By 
Gardening Tip of the Day
Sugars and sweet liquids are favorites of earthworms. Raisin water is one of their favorite foods. Earthworms are so beneficial to garden soil that any additional food, other than routine organic matter, can be added to the soil.
The soil in a garden with earthworms is well fertilized without need of synthetic fertilizers.
Earthworm castings, commonly known as vermicompost, add nitrogen and other nutrients to the garden soil. Leaves, grass clippings, and other organic waste form compost with time, but earthworm castings actually affect the biological activity of the soil and hastens the cycling of nitrogen.
When organic matter decomposes, sugary, sweet, and fermented liquids are produced. Fungi, mold, and bacteria flourish on these liquids and grow into large colonies in the soil. This is what the earthworm actually thrives on.
According to Cogent Food & Agriculture, Vermicompost is 90-95 percent organic matter and increases the availability of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and zinc to plants.
According to the Journal of Soil Science and Environmental Management, the levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium can be 5 to 11 times higher in vermicompost than in surrounding soil. Some tests showed that nitrogen levels can be as high as 24 percent higher than garden soil.
Earthworms also secrete a nitrogen-rich mucus as they burrow through the soil. This mucus interacts with the soil and earthworm castings which release nitrogen slowly and consistently unlike synthetic fertilizers which are added all at one time or intermittently throughout the growing season.
The tunnels created by earthworms distribute water more efficiently through the soil while also distributing nitrogen evenly to all plants according to the journal Ecosystems.
When feeding food scraps to worms in a vermicomposting bin, it is best to let the scraps soften and decay for a few days so that the microbial colonies are ready for the worms to digest.
Articles that may be of interest:
Earthworms Reduce Weeds
Raisin Water Benefits Garden
Click here for a great assortment of vermicompost and/or vermicomposting bins at Amazon.
Author Marilyn Pokorney
Copyright Marilyn Pokorney 2026
