Earthworms the gardeners friend.
"It may be doubted whether there are many other animals which have played so important a part in the history of the world, as have these lowly organised creatures"
So in favour of the contributions of worms Darwin wrote a best selling book 'The Formation of Vegetable Mould Through the Action of Worms'
Earthworms the Gardeners Friend - The facts
Earthworms the gardeners friend - Earthworms activity in the soil have multiple benefits.
For example their activity helps the soil have a better drainage and also increases the nutrients available.
As well as this it will also improve the soil structure. Healthy soil can help to prevent floods and mitigate the effects of drought.
Additionally earthworms tend to eat decaying plant materials which therefore helps create healthier soils for your plans and garden.
By having healthy soil it will increase the nutrients in the soil which will help feed the plant, it will also enhance and maintain the plants health.
If your garden doesn't naturally have earthworms, there is no need to worry! they are readily available in various outlets.
The Soil Association have some great tips on how to keep your soil healthy, especially with the help of worms!
Earthworms the gardeners friend - soil type guide
Soil Types:
- Chalky Soils - very alkaline. Can be light or heavy
- Peat Soils - very high in organic matter and moisture
- Loams - mixtures of clay, sand and silt
- Silt Soils - Fertile, light and moisture retentive
- Sandy Soils - light, dry and low in nutrients - often acidic
- Clay Soils - heavy, high in nutrients. Bake dry in Summer and wet and cold in winter
It is important to improve the quality of soil as this helps give your plants all the nutrients necessary to establish themselves and grow.
If you do have doubts about the quality of the soil here are a few tips:
Sandy Soil: In order to thicken the consistency of the soil, it is a good idea to dig in some well rotted manure.
If you do not have access to Manure then a good quality multi-purpose compost will also help.
We would suggest doing this in the Autumn/Winter months so your garden is ready for Spring.
High Acidic Soil: If your soil has an Acidic level below 6 then you can dig through some lime.
This will help neutralise the area but it is worth checking the levels over a period of time.
- 0-5 - Acidic Soil
- 6-8 - Neutral - ideal planting
- 8-9 - Alkaline
- 9-14 - Highly Alkaline
Heavy Clay soil: In order to breakdown the thick clay soil we would suggest digging through well-rotten manure.
If you do not have access to manure then a good quality multi-purpose compost will also help.
Adding a well-rotted manure or compost is a great winter job. This will help get the ground ready for Spring.
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If you do need any further information regarding soil types for different plants then please get in touch.
We hope you found our guide Earthworms the gardeners friend useful.