Published Jun 30, 2024
Earthworms improve your soil by breaking down organic matter, which enriches the soil with nutrients. They also aerate the soil, making it easier for plants to grow and roots to spread.
Worms eat dead plants and soil, making their waste richer in nutrients. Their droppings have more nitrogen, which plants need. When worms die, their bodies also add nitrogen to the soil, helping plants grow.
Earthworm burrows loosen soil, improving drainage. Soils with earthworms drain up to 10 times faster. In no-till soils, water infiltration is up to 6 times greater. Their tunnels also help move lime and materials.
Earthworm casts form stable soil clusters that hold moisture. They rebuild topsoil, creating up to 5mm annually or 50 tons per hectare. Under good conditions, worms can build an 18cm thick topsoil layer over 30 years.
Introducing earthworms to pastures increased growth by 70-80% initially and 25% long-term, boosting livestock capacity. The best pastures had 7 million worms per hectare.
Earthworms improve soil aeration by creating tunnels as they burrow. This allows air, water, and nutrients to penetrate deeper into the soil, benefiting plant roots and overall soil health.