# Earthworms



## Camman595 (Jun 15, 2021)

Does anyone add earthworms to their lawn to help improve the soil? Does that invite pests that like to eat earthworms? Does adding earthworms to the soil actually help?


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

Birds take care of that. No need to add more.


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## confused_boner (Apr 5, 2021)

Earthworm populations are self regulating, so if there is excess room and food (biomaterial) they will reproduce until those resources are used up. So if you add worms to your lawn without also increasing the the food source then the population is not gonna stay elevated, it will revert to the previous norm.

If you want to increase worm activity then focus on adding worm foods to the soil.

Also, adding worms may not be responsible, the species you get may be invasive in the US or your area.


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## SOLARSUPLEX (Aug 4, 2020)

If you mow low at all you'll end up with mounds from the worms all over the place... If you want, you can have all the worms from my yard.


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## Camman595 (Jun 15, 2021)

@confused_boner Thanks. Great information.


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## NELawn (May 7, 2019)

SOLARSUPLEX said:


> If you mow low at all you'll end up with mounds from the worms all over the place... If you want, you can have all the worms from my yard.


I thought I was the only one who would ever admit this  Before I had a KBG lawn I hated all the worms in my lawn. i have very good soil, and had a ton of worms.

Unfortunately with my old northern mix; the lawn would look good after seeding, then the worm castings would get squished like pan cakes and cause bare spots. The only solution was overseeing, that then caused poa-a, because I couldn't put down a pre-m when i needed to..

The only thing to really solve the problem was go 100% KBG. Since the lawn spreads on its own, I barely even notice a worm casting anymore, the KBG rhizomes pokes right up through them.

If you really want to see how many worms you have...

1.) kill off then scalp your lawn
2.) seed then add peat moss and water 3-4 times a day

At night there were so many worms, my lawn looked like a horror movie


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## SOLARSUPLEX (Aug 4, 2020)

Exactly what i did for my reno and i'm with you. So. Many. Worms. I dont understand where they all came from because i sifted the soil and it was all so dry, no way they all came in the top soil i brought in.


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## arrigetch peaks (Mar 27, 2019)

My lawn has an infestation of earthworms. There is an average 15 casing mounds per square foot. It makes my lawn bumpy, grass is patchy, mower jumps around when I mow. I believe I got earthworms from plants I purchased. Earthworms are not native to my area and they are a threat to the Boreal Forrest.

Castaway 3-0-1 will reduce the amount of worms drastically.


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## Wolverine (Jan 17, 2018)

Moles like worms, so no I don't want any extra in my turf.


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## Thick n Dense (May 7, 2019)

This is all true however theres 1 element to adding earth worms to consider and that is the type of earth worm. 
Depending on your region, you could like red night crawlers and build that type up. How you would know what you have ? Idk you'd have to catch them. Certain worms get bigger and easientially aerate your soul better but aslo make bigger and more castings.

Kind of odd in our realm to think about but worms are cheap. If youre curious order some off amazon for a compost setup and dump in yard a couple of inches below soil. You could be starting a new population of that variant in your area.


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## LeeB (Jul 1, 2019)

PSA: Go read about Asian jumping worms (invasive species).

In most cases, worms are non-native species that can harm certain ecosystems. I would be very hesitant about releasing them into your lawn. In fact it's illegal in a lot of states.


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## BobLovesGrass (Jun 13, 2020)

Feed them and they will make more worms themselves, don't buy any.


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## Thick n Dense (May 7, 2019)

LeeB said:


> In fact it's illegal in a lot of states.


Prove it... what do I search for ?

What do you think people who are done fishing do with leftover worms?


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## NELawn (May 7, 2019)

Thick n Dense said:


> What do you think people who are done fishing do with leftover worms?


I'd hope they toss them in pond and feed the fish? 

Thats what we do with any extra bait we have left over when we salt water fish.


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## Thick n Dense (May 7, 2019)

NELawn said:


> Thick n Dense said:
> 
> 
> > What do you think people who are done fishing do with leftover worms?
> ...


Obviously I don't fish :lol:


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## LeeB (Jul 1, 2019)

Thick n Dense said:


> LeeB said:
> 
> 
> > In fact it's illegal in a lot of states.
> ...


Search your state DNR website. It's usually covered under a general rule about releasing non-native species rather than a specific rule about worms.

In Minnesota for example:



> Jumping worms (Amynthas species) are classified as unlisted nonnative species in Minnesota. They cannot be legally Introduced into the environment in Minnesota.
> 
> Anglers: Dispose of unwanted bait worms in the trash. Never release any worm into the environment - all earthworms are non-native to Minnesota.


Source: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/terrestrialanimals/jumping-worm/index.html


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## Thick n Dense (May 7, 2019)

so... I looked at this link and read the Impact section... and how is it different than any other worms?

Threat to Minnesota
Invasive species populations may cause recreational, economic and ecological damage and can change how residents and visitors use and enjoy Minnesota lands and waters.

