Vermiculture is a popular solution used by gardeners around the world.
If you're new to gardening or farming, you might get interested in this method but don't know this agricultural term or how it works.
As such, let's learn about the best worms for gardens and other related topics.
Before we point out the benefits of worms, let's address that purchasing worms to enrich your garden soil is not mandatory.
In fact, some garden enthusiasts would even argue that it is unnecessary since good soil is possible without worms.
For a price, you can obtain high-quality soil without any presence of these burrowing creatures.
Also, worms will most likely appear on their own without outside intervention if you have healthy garden soil.
Nonetheless, there is a certain appeal to vermiculture, or the use of worms, because of the reasons listed below.
Worm castings are a natural fertilizer that is delicate and effective in providing critical nutrients to your garden plants and plants in general.
Many reputable accounts from the scientific community indicate that utilizing worm castings in the garden can aid plants to grow substantially larger and more robust.
It also can be the cause of producing more numerous and higher-quality flowers, fruit, and vegetables.
Worm castings could also make plants more resistant to various pests, diseases, and other elements.
When worms move underneath your garden soil, it contributes to better air circulation for the plants. A quicker spread of plant roots is likely to happen.
Widely distributed roots provide superior anchoring, making plants less susceptible to dehydration.
Another benefit of the presence of worms for the soil is they minimize compaction and aggregation.
When worms crumble the soil via their movement, high water absorption and good drainage are expected due to the porous state of the ground.
This is contrary to compacted soil, which has limited water absorption capability that spells trouble for plants.
Once the worms build multiple tunnels underneath, it ultimately improves the rate of water penetration.
They raise the soil nutrients available for plants to absorb, therefore boosting health and growth.
Worm castings, often known as worm excrement, have a near-neutral pH.
Once they have a substantial presence in your garden soil, they may neutralize acidic soils and acidify alkaline soil to achieve a balance.
The CEC (Cation Exchange Capacity) is a measure of the fertility capacity of your soil.
Worm castings can improve the CEC. The greater your CEC, the more fertile your soil will become or has the potential to be nutrient-rich.
Before we list the best worms for gardens, let's first discuss the differences between these two buzzwords in the world of gardening.
While both are about using worms to nourish your garden soil, there are still some distinctions that need clarification.
Vermicomposting, commonly known as worm composting, is the method of letting worms consume natural material, such as vegetable and fruit peels, and subsequently, digest it.
When the leftovers travel through their system, they excrete them in the form of worm castings.
These castings are a rich, nutrient-dense substance that may transform soil into a plant's utopia for nourishment and growth.
To set up vermicompost in your garden, fill the worm bin with a mixture of plant-based food wastes.
Then prepare bedding such as shredded paper, cardboard, straw, hay, dried leaves, soil, or wood chips.
Let the natural waste and worm casting "marinate," and soon, you'll have high-quality garden soil that will significantly be beneficial to your plants.
As mentioned above, worm castings are a proper term for worm poop.
Also referred to as vermicast, they are the natural form of worm manure.
The excrement produced by worms that eats compost materials is highly rich in nutrients.
In addition to compost, castings are the product of various protozoans, nematodes, rotifers, fungi, and bacteria that worms consume.
Worm castings are rich in microorganisms, decomposing plant debris, numerous enzymes, and different micro-byproducts.
Worm castings are typically dark brown and football-shaped.
As discussed earlier, when these are present in the soil, they ultimately contribute to your plants' growth and development.
To summarize the difference, vermicompost is comprised of worm castings and other materials.
You cannot produce vermicompost without worm castings.
On the other hand, worm castings do not exclusively associate with vermicompost.
The former can be used directly to your garden soil as it is, while the latter requires other components before it is completed.
Now that we're aware of the benefits of worms for gardening, let's explore the best types of worms that you can utilize.
Two species are highly recommended for vermicomposting and vermiculture, the red wigglers and redworms.
Red wiggler worms are the most recommended type for vermicomposting.
They are incredibly beneficial to organic gardeners since they are capable of producing natural fertilizers and insecticides.
These worms are also known to consume organic kitchen scraps, much to the delight of those who want less waste in their bin.
Scientifically named Eisenia fetida, red wiggler worms are the prime producers of worm castings.
Plenty of businesses offer castings from this species, but it will be more rewarding if you can produce your own.
The red wiggler is an exceptional breeder as it is capable of producing eggs once a week.
When temperature conditions are met, two to four baby worms emerge from each egg.
A baby red wiggler worm will need three to five months to achieve maturity.
Once they reach this stage and have a length of about three inches, they will produce on their own.
Red wiggler worm lifespan usually is four to five years.
Outside of vermiculture, they are effective fish bait.
Wigglers tend to squirm on the hook, which will catch fish's attention and can survive underwater longer than regular earthworms.
Known as Lumbricus rubellus, redworms are generally identified by their partly pigmented appearance with the size of about 10 to 15 centimeters.
As opposed to red wigglers, redworms are initially associated with commercial fishing bait.
However, it has also been discovered that they are a potentially beneficial species for organic waste decomposition.
The downside is, redworms are recognized as a relatively slow-growing species.
Also, some experts suggest further research into its viability in vermicomposting before widespread use.
Nonetheless, redworms can provide significant ecological services in agriculture, such as improving soil characteristics and enhancing plant output.
Thanks to the conveniences of today's agriculture, it's possible to purchase commercially-grown worms for your garden soil.
Let's look at some highly-rated worms that you can avail.
Uncle Jim's Worm Farm 500 Count Red Wiggler Live Composting Worms
This worm volume is an ideal starting point for any compost operation.
The red wiggler not only consumes half its weight in food but also thoroughly decays natural remains and converts food leftovers into nutrient-rich natural compost.
Beanstalk Live Worms Premium Red Wigglers (500 Worms, 0.5 lb)
According to Beanstalk, their red wiggler worms can double every 90 days, which is highly beneficial if you have a large garden.
WWJD Worms 1 Pound Red Wiggler
WWJD is a modest family-owned compost worm producer company based in Southeast Georgia.
Expect around 1000 worms per pound, which can cover roughly 100 square feet of your garden.
Referred by many as nature's fertilizer, worms can be the key to having healthy garden plants.
As such, you're avoiding the use of artificial fertilizers, which could cause some potential unwanted issues.
To top it off, using worms in your garden also strengthens the soil from erosion and pest prevention.
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