How to improve the population of earthworms in your soil

• Use plenty of organic matter in your soil as this will promote optimum moisture and temperature for earthworms to thrive and give them a good source of food. This organic matter can be in the form of compost, mulch or manure.
• Avoid walking on your soil as this will cause compaction which in turn makes it harder for earthworms to move around. Use wooden boards or create permanent paths.
• Do not over-water or water-log the soil as this results in earthworms rising to the soil surface due to burrows and tunnels being flooded. One way to prevent this is to utilize drip irrigation.
• Do not use any chemicals on your soil as these are likely to have adverse effects on any earthworms there. Pesticides can kill worms or their food, while fertilizers will not provide nourishment to the worm population.

DOWNLOAD OUR “EARTHWORM COUNT FIELD SHEET”