We see only a small proportion of them, but beneath the soil the humble Earthworm is one of the most important allies we have in the garden. In fact, it is no exaggeration to say that a garden without worms is a dead garden.
More often than not they burrow through the soil, aerating as they go, and breaking up clods of earth. Some varieties actaully eat their way through the soil, drawing out organic matter and excreting the rest. There are varieties that leave their ‘casts’ on the surface and if you break it up with your fingers you will see what a lovely fine soil it is after the worm has done his job. Worms are essential to a healthy garden as they improve the soil immensley, aeration and drainage beign their specialities. They continue this work at quite some depth into the soil with the larger species being able to burrow several metres down.
You will also find an abundance of worms in a good compost heap though these generally do not ‘transfer’ to the garden. Wormeries are becoming increasingly popular as a means of composting garden and domestic waste and can be bought relatively cheaply now. A friend of mine distributes vast quantities of ‘worms wee’ as she calls it, to anyone who wants a good organic fertiliser for the garden – mine certainly blooms well after an application!
The only downside to worms is that they can attract Moles which play havoc with your lawn, but personally I’ll live with a molehill or two in return for the benefits the worms bring.
