I have always had this ‘thing’ about wiggly, squiggly earthworms since I was about 8 years old.  My twin brother thought chasing me about the yard, putting a worm down my back was pure bliss!  That relentless harrying has made this somewhat an unpleasant article to write!  I do know the benefits of earthworms.  They are hungry little creatures that have the capacity to eat their own body weight in food every day.  Then they break down and recycle organic matter that naturally fertilizes our gardens with vital nutrients.  That being said, I still find them a little creepy….but here’s the good news!   

Soil is more than just a medium for plants to grow in–it’s a living ecosystem that supports plant health and growth.  The right soil composition provides a balanced environment where plant roots can easily access water, air, and nutrients.   Without good soil, even the most well-tended garden can struggle to produce healthy plants.  The more earthworms in the garden, the better the soil.  They transform organic matter like dead plants, compost, fallen leaves, fungi, bacteria, even dead animals into new soil.

This new soil is created when the earthworm eats the organic matter and then defecates.  The little mounds you sometimes see on top of the soil are called worm castings or worm poo.  These castings are full of microbes that enliven the soil.  It contains 5 times more nitrogen, 7 times more phosphorus, and 1000 times more beneficial bacteria than the original soil.  They are rich in iron, nitrogen, sulfur, calcium, phosphorus, and potassium with a thin coating that slows the release of these nutrients, acting like an organic, slow-release fertilizer.  They can even help balance soil acidity closer to the neutral pH (7)  and improve soil texture.

Earthworms benefit our soils in a variety of ways.   They dig both vertical and horizontal burrows that help reduce soil compaction, allowing better water infiltration and encouraging the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the soil and air.  In fact, studies as far back as Charles Darwin in the 1800s, show that soil without earthworms can be 90 percent less effective at soaking up water.  Potentially, leading to more water run-off that can cause greater erosion and flooding.  

Earthworms have existed for over 500 million years with 1000s of species worldwide.  They have no nose, eyes or ears and depend on their sensory receptors in their skin to feel vibrations, light, and find their way through the soil.  The head on an adult worm is on the short end above the swelling ‘clitellum’ about a third of the way down and the anus on the long end.  If you cut a worm, the end with the clitellum (short end) will live and the other end dies.  They can live up to 8 years but average about 9 months.

 As important as they are alive in our gardens, earthworms provide protein-rich food for many birds, frogs, lizards and even for some mammals.  Robins can eat up to 14 feet in a single day especially when feeding their young.   

So, how do we keep earthworms happy?  They prefer reasonably moist, loamy soil that helps keep their skin moist.  Too much water is deadly and that’s when you find them on the surface ‘nightcrawlers’.  Give them lots of leaves, compost, even cardboard which they recycle into organic matter.

They keep us happy with healthy soil, ensuring our plants receive nutrients, water and oxygen necessary to grow strong.  When I see earthworms in the garden, I know together we are doing something right….still creepy!

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