eathworms · healthy garden · soil · soil health ·

How Earthworms can help your garden soil

By their activity in the soil, earthworms can offer various benefits to your garden: from improved nutrient availability & drainage of soil, to better productivity and a more flourishing garden.

How to Encourage Earthworms:

  • Increase organic matter

Earthworms feed on soil and dead or decaying plant remains, including leaf litter and dead roots. They are the principal agents in mixing dead surface litter with the soil, making the litter more accessible to decomposition by soil microorganisms.

  • Reduce use of some fertilisers and fungicides

According to research, highly acidifying fertilisers such as ammonium sulfate and some fungicides reduce worm numbers.

  • Keep soil sufficiently moist

Earthworms can lose 20% of their body weight each day in mucus and castings, so they need moisture to stay alive. Groundcover, such as mulch, reduces moisture evaporation. A thin layer of compost (or something similar) can also assist to hold moisture in the soil for longer.

  • Improve drainage

Worms need reasonably aerated soil, so you may need to drain or mound soil in wetter areas to prevent waterlogging.

  • Ensure soil pH is above 4.5

Earthworms do not like acid soils with pH less than 4.5. The addition of lime raises pH and also adds calcium. Earthworms need a continuous supply of calcium, so are absent in soils low in this element.

  • Reduce soil compaction

It is difficult for earthworms to move through heavily compacted soil, so keep stepping / walking on garden beds to a minimum and reduce animal traffic in wet conditions.

  • Protect from climatic extremes

Earthworms are intolerant of drought & frost, and do’t like dry, sandy soils. They are active only when the soil is moist, and are inactive when it is dry. Organic matter ground cover helps reduce the effect of climatic extremes & retains soil moisture.

MORE about the BENEFITS of Earthworms: 

  • Improved nutrient availability

Earthworms feed on plant debris (dead roots, leaves, grasses, manure) and soil. Their digestive system concentrates the organic & mineral constituents in the food they eat, so what they cast out are richer in available nutrients than the soil around them.

Nitrogen in the casts is readily available to plants. Worm bodies decompose rapidly, further contributing to the nitrogen content of soil.

According to research there are also 4 times more phosphorus in the casts than in surface soil. Earthworms often leave their nutrient-rich casts in their tunnels, providing a favourable environment for plant root growth. The tunnels also allow roots to penetrate deeper into the soil, where they can reach extra moisture & nutrients.

  • Improved drainage

The extensive channelling & burrowing by earthworms loosens and aerates the soil and improves soil drainage. Earthworm tunnels also act, under the influence of rain, irrigation and gravity, as passageways for fertiliser & other products.

  • Improved soil structure

Earthworm casts soil particles together in small heaps. These store moisture without dispersing. Research has shown that earthworms which leave their casts on the soil surface actually rebuild the topsoil!

  • Improved productivity & flourishing garden

Research into earthworms in New Zealand & Tasmania found earthworms introduced to worm-free perennial agricultural pastures produced an initial increase of 70–80% in pasture growth, with a long-term 25% increase. Just imagine the benefit of earthworms in your home food garden!

 

With all this in mind, it’s clear that earthworms play a vital role in maintaining healthy, thriving soil in gardens and natural spaces.

By enhancing your garden soil with a few simple steps, you can create an inviting habitat for these hardworking creatures and soon enjoy the many benefits they bring—richer soil, healthier plants, and a more vibrant garden ecosystem!

Source: www.dpi.nsw.gov.au

 

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