Red Worms

Squishy...Slimey...Gross.... Yes we're talking about the common red worms. The worms that crawl underfoot and underground. The little creatures that keep air and water flowing through your garden soil. It wouldn't be gardening without digging through soil and catching a glimpse of one of these red worms squiggling amongst the disturbed soil. Red worms are the backbone of any healthy garden. Without them, your soil would be like a large piece of concrete. No nutrients or water or even air penetrating the soil surface. Well, maybe the ants would help you along. But who wants ants?? Red worms are fun. They do work that you don't have to do and every now and then they'll even catch a whopper of a fish for you!

So why are we talking about red worms in gardening tips? Well, I thought some folks might need some pointers on attracting red worms to their garden. The more worms, the merrier. So let's get down to business. Whatever attracts red worms to your garden is beneficial for you and your garden soil. Worms are the unsung heroes. They convert vegetative material into nutrients that can be picked up by our garden plants and help them to grow strong. Feed the worms in your garden and you won't have to worry about them finding someone else's garden to reside in. So what do you feed red worms? They'll eat just about anything vegetative. Bury some leaves in the garden. Throw in some cornmeal and dead plants and grass clippings, whatever you have lying around that a vegetarian would eat. Or if you're a vegetarian, just feed them table scraps. They'll love you and your garden for it. Red worms can live for several years, so be sure you keep them around by supplying them with a moist place to play and plenty of vegetation on and in the soil. One last hint. If you don't like the looks of vegetation on top of the soil, just dig a little pit, throw in the rotten vegetables, grass, leaves or whatever and then cover it back up with soil. The red worms will appreciate that you just made it easier for them to eat supper. Happy Gardening!






Gardening Tips