# Worm castings, too many of them how to manage



## Babameca (Jul 29, 2019)

I know earthworms are beneficial for the soil, I know brushing the craters with a broom before mowing reduces the risk to smash them over the grass, but in 2 areas in my lawn, thinks are just getting out of control. Have holes (too many) that are not yet growing back while new ones are created. I was dropping some fert one night at dark and used my flashlight. Was shocked how many of those creatures were running back in the holes. It was a party.

Any advise is very welcomed.


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## Babameca (Jul 29, 2019)

Anyone? Up


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## Shindoman (Apr 22, 2018)

I always had an earthworm problem. I used Sevin grub control with success in the past. The last couple years I've added a lot of sand to my soil and the worms don't seem be around as much.


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## Babameca (Jul 29, 2019)

Shindoman said:


> I always had an earthworm problem. I used Sevin grub control with success in the past. The last couple years I've added a lot of sand to my soil and the worms don't seem be around as much.


Thanks. Hitting with sand starting this year. BTW You are the one that has the Bannerman topdresser. Can you share thoughts. How much sand and how fast you can drop down. I have a local dealer that can get it for me, but the price...On the other hand I now know what is it to spread 4 tons. 3 guys 7h. Can I do it alone for day with the 'thing'?


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## Shindoman (Apr 22, 2018)

Babameca said:


> Shindoman said:
> 
> 
> > I always had an earthworm problem. I used Sevin grub control with success in the past. The last couple years I've added a lot of sand to my soil and the worms don't seem be around as much.
> ...


The Bannerman works great. Make sure the sand is as dry as you can get it. Takes me about 2 hrs of hard work to drop 1 1/2 yds on 2000 sq ft, incl dragging it with the drag mat. That's after I wheel the sand into a sandbox I have built for storage in the back yard. 
Here's a pic after dropping sand.


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## Babameca (Jul 29, 2019)

@Shindoman So you do a ton per 1000sqf per app give or take. That's fast! it took 21 labour hours for 4 tons, so abt 5h per tons, vs 1h with the topdresser in your case. Sorry I like simple math that works . Thanks a lot!
I will proceed getting one. I guess you have the sand drum option right? Is it still working for peat or compost, as the original drum is just ...holes. And BTW the view is...intimidating :mrgreen: Love the bridge on the backround!


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## RCUK (Jul 16, 2018)

Tea seed which have saponins can control the worms. They don't like the saponins and when applied with a watering afterwards, you will see the worms come up to the surface and eventually die off. This won't remove all of them and you probably shouldn't aim to 

Not sure what products are available in the US but there are some articles you can have a look at which describes the effect. I've used a product here in the UK and it works very well.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20024948/

https://www.usga.org/articles/2011/10/course-care-controlling-earthworm-casts-21474843517.html

Early bird have a product according to that article.


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## Babameca (Jul 29, 2019)

@RCUK Thanks man! I am in Canada and will look for something similar, if available here.


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## RCUK (Jul 16, 2018)

Sorry, Canada I should have remembered


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## Shindoman (Apr 22, 2018)

@Babameca I have the sand drum. As I said try and keep the sand dry. It works fine for peat moss but I've never tried compost or soil. 
We love our view


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## NateDawg24 (Sep 11, 2019)

I have a worm casting problem as well. Some of the worms I have in my yard are called Nightcrawlers or Dew worms. Many are over a foot long and very fat. The castings they leave are huge and very clay like.

The areas of my yard that are the worst are the areas with the most castings. I have been manually picking them off my yard since late last year. If you have a large property this is likely not an option. The fist few times I did this I probably got over a 100 worms and the last time I did this I probably only got 20-25 so I feel like I am at least reducing their numbers.

Please note that these are not your typical earthworms these only come out at dark when the grass is moist to mate. They are difficult to catch as they are very fast and slippery. I typically only am able to catch a little over half of the worms I try to grab, you have to be stealthy.

