Today, Sarah interviews Paul Hetherington, Director of Fundraising and Communications at the Buglife Invertebrate Conservation Organisation, with a particular interest in discussing worms and depending on the type, their significance in the garden.  

So dip into the world of our 2 enthusiasts for an insightful chat about the trials and tribulations of this common garden dweller and much understated invertebrate. Learn about the enormous impact they have on our ecosystems and how we can encourage and nurture these ultimate ‘friends of the earth’. However it pays to be mindful that not all worms have a positive effect on our environment!  

As ever, this episode is full of useful tips and advice to bring out the horticulturist in all of us! 

Points of interest;

How to identify a particular type of worm.

Importance of earthworms on the landscape and our produce.

How to encourage more earthworms and identify the ones we don't want.

Chemicals and the effects they can have on earthworms.

Worms and compost.

The implications of native and non-native species.

FAQs Answered;

How many species of worm are there in the uk?

How do I conduct an earthworm count?

What do worms look like when they self fertilise?

Why can we consider earthworms as natural recyclers?

Which worms are good for the garden and which ones are not?

Guest follow up;

Visit buglife.org.uk - Particular topic of concern is pollination and species at risk. Find out how you can help?

Further useful research;

www.opalexplorenature.org 

www.ispotnature.org 

studies-council.org">www.field-studies-council.org

www.earthwormsoc.org 

Royal Entomological Society

“Formation of vegetable mould through The action of worms” by Charles Darwin 1881.

Get in touch;

Email podcast@rootsandall.co.uk

Website www.rootsandall.co.uk

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Patreon Link;

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