One gardener discovered an unpleasant surprise when removing invasive plants from their yard.
The Reddit user asked for advice from the community r/invasivespecies after they found jumping worms while pulling the unwanted flora. Jumping worms are another kind of invasive species that are harmful to North American gardens.
Photo Credit: Reddit
Photo Credit: Reddit
The poster said they were already dealing with stiltgrass, ground ivy, and false strawberry in their garden. All of these can outgrow and overpower native plants. Meanwhile, jumping worms deplete nutrients from the soil.
The user asked if it was possible to feed the jumping worms to local birds or raccoons. Other community members advised against it, as it would likely be unproductive.
“Not even the fish want them, and for the same reason the chickens don’t want them – they secrete a nasty mucus,” one person shared.
It is critical to remove all invasive species from your garden to ensure the health and prosperity of your plants. In addition to invasive plants killing your garden, bad soil caused by jumping worms can prevent it from thriving.
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Native pollinators are also often unequipped to collect nectar from invasive plants, according to the North American Pollinator Protection Campaign. This can impact any produce you’re growing, as pollinators are essential for fertilizing seeds. Rewilding your yard with native plants is an easy way to attract these helpful critters and save money on maintenance. This also reduces the amount of water, fertilizer, and pesticides needed for upkeep.
Reddit users shared their advice for getting rid of the jumping worms in the original poster’s garden. They must be removed physically, as there are no chemical controls, according to the University of Maryland.
“I’ve been dealing with them for a few years and the best way to deal with dispatching a large bucket on them like that is with straight vinegar,” one person shared. “I have a gallon of super concentrated, industrial strength vinegar, and you can use a little bit of that and add some water until they are submerged. It kills them very quickly.”
“I take a plastic container with me as I weed,” another said. “Every worm that shows gets the can (I used a coffee can to start) put the lid on tight when I’m finished, leave it in the sun, toss it in the trash after a couple of days.”
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