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Or rather, lack of them

We've just started digging up underneath our black plastic.
This has been down on the ground for just over a year.
When we started digging, there doesn't seem to be any worms in the soil.
There was a red ants nest though.
Is this a bad thing? Is there any way to get them back there?

Hi Charlie. If the plastic has been down for a year, it could mean that the soil has gone sour. Lack of oxygen. I think it needs turning over to get the air back into it. If you also dig in good compost that should attract the worms. I have dug up worms from a good worm area and put them into the area that you need them. Kitchen waste will also attract them. Put the waste in a trench and then cover.
Next season, instead of using plastic, try using newspaper, ( which will suppress the weeds ), and then put a thick layer of compost (75-100mm) on top. That will be ready to use when you wish to plant. Make sure the paper is well watered before applying compost. The worms will do their job quite happily.

Robin

Cheers for that. Will try and do that next year.

I agree with ohareward's advice. Plastic sheet should be a short-term thing, no more than three months. Black plastic is particularly effective in late winter/early spring as it helps the ground warm faster.

Another thing to consider is soil compaction. We had a couple of areas that were severely impacted by farm vehicles, so much so that I had to dig them with a crowbar and mattock.

There were almost no worms in these areas, with perhaps one showing up in each square metre. But after breaking the soil up and enriching heavily with well-rotted muck the worms re-appeared within three months - without deliberately bringing them in from elsewhere. They either migrated in from the softer areas adjacent to compacted area or were in the bottom layer of muck from our muck boxes.

Another possibility for the lack of worms is previous pesticide use on the land. Our land is rich with worms and bugs, but neighbouring farms that use chemical sprays have much less in the way of worms and bugs. Pick up a handful of soil from our place, even where it hasn't been enriched, and you'll find dozens of critters. Pick up a handful of soil from the next field over and you find almost none.

It can take years for the effects of chemicals to go.

The more I garden, the more I appreciate worms. I used to be a bit squeamish about touching them but now, if I'm digging and see them in the danger zone, I'll gently lift them up and find a nice looking patch of soil to reposition them in.

I hope the tips above prove useful in re-establishing your worm population, Charlie.

Wulf