Do you hate earthworms? When it rains, do you ever see worms on top of the soil in your yard? These worms are called earthworms, and they play an important role in keeping your lawn and garden healthy by aerating your soil.
But having a lot of worms in your yard can be a sign of another issue. So we’ll even explain how to get rid of them if they are causing too much of a problem. Before getting out the pesticide, read more about earthworms to learn that they don’t have to be considered pests.
Why Are There So Many Worms In My Yard?
The organic material and the nutrients of your lawn will determine the severity of a worm infestation. If you have 2-5 worms in your yard, that’s not a bad thing. But having 5+ worms can be due to the high-quality organic soil, as it gives them something to feed off.
Are Worms In Lawn Good Or Bad?
We all want a beautiful lawn, but yard pests can put a damper on our summer. You’ve probably seen earthworms in your garden before or a mole tunneling through your yard. Most people don’t think twice about these creatures since they’re often beneficial to the environment. So, are worms in my lawn good or bad?
The answer is Both. While they are good for your lawn, you’ll still want to remove them if they are becoming abundant in number.
Earthworms are great. They aerate and churn the soil, feeding on microorganisms and decaying plant matter. They help break down thatch, encourage deep root growth for your lawn, and loosen compacted soil.
A few earthworms in your lawn will not cause any harm, but large numbers may indicate you have a dead lawn or that soil amendments are needed. Other than this, worms will not harm your lawn at all, so you don’t have to worry too much about them.
Pros of Having Worms In Lawn
It’s the dream of most gardeners and homeowners to have a lush, green, and healthy lawn. You may not know it, but having worms on your lawn has several benefits for making this dream a reality.
Organic Pesticide Removal
In a word – organic! Organic, organic, organic! No pesticides will be needed when you have worms on your lawn. When earthworms chow down, they not only churn the dirt and allow air to get in there, they even turn it into one of the best fertilizers around. It’s called castings or vermicompost, and you’ll only find it on a bowling green or in your environmentally-friendly backyard.
If you want to eliminate these problems with your lawn, worms can be your best buddy. Worms are often called the gardeners of the soil. Their food needs take them through conditions in the soil that are beneficial to your lawn.
They eat organic matter and process it into nutrients that grasses and other plants can use. Don’t worry about digging up your lawn because if you use a fine-bladed hand spade (utility type), you can dig some holes without harming them at all, and trust me – there will be plenty of worms in your dirt.
Cons of Having Worms In Lawn
While there are many benefits of having worms in a lawn or garden, there are some negatives. You should be aware of the downsides before embarking on a project aimed at attracting more earthworms to your property:
Pest Against Other Lawn Material
Worms digest organic material, such as dead grass and leaves that find their way onto your lawn. Unfortunately, they do not differentiate between the organic material you want in your yard and other waste — including toxic chemicals, such as pesticides and fertilizers.
Overspraying or overusing these products can harm your worm population and deter them from remaining in your yard. Always check your grass’ reaction to ensure that the products you’re using aren’t too invasive. That way, you’ll control the worm population while also respecting your plants and trees that live nearby it.
If handled correctly, the benefits of having worms in a yard greatly outweigh the downsides. The rewards of using earthworm castings or seeing your garden flourish are invaluable. But always try to monitor them as they can damage your yard if you’re not careful.
How to Attract Worms in My Yard
If you enjoy gardening and want to use organic methods, attracting earthworms to your yard is an excellent idea. Earthworms help the soil by loosening it, aerating it, and helping from decaying organic matter in the soil (such as dead roots or leaves) decompose faster.
Add Bacteria
Earthworms also eat bacteria and fungi that are harmful to plants and bring nutrients up for lower soil for plants to use.
Organic Matter
Earthworms love to eat decaying organic matter, including dead roots and leaves (sooner or later, you will have to pitch the old ones anyway), letting nature’s recycling program benefit your garden.
Once you have earthworms in your yard, they will help aerate and loosen the soil, giving plants a better chance at survival. Earthworms also bring nutrients up from lower levels of the soil that plants can then use.
Gardening
By using organic gardening methods and working with nature, you can attract earthworms to help build up the soil in your yard. They create tunnels in the soil that allow water to percolate through easily, helping plants flourish.
How To Get Rid of Worms In Lawns
If you have been noticing bare patches in your lawn, holes, mounds of soil or signs that worms have invaded, it may be time to learn how to get rid of worms in lawns. Controlling the worm problem in the lawn is a 2-step process using biological and cultural controls.
Bring a Natural Predator(s) to Worms
Several methods can be used to get rid of worms in lawns. A person may choose to rid the soil of an abundance of worms by using an insecticide, a chemical solution that will kill all worms. Many non-chemical solutions work best as long-term control measures rather than as solutions for immediate worm removal.
For example, you can include a small group of birds in your garden to control the antpopulation. This technique doesn’t require chemicals, as birds hunt worms for food. So you’ll be able to clear your garden and have your pet bird fed in the process.
Also read -> Why Are There So Many Birds in My Yard?
Understand the Lawn Damaging Worms
You won’t see them crawling around and burrowing into the dirt, but lawn worms are most active at night. They maintain the soil structure of your lawn by aerating it and feeding the roots with nitrates and nutrients in their waste.
But their nocturnal feeding habits can cause some damage to your grass. Common lawn damaging worms include Armyworms, Cutworms, Sod Webworms, and Earwigs.
Mow the Lawn
The easiest way to remove worms in the lawn is to simply mow the lawn and allow the clippings to decompose. The clippings will acidify your soil naturally, making it more difficult for worms to live.
Additionally, worms are food for birds, so if you leave cut grass on your lawn, birds and other worms eaters are more likely to visit your lawn, helping you reduce and manage the population of worms on your property naturally.
Also Read -> How to Stop Birds from Digging Up Your Lawn
Type of Worms In Your Yard
When dealing with lawn pests and worms, it’s important to identify the culprit. Find out what type of worms are in your yard and how to get rid of them.
- Night Crawlers: These types of worms are found within the garden’s compost bin. They tend to retreat back into the soil once light appears on them.
- Earthworms: Earthworms are the most common worms you’ll see in your yard. They tend to dig their hole when it rains or when it’s dark in the area.
- Red Worms: Red worms are used for composting. They are used for compost boxes and piles as long as the atmosphere isn’t too hot.
Do Worms Hurt or Harm Your Grass?
If you don’t like the idea of worms in your grass, that’s fine, but they aid in its survival.
Worms are incredibly helpful to our gardens, pulling plant debris and dirt into their burrows so they can fully decompose; this process creates rich soil that nourishes plant life. So what if an occasional worm or two startles you as you mow?
But that doesn’t mean they’re completely innocent. Too many worms might reduce your soil quality, and some might feed on your plants. So try to keep them regulated and under control to ensure your lawn is cultivated.
Conclusion
To conclude, having a lot of worms in your yard can lead to further grass burning. To prevent this, you’ll want to create an environment where an excessive amount of worms are filtered out or removed. If there are a lot of worms in your yard, you can always have them removed to ensure your yard retains its aesthetic value.
F.A.Q
Can Worms Destroy A Lawn?
Having an excessive amount of warms can be detrimental to your lawn’s longevity. For instance, earthworm castings can burn your lawn because it competes with the natural fertilizers that are being ingrained. So having their population at a balanced level is the best way to enusre they don’t harm your lawn.
Also read
Why Are Bees Hovering Over My Grass (How to get rid of them)
How To Get Rid Of Moths In Lawn
