Look for earthworms

Ok Earthworms I have. Just rinsing off the patio and they start crawling onto the concrete.

I guess i should go to a big bad spot and see if I can get some to show themselves.

Any idea what's considered a healthy number in a known area?

Tim

Look for earthworms

Very interesting topic. I've never seen an earthworm yet in my soil. Normally, how do you find them in your lawn?

Tim, it would be impossible to answer your question accurately without a microscope and several good soil samples. Based on what you've told us, I would say no your soil is not dead. I wouldn't think it is as active and full of as much life form as it could be, but it's very hard to imagine anyone's soil is completely lifeless unless there has been extensive use of pesticides that really kill the microbes. Your herbicides wouldn't do a complete job of it.

With that said, I suggest your biggest concern to be helping them to multiply, which is very easy to do. With applications of compost, you introduce microbes to the soil. A one quarter inch layer twice a year makes a tremendous difference. Feed them protein-based grains, and they will multiply exponentially and significant increase microbial activity. Soybean meal, alfalfa meal, corn meal, are a few examples. Synthetic fertilizers like Scott's don't feed the microbes, so the soil is not as abundant with life. I don't know if you are considering an organic program, but you really don't have to if it doesn't appeal to you. Or at least, you don't have to go completely organic. Use the grains to do their job and like I did, you can still use the herbicides. I kinda went half way and no matter what anyones says, that is just fine. I didn't always have to use any but always kept some weed killer on hand and used it whenever necessary. I wanted to add to the soil food web and feed them, while keeping my lawn weed free. Corn gluten meal is good for preventing most weed seeds from germinating and is also another protein-based organic fertilizer that does a great job at it. Worm castings is something else to consider. Although it can be quite expensive, you really only need a little at a time. Fish hydrolysate, worm castings tea, compost tea (really great) are some others to consider.

Ron, your additions of compost tea introduces microbes and then you feed them with your grains. Your activities will bring earth worms to the soil to feed on the microbes. Just give it time.

In addition to the things Mallory mentioned, used coffee grounds (UCG) are free from Starbucks. I wouldn't drive out of my way to get them, but when I pass a Starbucks, I always stop and see if they have any grounds. If you've got a large lawn, it may be impractical to get enough grounds to make a difference, but they're free and they provide some food for the microbes, so I'd still go for it if I had a larger lawn. You can also compost them instead of spreading them directly on the lawn.

I use UCG on poorer sections of my lawn which is compacted and rocky untop of my grain program. So far I've been applying grains monthly at 10lbs/1000 ft^2. Corn meal at the end of March and April and rabbit pellets last week. I've also been spraying with weed be gone as the clover exploded this spring (most likely a result of my fall seeding and watering program). Hopefully I got most of it to seed and the weed be gone/weekly mowings will take care of the clover before it reseeds.

There is an old farmer's "test" for earthworm
populations but its a little disruptive to your
lawn. Dig up a cubic foot of soil and count
the worms. 10-12 worms, or *lots* of burrows,
are indicators of healthy soil. If you can
dig in a few spots and take the average.
You'll get a good idea of whats up. Worms
are often overlooked but their contribution
to soil fertility and stucture cannot be
underestimated. Humble though they are they
can burrow through up to 15 tons of soil per
acre in a single season. That translates into
somewhere between one or two tons per yard not
to mention their castings are some of the best
fertilizer around and they do it all for free.

In any case worms wont be thriving in soil
that lacks microbial life as well.

But if you're still not convinced places like
Peaceful Valley sell bacterial innoculants
that are geared mostly for ag usage but could
be adapted to residential use. However as
others have suggested compost tea is probably
the best of the liquid options.

Thank you all for your input.

I think I will put out soybean meal and some sugar the very next time we have chance of rain. I also think I'll spray some compost tea. I'm really not interested in going all organic but I believe they're a lot of good benefits in doing at least some.

I do know they're at least a few earthworms in the soil so thats good. I don't believe I'll dig up the yard but thanks for the information.

Tim

Tim there are only two ways to tell how many earthworns you have.

1. Is to dig and count to be accurate.
2. Is far less accurate and takes Mother Natures help with lots of rain. Then you simply count the hills. For example here in TX we have finnaly been blessed with spring rains. I was out at my favorite golf cours today which is a chemical junky. The greens were unusable from all the earthworm mounds. Same thing here on the sod farm.

In fact yesterday during the rain, I saw this crazy old man with a huge wooden boat loading animals in a 2 X 2 configuration. Right next to hime was another old man that called himself Jim Morrison holding a sign that said "THIS IS THE END".

I've never seen an earthworm yet in my soil.

Me neither, Ron. New construction is famous for killing/disturbing/driving off the little critters. Two years afterward and they're still kind of rare. Every now and again I see one. Just one.

The good news is that they're in there, a few anyway. If you feed them, they will come. And reproduce like gangbusters. Fortunately, I tend to consider them the sign of a healthy soil not the creator of it. The microbes do a great job of aerating your soil and feeding the plants.

The quick method to check earth worm population:

Fill five gallon pail with water. Stir in gently 1/2 cup lemon detergent with no degreaser/antibacterial additives. Gently pour over a section of lawn or garden. Worms will come boiling to the surface, unharmed. Count quickly. Southeners know this is the same method we use to check the mole cricket population in our lawns.