Organic Gardening

Organic Gardening: Why Do We Need Worms?

Creepy and crawly.  Worms do much more than just squirm.  They are an excellent indicator of the health of your soil.  Go out to your garden and turn the soil with your spade.  No worms means too many pesticides and chemicals have likely been applied to your garden, killing off your partners in garden health. 

What Do Worms Do?
Worms do very important work in your garden: they burrow down deep creating thousands of channels through your soil.  In doing so, they aerate the soil and allow water to penetrate and drain, rather than run off.  They also leave castings—or, worm poop—which is an excellent fertilizer.  And, last but not least, they help immensely with the decomposition of organic matter like leaves, grass, and kitchen waste into nutrients that help plants thrive.  Worms are, perhaps, the most powerful tool in your gardening arsenal.

Some Curious Facts About Worms
•    Worms can “eat” their weight in organic matter each day.

•    A worm has no arms, no legs, and no eyes.

•    Even though worms do not have eyes, they can sense light and are sensitive to light.  Overexposure to light will paralyze a worm.

•    Worms are both male and female.

•    If a worm's skin dries out, it will die.

•    Worms live where there is food, oxygen, moisture and a pleasant temperature.  Anything less and they set off for new ground.

•    An are of land can contain as many as 1,000,000 worms.