Five reasons gardeners should love earthworms

There are many, varied types of worm all over the world. In our gardens, we are most likely to enjoy the sight of earthworms every time we dig our soil.

There are 29 species of earthworm that live in the wild in Great Britain, according to the Earthworm Society of Great Britain. About half of these are likely to be in domestic gardens.

Earthworms can help gardeners and gardens in many different ways. Here are five great reasons why you should be glad to see them.

1. They keep things tidy

Earthworms drag dead organic matter, like leaves, underground into their burrows.

2. They boost soil quality

Earthworms break down dead or decaying organic matter. When they do this, nutrients are released into your soil or compost. An all natural soil fertiliser!

3. They are soil engineers

When an earthworm burrows through soil they improve its structure. They allow oxygen to enter the soil, helping to aerate it. This can help create rich, fertile, well draining soil.

4. They help prevent flooding

An earthworm’s digging improves soil drainage. This means rain moves faster through soil, preventing waterlogging and flooding.

5. They encourage fungi friends

When you have earthworms, you’ll have more active fungi and bacteria in your soil. This is good news as fungi and bacteria also help release nutrients from organic material. This in turn can help plant growth.