You could also try this, I read about it on this forum
https://planetturfusa.com/castaway-3-0-1/
It also looks like they have a sales rep listed for Canada, no idea if they sell to general public. I might try this if I am unable to further reduce the dew worms in my yard, I really have no idea how far they typically travel.


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## Babameca (Jul 29, 2019)

@NateDawg24 Very useful link thanks! Yes I have the regular ones. They are in the hundreds. I also have a 'worse' area about 2000sqf so 1/3 of my lawn.


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## RCUK (Jul 16, 2018)

That Castaway product looks good, same tea saponins in it I mentioned. Probably need to break up the pellets as they look huge.


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## Canuck Mike (Jul 23, 2018)

I feel your pain, every spring when I start reel mowing the rollers squish down the worm droppings and I get clay circles bare spots.
This year has been much better than others and it may be because last fall I stopped mulching the leaves and I bagged all clippings. The thinking was that the worms go after the organic matter that is sitting near the surface. I also used only my rotary tile June to avoid squishing any mounds.


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## Canuck Mike (Jul 23, 2018)

Last spring.


Here is a link to my struggles

https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=10181


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## Babameca (Jul 29, 2019)

@Canuck Mike Very similar for me. Interesting I have 2 zones being hard hit. The rest is 'acceptable'.


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## Babameca (Jul 29, 2019)

@NateDawg24 As per the email from them, closest distributor is NY. Shipping of a 50lbs bag will be more than the cost for the product.


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## NateDawg24 (Sep 11, 2019)

Looks a lot like my yard although I would say I have less. I think it is much worse if you have a clay soil (which I do). I have heard on here before to just brush them away but they feel like wet clay that someone has tightly rolled into a ball and they suffocate all the grass around them. They get so squished into the soil that you can even pick them off without ripping out grass.

In my area the dew worms (that's what people call them here) are considered a pest and make the yard patchy and bumpy.


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## Babameca (Jul 29, 2019)

@NateDawg24 Merit at high rate...Toxicity to worms is even higher after 7 days than Sevin.
If you want to keep a few for decoration I guess regular rate will do.


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## NELawn (May 7, 2019)

I kind of cringe at 
the though of anyone killing off earth worms, those little guys made you lawn what it is.

I had a similar problem with them, I would have worn castings everywhere, then when I mowed I would flatten them and create a bare spot. When I killed off my old lawn and reseeding it, it looked like a horror show at night. It seemed like I had worms every 6".

My solution was Renovating my lawn with 100% KBG. Now the KBG just creeps into those ares and fills them in. Since getting KBG I have not even thought about worm castings at all.


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## Babameca (Jul 29, 2019)

@NELawn what is your HOC? When you cut below 1' and roll 234lbs drum (reel mower), castings do destroy your lawn. I understand and appreciate all they do, but managing population is what I am trying to find a solution to.


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## Tassoty (Oct 2, 2020)

@Babameca I see this is an old post bit have you found a solution? The tea seed meal(Castaway) worked for me. My front yard is 1000Sqf. I put down 10 punds on Friday and on Saturday morning I reaked half a bucked with worms. It is good I didn't do the backyard at the same time. What is yout PH? I have read they like alkaline soil. Mine is around 8, so next step is to lower it to keep them away. I still use rotary mower at 1-1,5 but the bumps were issue for me even at 2 inches.


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## Babameca (Jul 29, 2019)

@Tassoty Hi,
Castaway is banned in Canada and it was mission impossible to get it in due to size. Looks like it works. Just keep in mind, any product will have a limited time effect. It will kill mature worms, while eggs and youngsters (that don't surface yet) will re-populate the area after few weeks (1-2 months). I have good results with Thiophanate-Methyl (aka Cleary's 3336). It has 40-60% reduction effect IME and I spot spray on castings. I don't see dead worms, they simply vanish. My pH is at 6.


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## Tassoty (Oct 2, 2020)

Thanks, I will look this up.


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