How to Get Rid of Garden Worms

How to Get Rid of Garden Worms. Gardeners can face plenty of obstacles to an abundant and healthy garden. If keeping worms under control without using harmful pesticides is one of your concerns, you'll find some relief by following the steps below. At the same time you'll enjoy a more diverse garden environment and more nutritious produce.

Grow healthy plants. Insect infestations happen much less frequently when the plants are healthy. Starting with rich organic soil, watering and feeding regularly and keeping weeds under control will help in keeping the worms from attacking your plants in the first place. Taking extra care in transplanting young seedlings into the garden will help to keep cutworms from attacking the stems.

Examine the garden regularly. Keep close tabs on the condition of your plants and you'll be able to stop pests in their tracks before a larger infestation can occur.

Remove infested plants. If the worms are attacking one plant and not another, the infested plant and the soil around it can be dug up and burned. Look carefully at the leaves of surrounding plants to check that the infestation has not spread.

Rotate crops. Growing the same plants in the same beds year after year invites infestation. The soil and the plants will be healthier if you follow a systematic plan for changing the location of each crop from year to year.

Use companion planting. Sage, rosemary, hyssop, thyme and mint are some herbs that can be planted to discourage the cabbage worm butterfly and other moths, too. Borage, basil and marigolds are helpful in keeping tomato hornworms away.

Attract birds. Having a variety of birds in and around your garden will keep a balanced environment. The birds have more time and motivation than you do for picking worms off plants. One bird that's busy feeding its young can remove hundreds of worms from your garden in a single day. (See Resources below.)