Why are there more Worms in Weed Patch than Veg Garden?

[GardenJester]

I have a pebble bed in my backyard that use to be a playground. It's got some weed growing in it, so I dug the weeds up. every weed that I dug up had couple of earth worms around its roots. I swear there are less worm in my vegi garden which is right next to the pebble bed. What's up with that?

[rainbowgardener]

Got me! Sounds very odd... Having been a playground probably that soil hasn't been enriched for a long time. Maybe it's a particular kind of weed that earthworms really like? Could it be that there's something going on in the nearby veggie garden that is driving them away, like over-watering?

Sometimes gardens are just mysterious!

[applestar]

I was pulling some weeds and noticed the earthworms entangled roots too. Maybe it's because the weeds that we're pulling are the ones undergoing the most top growth right now (that's why we notice them and we pull them) and in the process are generating root exudates that either attracts earthworms or attracts something else that earthworms are attracted to, especially as they're coming out of hybernation and needing extra nutrients?

[Toil]

it could be as simple as pH.

where the pH higher, you find more worms. makes sense, since their favorite food raises soil pH.

[The Helpful Gardener]

Could be AS and toil just said the same thing... I think they are both right. Question is which comes first; more bacteria or the higher pH?

That's a question for you...

Could be you are using something in the garden they don't like. Pesticides? Chemical fertilizers? These could kill the biology they like to eat, or make them physically uncomfortable. Even garlic or citrus oils; I once drove worms out of a bin with rye bread. I think it started a fungal culture they hated. Who knows for sure? Nobody I know.

But I think these two are on to something, I do...

HG

[gixxerific]

What they said. Plus what are weeds? Just unwanted plants for what you want really. If you have some many worms why not transplant some of them into your veggie garden.

[cynthia_h]

...

Could be you are using something in the garden they don't like. Pesticides? Chemical fertilizers? These could kill the biology they like to eat, or make them physically uncomfortable. Even garlic or citrus oils; I once drove worms out of a bin with rye bread.

Essential citrus oils are very intense, but I've put citrus peels into my worm trays and the worms eat them. As to the rye bread: if I don't make rye bread myself, it almost never appears here at the house. The caraway seeds alone will drive both DH and me to distraction. I fully sympathize with those poor invertebrates.

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

[GardenJester]

I don't use any chemicals, well... cept for some slug pellets I put down like a year ago. That doesn't count, does it? It could just be that my garden is all barren at the momment, I leaf mulched last fall, so it's kind of barren cept for some chives I planted at the borders.

[The Helpful Gardener]

Yup, that could be it (I put down the iron phosphate for slugs last year too, and that bed is FULL of worms, so that ain't it...)

Which just goes to show, weeds may not be as bad as we thought. Worms prefer them to no weeds at all... my weed cropping idea this year could really pay off...

HG