Jumping worm impacts:

Jumping worms can dramatically change soils, giving it a unique texture similar to coffee grounds. *Jumping worms feast on mulch and strip vital nutrients from topsoil. **This kills plants and increases erosion. *_Homeowners may see garden plants killed and may have difficulty growing plants._
Jumping worms can cause environmental harm where they are established. Studies have found nonnative earthworms *dramatically change forest soils by eating the leaf litter layer and impacting soil chemistry, soil organisms and plant communities.* Jumping worms have been shown to have similar effects. When the soil changes, the forest can't support the same plant and animal species it did before earthworms.

I mean to this sounds like ALL worms not just jumping worms... do these things not poop or something? This is why worm castings are liquid gold... it's a matter of eating OM then replenishing it back to the solid like mini composters.

I mean I'm trying here but this argument here is incredibly weak.

Should I move out of the Mitten 'cause we have worms ?


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## BobLovesGrass (Jun 13, 2020)

Maybe the jumping worms poop deeper in the soil than other worms.


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## LeeB (Jul 1, 2019)

@Thick n Dense This video does a pretty good job explaining it:






Yes, all worms are bad for native forests, but can be good for lawns and fields. Jumping worms reproduce and eat much more voraciously than other species, so that's why they're especially bad. They degrade litter too quickly and it causes all the nutrients to be washed deep into the ground below the root zone so plants die due to lack of nutrients. It's like using a fast release vs. slow release fertilizer, you want slow so the plants get a chance to use all of the nutrients before they're washed away.


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## Thick n Dense (May 7, 2019)

Interesting... Thanks for sharing.

I still think it's a bit overblown, worms usually get stopped by clay or rock, meaning that it can limit how far down that they can shit and then you're looking at the root depth of different species of plants.

I guess for all intents in purposes with KBG being 4" root depth this would be detrimental to the grass.


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## KoopHawk (May 28, 2019)

In Minnesota for example:



> Jumping worms (Amynthas species) are classified as unlisted nonnative species in Minnesota. They cannot be legally Introduced into the environment in Minnesota.
> 
> Anglers: Dispose of unwanted bait worms in the trash. Never release any worm into the environment - *all earthworms are non-native to Minnesota*.


I feel like there is no way this is true.


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## LeeB (Jul 1, 2019)

KoopHawk said:


> In Minnesota for example:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Yes, because the glaciers wiped out all the native worms thousands of years ago. https://ecosystemsontheedge.org/earthworm-invaders/


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## Thick n Dense (May 7, 2019)

LeeB said:


> KoopHawk said:
> 
> 
> > In Minnesota for example:
> ...


And they didnt in Michigan or Wisconson ?


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## LeeB (Jul 1, 2019)

Thick n Dense said:


> LeeB said:
> 
> 
> > Yes, because the glaciers wiped out all the native worms thousands of years ago. https://ecosystemsontheedge.org/earthworm-invaders/
> ...












The areas covered by glaciers would have had their native worms wiped out. You can see they covered many northern states.


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## Thick n Dense (May 7, 2019)

LeeB said:


> Thick n Dense said:
> 
> 
> > LeeB said:
> ...


This was a redundant question to make you realize this "native worm" thing is propaganda.

Everyone who hates worm castings move to Minnesota. Apprently they dont have worms there.


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## BobLovesGrass (Jun 13, 2020)

Or the worms there are non-native but so established we assume they are native, like dandelion


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## Bumpy Lawn (Jul 5, 2019)

I'm pretty sure most here that post are non native species in their prospective areas.  
The glacial worm killoff information is interesting. Someone long before our time must have imported the worms we now have :bd: 
The jumping worms are very detrimental to roots of plant life. Unless a person is 110% sure of what bait species they are adding to the soil in their area best practice is to kill off before discarding...the trash ends up in a landfill...on dirt.  
Obviously Mitten DNR is thinking about the lands and waters, so I guess 'Sota and 'Sconsin isn't the only place worring about worms. 
https://www2.dnr.state.mi.us/publications/pdfs/harbor_guide/ais.htm#:~:text=Invasive%20species%20such%20as%20the,significant%20damage%20to%20Michigan's%20waters.
Help Prevent Invasive Plants and Animals
New boating and fishing laws to prevent the introduction and spread of invasive species are in effect as of March 21, 2019. Be sure you are familiar with these laws before you head out.

Invasive species such as the zebra mussel, round goby, sea lamprey, Eurasian ruffe, European frog-bit, Eurasian watermilfoil, rusty crayfish and spiny water flea are causing significant damage to Michigan's waters. A number of species could potentially reach the Great Lakes, including bighead and silver carp traveling up the Illinois River and Chicago Area Waterway System and snakehead fish, found in other Midwest states. Invasive species are harmful to recreational boating and fishing and cause extensive economic and natural resource damage.

Boaters and anglers can help prevent the spread of fish diseases and invasive aquatic species by taking the following steps:

Clean, Drain and Dry boats, trailers and gear to prevent moving aquatic invasive species and fish diseases.
Don't Dump Bait - dispose of bait on land or in the trash to stop the spread of invasive species and fish disease.

Michigan's Fish Disease Control Order prohibits moving many fish and baitfish species from one water body to another.
Ships - Exchange Ballast Water

Michigan.gov/Invasives or use the Midwest Invasive Species Information Network at www.misin.msu.edu.


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## Bumpy Lawn (Jul 5, 2019)

dandelions came from the tulip people


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