Want to make some money in this new world! Have you tried Dew Worm catching? Yes – Dew Worms – every fisherman’s dream – but an absolute nightmare for the homeowner who may have them. You can send the kids out with headlamps and have them collect a bag full and sell them – Dandy little entrepreneurs. I know I personally don’t want to gather 3” – 12” underground snakelike mini anacondas.
Do you wake up to a yard full of casts, or tiny dirt piles on the surface of your lawn? Layman's terms your lawn will be bumpy and uneven. These little fellas' work leaves our lawns hard to walk on and aesthetically nasty. Those responsible for this are nowhere to be seen during the day. Active at night and early morning, when the lawn is wet (hence the name), they can churn a healthy lawn into a hectic jumble of castings mounds and deep tunnels. Thus leaving our pride and joy yard feeling somewhat lacklustre.
While worms are excellent to have in the yard for their ability to aerate the soil, dew worms (or night-crawlers), are far too much of a good thing. Dew worms love older grass and can affect entire established neighbourhoods.
But how do you protect and look after your yard?
A few Dandy Lawns tips :
Aerate your lawn in the spring and fall and rake it out well – reduce the thatch- it makes a less than Dandy environment for these slimy bellied creatures
These critters also hate fertilizer. Regular Dandy fertilizer applications will definitely help.
Do not water your lawn at night – it gives them the perfect environment to come to the surface and play. Follow your watering guidelines – these really do help keep your lawns healthy.
If your lawn is patchy – top-dress with fresh grass seed – but if it’s very unhealthy consider starting over with fresh turf.
And if all else fails – a generous layer of sharp sand will make them think twice about venturing to the surface.
Here in Canada, we do not have established chemicals that we can spray on our lawns o get rid of Dew Worms. These hints are some of the best ways to combat these little suckers!
Mr. Dandy is having a blast investigating various lawn troubles and really does enjoy passing on these dandy tips.
More to follow ……