Everyone knows how useful earthworms are in the soil. They eat the dead organic plant material and loosen the soil with their constant digging. However, in a narrow flower pot, worms do more harm than good.

Earthworms do not belong in flower pots, but should not be killed but relocated

How do earthworms get into the flower pot and why do they damage the plants?

Earthworms are not normally found in flower pots. However, if you use garden soil or soil from the forest, earthworms or their eggs can be introduced.
While he digs loosely through the ground in open terrain, devours dead plant fibers and spreads natural fertilizer with his droppings, it quickly becomes too cramped in the flower pot. He finds too little food and as a result lays hands on the delicate roots of the potted plants. This will damage the plant.

Fighting earthworms in the flower pot

It is not necessary to use chemicals to repel earthworms. Surely one has already observed in the garden after heavy rains that the earthworms leave the wet soil. Too much water will also drive the worms out of the soil of houseplants. Proceed as follows:

  1. Fill a bucket or tub with water.
  2. Take the flower pot and place it in the water. The earth should be completely submerged.
  3. Wait a while for the soil to soak up water.
  4. The worms will leave their wet home and swim to the surface.
  5. Collect the worms.
  6. Relocate the animals to your garden so that they can continue to do their useful work there.

Flooding the infested pot is a good method, but often leaves eggs or larvae in the pot. Therefore, the measure should be repeated after some time. So that the houseplant can recover from the heavy watering, it should always drain well. Watering is not necessary in the near future.

Category:

Garden design