What does the invasion of white worms mean? What to do if there are white worms in an indoor flower? Is an orange worm bad in a house flower?

IN Lately a lot of information about the benefits of earthworms. But it's in the garden. And for indoor flowers? Many people believe that they need to be destroyed in a pot. Is it so?

Opinions about earthworms are extremely contradictory. Some praise their virtues and even breed them at home, others see them as an unpleasant creature, like a voracious caterpillar.

You can find many stories on the Internet that give examples of how earthworms“They killed the poor flower in the pot” (hereinafter - quotes from various forums). However, such statements raise serious doubts. And first of all, in the education of their authors.

Here's the quote that begins one story: "Earthworms are generally regarded as beneficial insects...".

What follows is a description of the poor flower, which was “fading before our eyes.” After it was taken out of the pot, it turned out that there was an earthworm (and more than one!). Apparently, “these worms gobbled up all the roots, leaving only pitiful bits of them.”

Of course, we know what earthworms look like. Let's try to figure out whether they can harm plants.

Let's start with the fact that earthworms are not insects (as they were called on the forum). The offensive word “worms” is also not about them. The earthworms we see in the garden are terrestrial invertebrates. Here's what it looks like according to scientific classification: Kingdom - Animals; Type - Annelids; Class - Beltworms; Subclass - Oligochaete worms; Order - Haplotaxida; Suborder - Earthworms; Family - Lumbricidae.

Large eyeless worms 10-30 cm long belong to this family. The genera and species of this family differ in the shape of the head lobe (the so-called upper lip), in the position of the girdle and in the number of rings.

Several dozen species from the genera Lumbricus, Dendrobaena and Allolobophora are found in Russia.

Representatives of this family - best helpers to increase soil fertility, and at the same time - a popular bait for fishing.

Accusations that an earthworm “bitten” the poor flower are completely unfounded. U earthworm there are no gnawing organs, unlike, for example, wireworms. Therefore, healthy plant roots are too tough for him.

An earthworm feeds on semi-decomposed organic matter, including roots, which are already rotten and softened. So in the pot he could easily “eat up” the roots of the flower if they were rotten. But with such roots, the flower itself would have died, without the “help” of the worm.

If he ate the rotten roots, then, rather, he did some good, since he eliminated most infected tissue. This can be compared to the amputation of a leg affected by gangrene. Doctors sacrifice part of the body to prevent its death as a whole.

So the worm is not eating the healthy roots in the pot. What happened to the plant that began to wither?

There may be several causes of the disease. Most likely, the flower was simply flooded. Stagnation of moisture in a pot is harmful to any plants. The top layer of soil may look dry, but the soil below remains moist.

Stagnation of moisture occurs when the plant is watered frequently and abundantly, when not drainage holes or the holes are too small and clogged with soil. Sooner or later this leads to rotting of the roots.

Also, the roots begin to rot from hypothermia of the earthen lump on the windowsill or from high dose fertilizers Another reason is diseases whose pathogens penetrate from the soil into the root system.

But in all these cases, the owner of the flower is “to blame,” because he did not fulfill the requirements of the plant or did not carefully monitor it and missed the onset of the disease. It is clear that we do not like to blame ourselves. It is much more convenient to blame everything on the earthworm, especially when it turns out to be “at the crime scene.”

SHOULD I KICK OUT OR LEAVE THE EARTHWORM?

Earthworms (as well as their eggs) enter the flower pot with garden soil or compost, which is added to the soil mixture. These inhabitants usually do not exist in store-bought soil, since the soil is steamed.

A sure sign that there are earthworms in a pot with a houseplant are small black pellets on the surface of the soil. If the activity of earthworms in the soil is considered beneficial, then flower pot there is no place for them. This is due to the fact that in a pot the worms are forced to live in a small volume of soil. In search of food, they make many moves and actually “spin” in one place. Thus, they interfere with the growth of thin suction roots that nourish the plant. It takes on a depressed appearance and develops slowly.

With all due respect to earthworms, it is better to remove them from the pot. They don’t respond to a polite request to leave; you’ll have to kick me out. This method is used for this. The pot is placed in a container and water is poured to ground level. Soon the worms will run out of air and crawl to the surface. There they can be collected and transferred to the garden or city front garden. However, this method does not guarantee that there are no earthworm eggs left in the ground.

It is better to transplant the flower into new soil, while choosing uninvited guests. Earthworm eggs are also easy to select. They are round, yellow or brown and quite large (2 to 4 mm). More precisely, these are cocoons containing from 2 to 20 eggs.

When replanting a flower, sometimes they find many small red worms in the pot at once,

which bear little resemblance to useful assistants. They immediately try to destroy these “worms”. But this is what a young earthworm that hatched from eggs looks like (on the first day, the babies are only 1 mm long). Together with the soil, they also need to be released into the beds.

In addition to removing worms, replanting indoor flowers is also recommended because it allows you to carefully examine the plant for root rot.

