How to Add Worms to a Vegetable Garden

Earthworms help aerate garden soil.

Worms aerate the soil when they tunnel and excrete matter that conditions and fertilizes the soil. "Earthworms are natural composters," say Galveston County Master Gardeners. If you want your garden to be healthy, take advantage of earthworms. Amending your soil will encourage earthworms but it's also possible to add earthworms to a vegetable garden.

Things You'll Need

• Organic matter
• Garden plot
• Spade
• Soil testing kit
• plastic bag

Instructions

Prepare

1. Test the soil. Purchase a soil testing kit at a local nursery.

2. Collect soil dry enough to crumble from several inches beneath the surface of your vegetable garden plot and put it in a plastic bag. Test for pH level as well as for organic matter and minerals.

3. Determine needs based on soil test results. "Most plants prefer slightly acidic to neutral soil (from 6.0 to 7.0)," according to the Vegetable Gardening Guru.

4. Determine needs based on soil type. Sandy soils require amending to help the soil hold water. Clay soils require amending to help the soil drain.

5. Add organic matter to the soil. Coffee grounds make the soil more acidic; lime, less acidic. Manure, leaves, wood chips and sawdust will add nitrogen and minerals over time as they decompose.

Procure

1. Purchase earthworms in the form of bait or dig for earthworms in moist, healthy soil.

2. Till the soil so the top layer is soft.

3. Place the earthworms on top of the soil. They will begin to tunnel as they do not like sunlight.

4. Water the soil. Earthworms need water and survive only in a moist environment.

Maintain

1. Save money and compost kitchen waste. Backyard Food Composting says not to use animal products or oily foods.

2. Add compost during the growing season. Vegetable Gardening Guru explains, "To side dress, you dig a narrow furrow one to three inches deep at the plant's drip line or six inches from the plant base, whichever is greater. You then sprinkle the amendment into the furrow and cover it up with soil."

3. Water the vegetable garden even after harvesting unless the weather keeps the soil moist enough for worms to survive.

Tips & Warnings

• Amend the soil and earthworms will come to you.

• Earthworms need moisture to survive. Don't let the soil dry out between seasons.

References

• Beneficials in the Garden: Earthworms
• Vegetable Gardening Guru: Building Soil in the Garden
• King County: Backyard Food Composting

Resources

• Fairfax County Public Schools: Earthworm