Dew Worms and Control of Castings

 

photo by:httpwww.dw.com

Many people complain about the presence of dew worms in their yards and their lumpy lawns.

Dew worms are ‘Nightcrawlers’ or Lumbricus terrestris. They live deep in the ground, with vertical burrows as deep as 2.5 meters, and can live up to 9 years. They come up to the surface to eat plant litter, and to cast off soil and waste products (resulting in the mounds on your lawn).

These are a few things you can do to reduce the damage they cause.

1. Remove the thatch on your lawn, as this disturbs the burrows.
2. Water the lawn less frequently, about every 10 days, will drive them deeper into the ground.
3. Improve the quality of the soil by topdressing the lawn. The clumps will be smaller and softer, if the soil is not compacted.
4. Rake the clumps to spread the nutrients around.
5. Raise the height of your mowing deck to 3” as its harder to see the lumps.

If you are planning an event and want a quick fix, you can roll the lawn with a heavy roller (available from rentals companies), power rake it, and let it dry.

                                         photo by:Photo by:20170705A Bwlch Mawr, WC.jpg