Earthworms and soil need each other. The soil in your garden provides worms with the habitat and food they need to live well, and worms maintain the health of the soil and all that grows in it. Earthworms benefit the soil in your garden in a variety of ways. The health of your soil directly affects the plants you grow. In this post, we explore five of the most important ways earthworms can look after your soil.
1 – Removes Rotten Material
Over time, dead plants, rotting leaves and other debris can accumulate in your garden, leading to clutter, and attracting pests. This waste material is one of the main food sources for earth worms. If there are enough worms in your soil, they will break down this waste matter. When it passes through their body, it provides extra nourishment for the soil, and keeps the build-up of dead plants under control.
2 – Water Drainage
If you struggle with hard soil, adding earthworms can break up tough clumps, allowing water to get through to the roots of your plants that need it most. When water struggles to get deeper into the soil, plants can lack the nutrients and hydration they need to grow to their full potential. Earthworms burrowing into and moving through the soil can be an effective solution to this issue, helping rainwater to get to roots faster.
3 – Soil Aeration
Keeping a steady supply of oxygen to your plants is vital. A lack of oxygen accessing the roots can slow down root growth and chlorophyl production. As earthworms break up the soil through their natural behaviour, the supply of oxygen increases. By increasing the aeration of the soil under your lawns, flower beds and vegetable patches, earthworms can lower the chances of plants dying, and increase their resistance to pests and rot.
4 – Improves Soil Structure
Worm casts act like a glue, holding soil particles together. Earthworms produce a mucus-like fluid that helps them move easily through the soil. This has a similar glue-like effect, holding the soil together, but also keeping their burrows from falling in. The structure of soil is important for stability of plants and their roots. The right balance of density needs to be in place for plants to send their roots deep. Earthworms keep the soil moving, so that it has the correct balance of particles.
5 – Soil Enrichment
The presence of earthworms provides nourishment to soil in several ways. They help to mix dead plant matter into the soil, helping to speed up decomposition. This process enriches the soil, providing plant roots with the nutrients they need to grow strong and healthy. As worms eat, they also ingest soil. When this passes through their digestive system to become worm casts, it contains larger quantities of substances such as phosphorus and nitrogen, which is vital for plants. Worm casts are left on the surface of the soil, but also in the tunnels they create. These tunnels allow more access to the roots.
Are you looking to enrich the soil in your garden? Here at Yorkshire worms, we sell wormery kits, and live worms. Browse our range here.