How to attract Deep Burrowing earthworms to your yard and garden
We Sell Red Wiggler Worms, Pre-made Worm Bins and Texas Worm Ranch Worm Wine (TM).
Please visit us at: www.txwormranch.com
Red Wigglers are not natural deep burrowing "yard" earthworms. They are a
variety also known as "manure worms" that are surface dwelling composters.
They would quickly die or escape in most warm climate yard environments. Even releasing a
more suitable deep burrowing earthworm variety has it's drawbacks, as your yard might not have the microbial ecosystem to support them and they might "move on" . What you are wanting to do is actually attract the local, native worms to be more plentiful in
your yard and garden beds.
Please visit us at: www.txwormranch.com
Red Wigglers are not natural deep burrowing "yard" earthworms. They are a
variety also known as "manure worms" that are surface dwelling composters.
They would quickly die or escape in most warm climate yard environments. Even releasing a
more suitable deep burrowing earthworm variety has it's drawbacks, as your yard might not have the microbial ecosystem to support them and they might "move on" . What you are wanting to do is actually attract the local, native worms to be more plentiful in
your yard and garden beds.
I have attracted several native varieties to my yard (which was a worm free
zone 7 years ago when we bought this house--too much chemicals from previous
owner). Now, we are 100% organic and have dozens of worms in every
square foot of dirt on our property.
zone 7 years ago when we bought this house--too much chemicals from previous
owner). Now, we are 100% organic and have dozens of worms in every
square foot of dirt on our property.
Two Big, Burrowing Earthworms in just a small shovelful of soil from my flower bed
How to get earthworms in your yard or garden:
1) No chemical fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides in your yard. Earthworms
and beneficial microbes are too sensitive too these
2) Mulch in any grass clippings instead of bagging
3) Mow and mulch in leaves instead of bagging
4) Consider applying a thin layer of compost and very thin spinkling of dry
molasses over your yard, water this in. This will encourage living,
beneficial microbes which will, in turn, increase the suitability of your
soil for native burrowing worm populations.
5) Apply a (Red Wiggler) worm compost tea like Texas Worm Ranch Worm Wine (TM) or your own homemade worm tea. This brew will have millions of beneficial microbes, fungi, and other sources of "food" attractive to the deep burrowing earthworms.
6) Use natural, plant-based fertilizers like alfalfa meal, corn gluten meal, soybean meal or cottonseed meal
7) Always keep garden beds mulched. Instead of blowing the fall leaves out of your beds (the perfect deep burrowing earthworm food), mow them up and use them as a free, earthworm friendly, mulch
A few of my earthworms favorite things:
Vermicompost (red wiggler worm compost) in the handshovel, dried molasses and alfalfa meal
The deep burrowing earthworms provide free fertilization through their worm castings and aerate your root zones with their burrowing. Pretty soon, you will have the healthiest and prettiest yard on the block AND it will be safe for you, the kids and the pets! Furthermore, this safe and environmentally friendly yard will help repel fleas, as you attract beneficial insects that will eat the flea larvae and protect you from fire ants, that are attracted to environments with little microbe activity (and I don't know the science behind that, but it is true).
Vermicompost (red wiggler worm compost) in the handshovel, dried molasses and alfalfa meal
The deep burrowing earthworms provide free fertilization through their worm castings and aerate your root zones with their burrowing. Pretty soon, you will have the healthiest and prettiest yard on the block AND it will be safe for you, the kids and the pets! Furthermore, this safe and environmentally friendly yard will help repel fleas, as you attract beneficial insects that will eat the flea larvae and protect you from fire ants, that are attracted to environments with little microbe activity (and I don't know the science behind that, but it is true).
Posted by Heather Rinaldi at 2/10/2010 9:28 AM 
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: vermicompost organic gardening worm compost earthworms
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: vermicompost organic gardening worm compost earthworms
Howdy! I have enjoyed reading your blog and looking through your website. I'm new to vermicomposting - the worms I've been raising since 2001 aren't really worms at all, but caterpillars (silkworms). I'm particularly interested in encouraging deep burrowing earth worms - we have some in parts of our yard, but not much in others. The raised beds in particular are wormless, and I'm hoping for some diggers to keep things there loose and fluffy.
Reply to this
Silkworms, that sounds really interesting! I hope this blog is helpful to attracting the native worms to your gardens. Remember to always keep your raised beds mulched in organic material (straw, leaves, etc.) and that will really help. Not sure where you are at, but some worm compost added to your beds before mulching would help attract those native, burrowing worms too. Keep chemical free, keep mulching, and keep "feeding" your soil with compost and the worms will find you!
Reply to this