Will earthworms eat plant roots?

[Beverly]

Will earthworms eat plant roots? I have an abundance of earthworms. But something down there is bothering the roots of my plants and i wanted to know if earthworms may be contributing to the problem. I know i have some black cockroach like looking beetles that are eating the roots and have started Neem drenches. I suspect i have nasty nematodes. And, i wonder if the earthworms are doing more harm than good?

 

[headfullofbees]

Only if they're dead.

 

[Beverly]

There seems to be some question about that according to the BBC who indicate that scientific studies find that earthworms eat live roots and seeds

http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8694000/8694377.stm

 

[marlingardener]

We've always encouraged earthworms in our garden (burying a bit of kitchen waste, making sure the top few inches of soil don't dry out completely). I've never seen any root damage where the worms are most abundant.
Nematodes are a different matter--they do bore and do harm. Here is a site that explains the use of marigolds to deter nematodes. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ng045
We have inter-planted marigolds with our potatoes, turnips, carrots, and other root crops for years. I don't know if we didn't ever have nematodes or if the nematodes were repelled by the marigolds, but the marigolds do no harm and the seed is cheap so we have very decorative vegetable beds!

 

[Chuck]

Earthworms do NOT eat anything alive. Only decayed organic materials. Decayed roots yes! Living roots no. I wouldn't put much faith in the BBC or any major news network

 

[Beverly]

Okay, maybe you should tell that to the Journal of Soil Biology and Biochemistry and Dr. Nico Eisenhauer of the Georg-August-University Gottingen in Germany, published in 2010:

Confirmation that earthworms feed on living plants is published in the journal Soil Biology and Biochemistry by Dr Nico Eisenhauer of the Georg-August-University Göttingen in Germany. Here is a portion of the publication:

Earthworms function as seedling predators

Dr Nico Eisenhauer
With colleagues, Dr Eisenhauer made the discovery studying the behaviour of Lumbricus terrestris, an anecic earthworm that inhabits soils around the world.

Originating in Europe, the worm occurs in grasslands, agricultural fields and forests and is invading soils across the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Previous studies have shown that some earthworms will swallow plant seeds, while others appear to collect seeds, burying them in their burrows.

 

[Daren]

Hard workers those Worms Sorting out the ground & if you have the worms your get the Birds

 

[Chuck]

Okay, maybe you should tell that to the Journal of Soil Biology and Biochemistry and Dr. Nico Eisenhauer of the Georg-August-University Gottingen in Germany, published in 2010:

Confirmation that earthworms feed on living plants is published in the journal Soil Biology and Biochemistry by Dr Nico Eisenhauer of the Georg-August-University Göttingen in Germany. Here is a portion of the publication:

Earthworms function as seedling predators

Dr Nico Eisenhauer
With colleagues, Dr Eisenhauer made the discovery studying the behaviour of Lumbricus terrestris, an anecic earthworm that inhabits soils around the world.

Originating in Europe, the worm occurs in grasslands, agricultural fields and forests and is invading soils across the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Previous studies have shown that some earthworms will swallow plant seeds, while others appear to collect seeds, burying them in their burrows.

I have been in the garden for over 60 years and I have NEVER seen earthworms do anything harmful. I couldn't care less what these "scientists" say. Go ahead and kill your worms and then see what you have.

 

[Beverly]

Oh yes, @Daren, the Birds in the morning are a bonus. Watching my seedlings disappear is not so happy.
@marlingardener, marigolds are very good and contain a natural source insecticide Pyrethrum, not that earthworms are insects, i am not sure what they are exactly or how they would react to Pyethrum. But insects don't like it. I tried to plant them here but they don't like the climate so much. It is nice to know that the earthworms eat bad nematodes, but mine don't seem to be very effective at that for their numbers. So i am giving them some help with Neem oil drenches.

@Chuck, just trying to save my seedlings and plants and i do believe in scientists, at least most of them. Sure there are some bad apples there, but the bad apples don't have a tendency of getting published in scientific journals No need to get your knickers in a bunch Did i say i was going to kill all the worms? Where did i say that? but i think i need to reduce the numbers and provide them with some garbage to eat that might keep their minds off my plants and seedings.

