Saving my earthworms when making raised bed
Last post 10-03-2012 3:03 PM by Anna. 12 replies.
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06/03/2012 10:35 PM
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- Anna
- 06 Mar 2012
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49
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I'm a bit of a novice gardener, about to make a raised bed in an area of my garden that is heavily grassed but wonderfully earthworm rich (as I discovered when trying and failing to get the grass out manually - don't want to use herbicide). The plan is to get rid of the grass by covering it with soil (about 60 cm or more in total). But I don't want to kill the worms along with the grass by burying them. My idea is to add soil to the bed at a rate of about 10 cm a week so the worms have a chance to migrate upwards. Does anyone know if this will work?
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06/03/2012 11:51 PM
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- courierdude
- cambs/suffolk border
- 14 Feb 2012
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216
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why do you not just dig the grass out with a spade?
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06/03/2012 11:54 PM
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Hi Anna, welcome to the forum. I'm very impressed by your concern! As I understand it, earthworms only need to surface for air when the soil is soaked. If the soil is fairly dry, I imagine that you can put in the raised beds in one go without major disruption. Many gardening activities will involve earthworm casulaties. They are vigorous breeders (both parties get pregnant from each coupling) and even if you did manage to kill every adult worm under the beds (which seems implausible), there will still be the eggs and of course the worms from the surrounding soil. But it's your project: you are the boss! Have fun, Ed
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07/03/2012 12:02 AM
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- Anna
- 06 Mar 2012
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49
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Believe it or not, I don't have one! just a small trowel, and a problem with hands/arms. But mainly I just hate killing things, so if there's a non-lethal alternative, I'll go for that. I have a few weeks, and this will be easier all round, if it works!
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07/03/2012 12:05 AM
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- Anna
- 06 Mar 2012
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49
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Thanks for that advice - I may have to experiment with my plan to gradually increase the depth, and hope for few (or no!) casualties. I hate being the author of the demise of a wriggling earthworm cut in two, in its death throes because of me!
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07/03/2012 04:15 AM
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- courierdude
- cambs/suffolk border
- 14 Feb 2012
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216
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think of all the robins you will make happy by bringing a few worms to the surface! )
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07/03/2012 08:56 AM
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- madmuncher
- Nottinghamshire
- 20 Mar 2010
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140
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I can save you from a big job with your trowel. Do the edges of the raised bed without digging the grass off first....cover the grass inside the bed with layer of cardboard top it up with the soil..full depth. The grass underneath the cardboard will die for the lack of light and 60 cm is too deep for any struggling grass to penetrate anyway and you can start planting soon. No worms will be damaged that way..they are master diggers and will find their way out if in need. Actually you are doing them a favour by not disturbing their 'recidence' and carboard will be eventually eaten down by them. You are providing them some extra 'food' and brand new home too. Any digging..being spade or trowel will always result some worm chopping, but if you try to cultivate land it is unavoidable. If you are consern with worms welfare, with 'sandwich' method you can do least amount of 'damage...
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07/03/2012 09:52 AM
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- Anna
- 06 Mar 2012
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49
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There aren't too many birds where I am - no-one around me seems to garden, but with all the bird and butterfly-friendly plants I've bought (and my earthworms!) I hope to attract some! With a couple of months to go before summer proper I'm going to go ahead with plan A - gradually covering up the area with soil and hoping the earthworms are brainy enough to adjust.
If I'm covering the grass up with soil would I realllyneed to put down cardboard? wouldn't the earth on top be sufficient to deny it the light it needs? A friend suggested Roundup but googling it I see the jury is out on whether it harms earthworms and other life...
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08/03/2012 01:33 PM
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- madmuncher
- Nottinghamshire
- 20 Mar 2010
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140
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If you are going with your original plan then you must remove the any grass and weeds as covering it few inches of soil/compost at the time is not challenge enough for those bits that you have missed or the weed seeds. You'll find all sorts starting to grow through. Cardboard will take more than growing season to rot down and its excellent 'weed membrane' under the soil. Once its wet it will settle nicely against the shape of the ground and block any attempts of re-growth of the grass...providing you've also have thick layer of soil on top it as well. If there is any perennial weeds like dandelions, I would dig them out..they will find the surface eventually no matter how much you do put on top of them. If you are still worried for your worms..just think of this...In northern Europe where winters are much more severe than here and soil freezers into solid block. Worms bury themselves bellow the frozen soil..that can be more than 1 metre deep...they spend the winter there and come up into higher levels once the soil is thawed out. In the end they will spend almost half a year in the deep levels and still survive. So..if do want to fill all the soil into your bed in one go..you won't do any harm to them what so ever. But..it is your garden and you will do as you want..I just wanted to give you a piece of mind if you are still unsure.
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08/03/2012 05:21 PM
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Hello Anna I, too, love my worms and so I joined the Earthworm Society of Britain  at http://www.earthwormsoc.org.uk/ and was surpised to find how many different types we have! Best wishes Jane
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08/03/2012 08:43 PM
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- Anna
- 06 Mar 2012
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49
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Thanks so much for the advice and more or less setting my mind at rest over the worms - though I'm still worried that some are the type that live in the leaf litter right at the top and aren't burrowing species that will make it to the top through deep soil. Am going to go with your suggestions and harden my heart to some possible casualties. At least along the way I have learnt a lot about earthworms - fascinating.
Jane/Northern Teacher: Glad to know there are others like me out there! My gardening philosophy is live and let live. Similarly, if caterpillars munch some of my plants, so be it (within reason!).
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10/03/2012 01:57 AM
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- courierdude
- cambs/suffolk border
- 14 Feb 2012
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216
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post your location anna-i have given some train fare to a few moles that haunt my garden as they have said how much they like the sound of your 'live and let live' philosophy! )
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10/03/2012 03:03 PM
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- Anna
- 06 Mar 2012
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49
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I did say 'within reason'! I draw the line at slugs.
Thanks all - a development is that the threat to my worms has gone down by half after calculating the soil needed and then figuring out the price to fill the planned bed...
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