There’s nothing quite like the feeling of plunging your hand into rich, loose soil and discovering it crawling with earthworms. It’s a moment of affirmation—a sign that the soil is alive, thriving, and responding well to your care.
Earthworms aren’t just garden companions; they’re nature’s soil inspectors. Their presence (or absence) tells us a lot about soil health, fertility, and the effectiveness of our land management practices.
If you want to know how well your garden beds, pastures, or regenerative practices are working, let the worms be your guide.
Why Earthworms Matter for Soil Health
Earthworms are ecosystem engineers, playing a crucial role in maintaining soil structure, nutrient cycling, and overall fertility.
What Earthworms Do for the Soil:
✅ Aerate the soil—their burrowing creates channels for air and water.
✅ Break down organic matter—digesting plant debris and turning it into nutrient-rich castings.
✅ Improve drainage—preventing compaction and waterlogging.
✅ Enhance microbial activity—stimulating beneficial bacteria and fungi.
✅ Increase nutrient availability—making minerals more accessible to plants.
A thriving earthworm population indicates healthy, balanced soil—while their absence can signal compaction, chemical imbalances, or poor organic matter content.
How to Conduct ‘The Worm Test’
Want to assess your soil health? Try these simple tests to see how earthworm activity reflects the condition of your land.
1. The Hand Dig Test
- Choose a spot in your garden or field.
- Dig into the soil with your hand or a small shovel.
- Count how many worms you find in a single scoop.
What It Means:
✅ Lots of worms? Your soil is thriving! Keep doing what you’re doing.
❌ Few or no worms? Your soil may be compacted, lacking organic matter, or chemically imbalanced.
2. The Rain Test
- After a good rain, walk outside and observe the ground.
- Count how many worms have surfaced.
What It Means:
✅ Many worms emerging? Your soil has good moisture retention and biological activity.
❌ Few worms visible? Your soil may be too dry, compacted, or lacking microbial life.
3. The Cardboard Test
- Lay a piece of cardboard on bare soil for one week.
- Lift it and count how many worms are underneath.
What It Means:
✅ Worms gathered beneath? Your soil has active decomposers and good organic matter.
❌ No worms present? Your soil may need more organic material or better moisture retention.
4. The Tree Planting Test
- When digging a hole for a new tree, observe the soil.
- Count how many worms appear as you dig.
What It Means:
✅ Worms in the soil? Your land is supporting healthy biological activity.
❌ No worms? Consider adding compost, mulch, or organic amendments to improve soil conditions.
How to Attract More Earthworms to Your Soil
If your worm test reveals low activity, don’t worry—there are simple ways to invite earthworms back and improve soil health.
1. Add Organic Matter
- Apply compost, leaf mulch, or aged manure to feed worms.
- Use cover crops to increase organic material naturally.
2. Avoid Chemical Disruptions
- Reduce or eliminate synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, which harm soil life.
- Choose organic amendments that support microbial activity.
3. Keep Soil Moist but Not Waterlogged
- Use mulch to retain moisture and create a worm-friendly environment.
- Avoid excessive tilling, which disrupts worm burrows.
4. Encourage No-Till or Minimal Disturbance Practices
- No-till gardening preserves worm habitats.
- Rotational grazing improves soil structure in pastures.
By creating a worm-friendly environment, you’ll naturally improve soil fertility, plant health, and ecosystem resilience.
Earthworms are nature’s way of telling us how we’re doing. Their presence signals healthy, thriving soil, while their absence warns us that something needs adjustment.
By conducting The Worm Test, we gain valuable insight into our land management practices—helping us make informed decisions that support regenerative soil health.
Because when the worms are happy, the land is happy. And when the land is happy, everything thrives.