 

[Chuck]

Oh yes, @Daren, the Birds in the morning are a bonus. Watching my seedlings disappear is not so happy.
@marlingardener, marigolds are very good and contain a natural source insecticide Pyrethrum, not that earthworms are insects, i am not sure what they are exactly or how they would react to Pyethrum. But insects don't like it. I tried to plant them here but they don't like the climate so much. It is nice to know that the earthworms eat bad nematodes, but mine don't seem to be very effective at that for their numbers. So i am giving them some help with Neem oil drenches.

@Chuck, just trying to save my seedlings and plants and i do believe in scientists, at least most of them. Sure there are some bad apples there, but the bad apples don't have a tendency of getting published in scientific journals No need to get your knickers in a bunch Did i say i was going to kill all the worms? Where did i say that? but i think i need to reduce the numbers and provide them with some garbage to eat that might keep their minds off my plants and seedings.

Just what is happening to your seedlings and plants?

 

[Beverly]

The seedlings are disappearing, the plants have stunted growth and it is not the time of year for no growth. It is the time of year for new growth. The soil is warm. I haven't seen a slug in a long time, i don't have cut worms, i haven't seen the cutter ants in a long time and they always leave something behind, as do the slugs to indicate who did this. I have black beetles in the soil that i know chew on stems and roots and i am hoping to control them with the Neem drenches.I have watered the soil where i suspect they will be. The black beetles always come up to the surface when they are watered, but i haven't seen signs of them, but i wouldn't think one Neem drench or 2 drenches in some areas would have gotten entirely rid of them. I have space that isn't planted because i've been working on the soil so maybe that is why there are no black beetles there. I have been actively amending the soil with Neem, molasses, DE and organic compost. Epson Salts are on the way to my house. I have often wondered if the earthworms may be responsible. The black beetles are busy at work where you cannot see them. I see signs of them when i tug on a plant and it comes up with no roots or when i water. I really do have a lot of earthworms, there are dozens in every shovel full.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

NO, they help with O2 with soil, and add their poop to it.

 

[Chuck]

The seedlings are disappearing, the plants have stunted growth and it is not the time of year for no growth. It is the time of year for new growth. The soil is warm. I haven't seen a slug in a long time, i don't have cut worms, i haven't seen the cutter ants in a long time and they always leave something behind, as do the slugs to indicate who did this. I have black beetles in the soil that i know chew on stems and roots and i am hoping to control them with the Neem drenches.I have watered the soil where i suspect they will be. The black beetles always come up to the surface when they are watered, but i haven't seen signs of them, but i wouldn't think one Neem drench or 2 drenches in some areas would have gotten entirely rid of them. I have space that isn't planted because i've been working on the soil so maybe that is why there are no black beetles there. I have been actively amending the soil with Neem, molasses, DE and organic compost. Epson Salts are on the way to my house. I have often wondered if the earthworms may be responsible. The black beetles are busy at work where you cannot see them. I see signs of them when i tug on a plant and it comes up with no roots or when i water. I really do have a lot of earthworms, there are dozens in every shovel full.

What do you mean your seedlings are disappearing? Are they there one day and completely gone the next? Are, or they falling over dead from soil level? Neem drench will not really hurt or kill anything except eggs when used as a drench. You need a contact killer such as spinosad. These black beetles, can you get a picture of them? When you see a plant withering and dying dig up the plant and the surrounding soil and see if there is anything there. Have you ever seen any June bugs flying around your lights at night?

 

[MaryMary]

This might sound crazy, but if the seedlings are disappearing, is there any possibility the birds might be responsible for part of it?

Two years ago, I gave 10 tomato starts to my manager, and she said birds plucked out all but one of them. Some they merely pulled out and left on the ground, but she said she saw them fly off with three of them. She said it was robins, and some kind of blackbird. (Around here, it was probably a starling or grackle.)

I'm having a hard time believing earthworms are the culprit. They're supposed to be the good guys!!

 

[Beverly]

@MaryMary...nice to see you again , I hadn't even thought about birds but it is possible, maybe after the seed but taking the whole thing, root leaves, everything.
@MaryMary and @Esther Knapicius , don't be too certain. There were scientific studies published in 2010 saying that earthworms will also eat live roots of plants and seeds. Scroll up for the reference. Of course we are all familiar with their beneficial qualities. It did happen fairly close to the birdbath and the birds often cruise the stretch of soil close by.