide channels for air and water to move through the soil profile. The air is necessary for good nitrogen and CO2 exchange with the air…yes Virginia, plants can get nitrogen from the air (it is a two step process involving nitrogen fixing bacteria and nitrifying bacteria in the soil, but good aeration makes it possible).
For the most part, the tunnels are not created by simply squeezing through the soil but by them actually consuming the soil and other decaying organic matter laying in the soil. As with all living things, what they consume is partly used in their own bodies what is unused is eliminated through effluent material (casts). Earthworm Casts are high in nitrogen, phosphates, and potash. Consider this if you have just 10 earthworms in a square foot of soil you will have 800 lbs of earthworms per acre. The worms will provide you with 40 tons of castings annually which will equal 1 lb of actual N, 12 lbs of phosphorous, 28.5 lbs of potash, 36 lbs of magnesium, and 200 lbs of calcium. Earthworm castings also improve the water holding capacity of your soil, reduce erosion, and improve nutrient availability. One earthworm can digest up to 36 tons of soil per year according to the US Soil Conservation Offices.
Worms are great indicators of the overall health of your soil, especially in terms of biological activity. If you have earthworms, chances are that you also have all of the beneficial microbes and bacteria that make for healthy soil and strong plants. So how do you check for earth worms. Grab a shovel and lets go out to the garden:
Be sure the soil has warmed to at least 55 degrees, and that it is at least somewhat moist, but not soaking wet.
- Dig a hole one foot across and one foot deep. Place the soil on a tarp or piece of cardboard.
- Sift through the soil with your hands as you place it back into the hole, counting the earthworms as you go.
If you find at least ten worms, your soil is in pretty good shape. Less than that indicates that there may not be enough organic matter in your soil to support a healthy worm population, or that your soil is too acidic or alkaline.
If you do find fewer worms than what you had hoped for, how can you encourage higher populations.
1. Keep the soil evenly moist. Too much water and they will flee their burrows, too little and they will dry out and die. Evenly moist soil should feel like a wrung out sponge.
2. Add up to 3 inches of organic mulch over the surface of your garden. If you are buying it, this can get expensive. However there are affordable and free composts available, if you are willing to look.
3. Add NON-PROTEIN food scraps to your compost. things like produce trimmings, coffee grounds, and tea bags work great.
4. Be careful about the amount and the kinds of pesticides and chemicals you apply. Broad spectrum pesticides can also reduce your earthworm (and other beneficials) populations. When possible opt for natural remedies that are targeted to specific pests.
5. Use compost or manure teas for fertility. Chemical fertilizers increase the acidity and salt content of soil which repels earthworms. Monty’s offers a complete line-up of fertility products that are very low in salt and are all naturally derived products that will not effect the pH of your soil. This makes these products an ideal choice for fertilizers (without the hassle and malodorous nature of the compost teas and manure teas.)
6. Use Monty’s Liquid Carbon to create a favorable soil environment that will help create a favorable environment for all soil microbes and organic material.
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