Jumping worms threaten gardens, forests

Jumping worms disturb the soil thereby damaging the ecosystem. Jumping worms live in mulch and the top 4 inches of soil. They consume the nutrients in mulch that would normally enrich the soil. This nutrient loss contributes to the poor survival rates of plants. The change in soil nutrients doesn’t only affect gardens, it also affects forested areas by altering soil chemistry and organisms. Those changes make it difficult for the forest to support the same animal and plant life communities that it did before. 

Jumping worms can be differentiated from other earth worms by their rapid snake like movements. To see jumping worms in action visit this website, https://jwp.cfans.umn.edu/.

Upon close examination, you will notice that the milky pink to gray clitellum ring is barely raised above the skin. On adult worms it is located only 14-15 segments from the head which is much less than other worm species. Also examine the soil where you may have seen  jumping worms; the soil takes on the texture of coffee grounds. 

If you may have seen a jumping worm, rinse it off, place it on a piece of cardboard or cement and take a picture without using the zoom feature of your phone. Then report the siting to the DNR by contacting laura.vanriper@state.mn.us.

While 19 counties in Minnesota already have jumping worms none have been identified in Kanabec County. That may not mean that we don’t have them; perhaps they have just not been reported. Jumping worms are spread by sharing plants that are in soil already impacted by jumping worms. The adult worms make cocoons and lay eggs in late summer and early fall. These cocoons survive winter and hatch in the spring. 

That is why when the master gardeners hold their Native Plant Sale on May 27, most of our plants will be supplied by a professional grower that uses treated soil. Any plants from our own gardens will either be bare-root plants or have had all the soil removed from their roots and been potted in commercial potting soil. More information about jumping worms will also be available at the sale on May 27, from 8 a.m. to noon or until the plants have sold out. 

The sale will be located in the parking lot of the United Methodist Church at 500 Clark Street, Mora. The Pine County Master Gardener Plant Sale will be held Wednesday, May 24, 6:30 a.m. until sold out, at the 4-H building on the Pine County Fairgrounds.

Resource, https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/terrestrialanimals/jumping-worm/index.html.

Juanita Etter is a Kanabec County Extension master gardener.