If Worms Could Talk!

Hey Everyone,

Worm Photo compliments of
Vicki Williams, Bed 41

Although a bit on the quiet side, worms really have a lot to say about your garden.  Imagine if you could hear the details of all that they were telling you and utilize that advice to fine-tune the soil.  All of us know that worms are good for the soil and having them in the garden is a bonus for healthy vegetation. However, they have so much more to say!

If worms could speak, they would tell us to start by taking a simple census of their numbers as a test for overall soil health. They would let us know by simply increasing their numbers; we would see immediate improvements in our soil's texture and capabilities.  Our plants would then become superheroes in the garden, producing food grown with greater nutrient densities, based on what we have fed the worms within our soil.

Organic matter is crucial to growing quality vegetables in raised garden beds.  This is one of the simplest methods found for checking the levels in your soil.  To determine if you have enough organic matter in the soil to sustain good fertility and growth you need to observe the biological community.  The size of the earthworm lends itself to observation as a member of this natural life form.  Performance of this test is possible at any point in the year as long as the ground is not frozen or extremely wet from rainy weather. Humid weather provides the most accurate findings.

Healthy Soil Worm Test:

Many soil guides and references suggest you dig up an area 1 foot in square by 7 inches deep.  Remove this sample and place in a wheelbarrow or shallow container.   Using your hands sift through the sample and count all the earthworms present.  Make sure to include the small ones as well.  If you only find one or two worms, test another area of your garden bed.  A second examination will hopefully bring about better results.  The magic number to hit is 10 or more in a sample.  If you have 10 or more earthworms within a sample (back patting is in order), then there is enough of a presence in your garden to have beneficial effects on the soil and the overall health of your plants.  Simple strategies can bring these numbers up, if need be, and get the soil to optimum levels for better plant health.

Simple Remedies for Low Numbers:

Mating Earthworms by Jackhynes at en.wikipedia
Reproduction occurs on the surface, most often at night!

There is not a need to run to the bait shop and buy wigglers or stake out the compost pile for some new adoptions.  If the soil is not rich in worm activity to start with, it will not be able to support new worm life until the environmental conditions are more conducive.  An initial remedy, as a first-step, is to target the quantity and quality of organic matter that will feed the appetite of an earthworm.   Carbon and nitrogen rich materials are what they enjoy most and it will assist in building the organic matter in the soil and their numbers.  Excellent sources of carbon can be as simple as a bag of chopped leaves mixed with composted cow manure or worm castings, which balance out the carbon material with something rich in nitrogen.  Coffee grounds are an excellent source of matter with carbon to nitrogen ratios that foster the growth of beneficial microbes while feeding the worms.  Although, keep in mind to always add a little extra nitrogen when using coffee grounds since the microbes will need some additional food as well.  Adding good quality compost is another choice that works extremely well.  Each of these additions work at building the optimum levels of organic matter into the soil that in turn supports both the earthworm populations and the microbial activity.

For those who enjoy reading, the link below has an excellent article on Earthworms and Soil Fertility.  It also has some wonderful information on composting in the left-hand links that many will find useful.

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/composting/earthworm-soil-fertility - link to earthworm and soil fertility article.

Barbara Pleasant also wrote a nice article on earthworms for Mother Earth News a few years back and the link is below for those who may enjoy creating easy environments to raise them.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/soil-building-worms.aspx#axzz2mQx5SX29

Happy Gardening,

Denise, Beds 25 & 29