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Post by Louise on Dec 26, 2011 9:37:57 GMT
I've started to read one of Dr. Hessayons books and a piece jumped out at me because of its relevance to my back garden. The chapter was on earth worms - in particular the type that leave their casts on a lawn - it said that this type of worm "has little aerating effect on the earth" and that it's best to try and prevent them from being there. Brush the casts away as often and much as you can and water with sulphate of ammonia in the spring. I've always thought that all worms were aerating and supposedly good, god knows they absolutely ruin one of my back lawns and try as i might i can never get it back to its previously luscious state A part of the front lawn gets very bad too so i'll try the sulphate in spring because anything's worth a try.
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Post by Cherry on Dec 26, 2011 9:45:33 GMT
That is an interesting question. I don't know the answer and have no problem with worm casts, just huge mole hills, but it caused me to google for some information just for my interest and I found this. Probably you saw it too. www.oxfordcroquet.com/care/worms/index.asp
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Post by lesley on Dec 26, 2011 10:08:45 GMT
I've started to read one of Dr. Hessayons books and a piece jumped out at me because of its relevance to my back garden. The chapter was on earth worms - in particular the type that leave their casts on a lawn - it said that this type of worm "has little aerating effect on the earth" and that it's best to try and prevent them from being there. Brush the casts away as often and much as you can and water with sulphate of ammonia in the spring. I've always thought that all worms were aerating and supposedly good, god knows they absolutely ruin one of my back lawns and try as i might i can never get it back to its previously luscious state A part of the front lawn gets very bad too so i'll try the sulphate in spring because anything's worth a try. That's interesting Louise as we've noticed we have lots of worm casts on our new bit of lawn at the front theres none on the back lawn.
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Post by SueA on Dec 26, 2011 19:46:46 GMT
Dr. Hessayon's approach to nearly every problem used to be pouring chemicals on it but in recent years he seems to have been persuaded to offer some organic alternatives (probably so he can sell even more books!). I don't know why anyone would want to get rid of worms unless like the link Cherry posted they have croquet lawns or bowling greens.
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Post by steve on Dec 26, 2011 21:25:40 GMT
To make a cast they must be tunnelling and aerating same as other worms don't you think? Just brush any unsightly casts away if considered unsightly
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Post by Louise on Dec 27, 2011 9:09:16 GMT
This type make one hell of a mess, they've ruined my lawns
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Post by peony on Dec 27, 2011 9:53:12 GMT
Wormcasts are the least of my worries with my lawn which because of all the shade is mostly moss I couldn't kill worms because they do so much good in the rest of the garden
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Post by Louise on Dec 27, 2011 10:41:19 GMT
I'll not kill them, i am going to try and get ontop of the problem though next year. So too the earwig problem, i'm sick to death of them decimating every plant in the back garden
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Post by Cherry on Dec 27, 2011 10:53:00 GMT
I think it is the rain that brings up the worms and that would account for me not having this problem.
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Post by Louise on Dec 27, 2011 11:15:04 GMT
I'v just been out to the back lawn, which is the worst affected, and it's just dire, Cherry There's more soil than grass, i really despair
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Post by Cherry on Dec 27, 2011 13:19:07 GMT
I notice on radio gardening programmes that the perfect green lawn is not necessary to modern gardening, but I think I am getting a picture of despair because yours is extremely bad. I don't know what to suggest with my lack of experience.
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Post by lesley on Dec 27, 2011 15:44:59 GMT
I'v just been out to the back lawn, which is the worst affected, and it's just dire, Cherry There's more soil than grass, i really despair Louise have you used Green Thumb before ?? brilliant company they come out and sort your lawn out for you, we had them when we moved in here only for a few month just to get it back into shape after the silly s-d burnt it all.
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Post by seaburn on Dec 27, 2011 18:36:58 GMT
Dr Hessayon worked [works still for all I know] for an agrichemical firm and the books promote the use of chemicals.
As a biologist, all soil living wors will areate the soil to some extent and have to leave casts behind. they eat their way through the soil remving detritus [food] particles as they go. There are many species of worms in britain.
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