The Amazing Earthworm

Earthworms are some of the best guests in the garden.

By Jenny Peterson

If you're a gardener, you probably already know that the lowly earthworm is your garden's best friend. They're like ladybugs—we all know they're good and that we should protect them; we even teach our children not to kill them when they unearth them. But do we know why? It's very simple, really—as the earthworm burrows through your garden, the tunnels it makes aerate the soil, breaking up compacted soils and adding to healthy drainage. It also feeds upon decomposing matter, taking in nutrients and minerals and returning them to the soil. But what else can you do with earthworms, aside from protecting them? Here are a few ideas:

Add Them To The Compost Pile.

 Find them while digging in your garden? That's great, you know there are already some in your soil then. Carefully collect a few in a bucket and move them to your compost pile, where they will help to break down your pile more quickly. You probably will have earthworms in your compost pile eventually, but it's always good to add to the numbers.

Vermicompost.

What the heck is this? For those of us who garden in a small space such as a balcony or patio and don't have room for a traditional compost pile, vermicomposting is the answer. It's simply composting with worms, and the basics are simple: use a small wooden box made from nonaromatic wood, make air holes on all the sides, cover it to keep it dark like worms like it, keep it moist, add food scraps, and regulate the temperature. A quick Google search on more specific instructions will get you going on the right path!

Use wormcastings.

Wormcastings are simply the earthworm's excrement, and it acts as a wonderful fertilizer. It looks like very fine, almost grainy soil, and it's very high in nutrients. It's readily available in bags at nurseries—and no worries about odor, as it has little to no smell at all. I use castings in my potted plants as well as around the base of new transplants for more vigorous growth.

Now that you're all up to speed on the virtues of the earthworm, you can teach your children and impress your neighbors.