Earthworms - the helpful gardeners

Fertilizer

That earthworms are important for the soil is well known to everyone, but exactly what they do may be a little more unknown. Here we delve deep into the world of the winding fields.

Written by: Liselotte Roll

Swedish garden inspirer, journalist and author of books about nature, cultivation and animals, such as "Soil", "Grow for insects" and "Chickens as a hobby".

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Fertilizer

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Soil and fertilizer

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Soil and fertilizer

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Soil and fertilizer

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Fertilizer

We know that the earthworm is important for our crops. Already in ancient Greece, the philosopher Aristotle called the worms "the intestines of the earth", and in Egypt, Queen Cleopatra (69-30 BC) announced a total ban on exporting them out of the country because they did so much for the fertility of the soil. But what do they actually do down there? The answer is; a lot!

Invisible help in the garden

When earthworms eat organic material like leaves and plant residues, it breaks down and nutrients and minerals become available for new plants. Earthworms are assisted by very small microorganisms that also prefer to eat leaves and other things. But even microorganisms benefit from earthworms. They like the worm's excrement, which consists of organic material and soil particles. When there is an abundance of worms, the microorganisms increase in number and become more active. Thanks to the collaboration between microorganisms and earthworms, the soil becomes porous, airy, and retains nutrients, oxygen, and water in a better way - and the plants thrive. Everything in the soil is interconnected in a very ingenious way.

Good for the roots

Earthworms also mix the soil. They pull down leaves and plant parts from the surface of the ground and transport nutrients and minerals from deep soil layers, making it easier for plant roots to reach them. The passages that the worms leave behind can also be used as airy "highways" that roots can use. It is easier for them than to penetrate the more compact soil. The inner walls of the passages of the worms are covered in slime that keeps them stable. The slime contains nutrients that plants can use. For example, nitrogen is more readily available in the passages than in the surrounding soil.

Earthworms keep the soil healthy

Through its work, earthworms help to create a rich soil, so it is good to have as many worms as possible in all types of soil. A clay mixed sand soil becomes more nutrient-rich with the help of earthworms, and a clay soil becomes more airy. As if this was not enough, earthworms can neutralize many harmful bacteria and fungi that they have ingested through their journey in the soil, thus contributing to a more balanced and healthier soil. The substances left behind by the worms also contain a kind of antibiotic that kills certain harmful fungi and bacteria in the soil.

Many different species of worms

There are many different species of worms, and they are believed to have existed on Earth for nearly two hundred million years. When the first plants appeared, worms quickly evolved. Worms of different species thrive in different environments, they can be found in arable land, forest soil, garden soil, but also in freshwater. Some species live deep underground, while others live closer to the surface. In the garden, the main worms we benefit from are earthworms and dung worms.

How to benefit from earthworms

Provide them with organic material: Earthworms thrive on compost, manure, grass clippings, bokashi, and similar materials. Bokashi can quickly increase worm populations.

Create an undisturbed environment:
Earthworms dislike tillers and spades, so it's beneficial to cover, cultivate, or use the "No dig" method. These techniques minimize digging, giving worms a calm environment to reproduce.

Provide them with a good climate and moisture:
Most earthworms prefer a temperature around 10°C and moist soil. Cover cropping helps maintain a warmer, more stable environment, keeping the soil moist and allowing worms to reproduce longer and start earlier in the year. It also protects worms from predators like birds, frogs, shrews, and bats.

Maintain a neutral pH:
Earthworms do not like overly acidic soils. They thrive in moderately heavy clay to light sandy soils but avoid peat.

Avoid toxins: Earthworms, like all living creatures, thrive in toxin-free environments. While they can tolerate small amounts of synthetic fertilizers, long-term exposure can harm them.

WRITTEN BY

Liselotte Roll, Swedish garden inspirator, journalist and author of books about nature, cultivation and animals, such as "Earth", "Cultivating for Insects" and "Chickens as a Hobby". (Photo: Sandra Birgersdotter Ek)

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Fertilizer