Benefits of Earthworms in Your Lawn
Earthworms are often perceived as slimy, unpleasant creatures that are all over the sidewalk after it rains. They also make great fish food! However, earthworms play a vital part in keeping lawns and gardens healthy. Séamus is a great resource to help choose great soil for your lawn, but he can also help keep it growing well all year! You may be wondering, what are the benefits of earthworms in your lawn? Worms work to aerate your soil, spread nutrients, and more!
Natural Aeration
Earthworms are known for their ability to improve soil structure and enhance aeration. As they wiggle around your yard, the tunnels they make in the soil provide aeration. Aeration is the breaking up of the soil to prevent it from getting too compact.
When this occurs, it gives more opportunity for roots to strengthen by growing deeper down in the soil. It can help water, oxygen, and nutrients spread throughout your whole lawn. Earthworms contribute to a healthy environment for grass roots and other growing plants.
Nutrient Enrichment
Earthworms are also highly beneficial when it comes to enriching your soil with nutrients. Feeding on partially decomposed organic matter found around your lawn, such as leaves and roots, they are able to put it all back into the soil.
As their castings are broken down, the lawn gets to absorb beneficial nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. This decreases the need for fertilizing your lawn! Another added benefit is that the worms will help break down thatch and keep your yard looking great.
Vital in the Food Chain
Not only do earthworms provide benefits to the soil and lawns, they also provide benefits to the entire ecosystem. They are an important source of food for birds and small animals, helping them stay healthy.
Attracting and Keeping Earthworms
If you’re looking to attract earthworms to your lawn and keep them there, you’ll need to create the right environment for them. This includes keeping your lawn free of toxins, limiting pesticides and chemical fertilizers. The lawn should be watered occasionally, keeping the soil moist but without overwatering. Another important factor is making sure your soil has the right pH levels. It should be between 6.0 and 7.0, which also is ideal for growing grass.
If your soil meets all of these conditions, you will likely attract earthworms. Make sure they also have plenty of organic matter to eat, by adding some compost or keeping leaves in the yard. If earthworms are still not showing up, you can buy them, but without the proper living conditions they won’t stick around.
Keep Your Lawn and Soil Healthy
Earthworms offer a number of benefits in both gardens and lawns. Their presence helps to aerate the soil, spread essential nutrients, and provide a healthy environment for growing plants. By creating the right conditions, you can attract earthworms to your lawn and keep them around! With their benefits in mind, it’s easy to see why these wiggly creatures are an important part of any healthy lawn. If you’re looking to improve the health of your lawn, start with a quality topsoil and keep the conditions great for earthworms.