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For overall garden health, the earthworm is king
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Earthworms-Gardeners Supply Company
Again, it’s as the title implies. We’ve talked in the past about earthworm castings but not as much about the bearer and distributor of those good tidings. In 1881, Charles Darwin is credited with saying, “It may be doubted whether there are many other animals which have played so important a part in the history of the world, as have these lowly organized creatures.” He knew back then what some of us today have yet to discover; that for excellent garden health, you can’t overlook the conqueror worm.
Common earthworms (Lumbricus rubellus) are a must if you’re looking to grow anything. They rejuvenate depleted soil and strike a balance between the properties of moisture retention and drainage. They convert organic matter, such as leaves, into humus. They do this simply by eating and digesting. The matter then mixes with various secretions and the result is a form of humus 10X richer than anything currently present in your soil. The tunnels they create in their daily travels recondition the soil so that sandy soil retains moisture better and clay soil drains easier. The castings left behind enhance soil fertility, the availability of minerals and nutrients and the plants ability to capture them. A garden plot full of night crawlers is a healthy plot, indeed. But if your vegetable garden is a tad shy in number, what can you do about it?
It’s been suggested that a gardener should have at least 2-3 earthworms per square foot of garden space. Adding them to your garden is a lot easier than you think and not as messy as you would believe. Encapsulated Earthworm cocoons can be planted like seeds. Each cocoon contains 2-4 of the critters. Another way to add the species is to purchase humus filled with the small eggs of the creature. The humus is raked gently into the soil. Once the eggs hatch and the worms begin to do their thing, the overall health of your garden plot will improve greatly.
That takes care of the question of general garden health. But what do you, can you do if you have garden pests? You could turn to pesticides but you may want to go it organically. If so, then what are your options? Well, I say turn a predator or two loose in your backyard.
Next: Insect predators are small, ferocious and voracious
For more info: Earthworm Castings
Encapsulated Earthworm Cocoons
Earthworm Enriched Humus
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