Diseased roots can be easily distinguished by their color: black or dark brown. Sometimes the roots become translucent and soft to the touch.

Affected areas of roots need to be cut off sharp scissors and sprinkle with crushed coal (or a tablet activated carbon). After transplanting, water moderately and cover the above-ground part with a jar or bag.

To treat the disease, you need to water the plant with some fungicide, for example, phytosporin.

If the roots were healthy and you simply removed the earthworms, then soon the plant will go on the mend.

Number of impressions: 49941

Houseplants are no less susceptible to insect attacks than garden plants. Improper care behind flowers contributes to the appearance of flying, jumping and crawling pests. Most of them are very dangerous for plants - they damage the root system, suck juice from leaves and stems, bite through buds, preventing flowers from blooming. A common occurrence is small white worms in the soil of indoor plants.

White or transparent worms in indoor pots– alarm signal. Pests weaken the plant and slow down its growth. The flower stops producing buds, the leaves turn yellow and wither. These worms can be either adult insects or their larvae. Whatever they are, if timely measures are not taken, the plant may die.

Insect larvae

When we talk about larvae, we usually mean several genera of insects from the order Diptera.

Mushek

Springtails (springtails, springtails) are tiny arthropods no larger than 5 mm in size. They have a jumping fork in the lower part of their body, which allows them to move quickly. Some specimens are so small that they are difficult to see. Often, owners notice white worms in the tray, in the water remaining after watering. Insects live in the soil and feed on organic debris. If this nutrition is not enough for them, the roots of the flower and young shoots are destroyed. Waterlogged soil is a favorable habitat.

Fungus gnat

Representatives of the Sciarich family that indoor gardeners encounter:

sciara midges;
fungus gnats;
genus Bradysia.

Only a specialist can find the differences between these insects, but the damage they cause and the methods of control are almost the same. The insect is a small mosquito. The length of the thin body is 3-4 mm, the head is round. It has only a front pair of transparent wings, and in place of the hind wings there are club-shaped halteres.

Insects fly well and reproduce quickly. A young mosquito has a light gray body, which turns black with age. Adults do not cause any particular harm to plants, but can carry various diseases and the larvae of other pests.

The main damage is caused by fungus gnat larvae - white, transparent worms 3-5 mm long with a black head.

Insects damage the root system of indoor flowers. The plant's supply is disrupted nutrients and moisture, the flower may die. The larvae get in with the contaminated soil. The second way for adults to enter an apartment is from the street through open windows. Mosquitoes prefer waterlogged soil.

Nematodes

Nematodes (roundworms) are protostomes. Zoologists suggest the existence of about a million species on earth. They live in fresh and salt water bodies, in the soil.

Nematodes are tiny worms in indoor flowers that grow in moist soil and feed on living and dead plants.

Types of plant nematodes:

Galls that settle on the roots, their secretions contribute to the formation of thickenings in which pests live and reproduce. When the eggs mature, the shell is destroyed and the larvae spread in the soil.
Nematodes with free formation of cysts are attached to the root.
Free nematodes do not have permanent place residence, crawling, damage various organs of the plant.

Signs of nematode damage:

the appearance of yellow and subsequently brown and black spots on the foliage;
reduction in leaf size, their deformation;
curvature of stems, drying out apical buds;
the formation of thickenings and swellings on the root system.

Nematodes lay oval eggs, from which white, partially transparent larvae emerge.

Enhytrea

The appearance of enchytrea in house flowers is difficult to notice; they live on the roots of plants. If you don't take action, root system will be covered with worms. Signs of damage are stunted growth, yellowing of leaves. Enchitraea often appear in greenhouses; they love warmth and moisture. Pests look like small, mobile white worms with pointed ends. The body of the worm is translucent, through which the digestive organs are visible. These pests are good food for aquarium fish.

Fighting methods

If there are pests in a flower pot, you need to get rid of them urgently. Depending on the degree of damage, choose control methods.

Mechanical

Since white worms live mainly in the soil, mechanical removal is ineffective. You can remove or wash off the adult specimens from the roots, but you will not be able to get rid of the eggs and larvae. If pests have just appeared, replant the indoor plant in healthy, calcined soil. Treat the soil with insecticides. When replanting, remove adult insects, larvae and eggs from the root system. Trim damaged areas and treat with disinfectant solutions.

Chemical

In a specialized store you will be offered several proven drugs for controlling soil pests:

"Carbation"– means of fumigatory action. Used once to protect the flower and to sterilize the soil.
"Agravertine"– a safe, highly effective product, does not cause addiction among pests, and in the hot season the effectiveness increases.
"Fitoverm"– a few hours after treatment causes paralysis in pests; after 2-3 days they die. Apply by spraying, re-treatment is recommended.
"Confidor"– the active substance penetrates the plant tissue, the effect persists long time. The drug can only harm insects.
"Intavir"– a nerve poison that affects most insect pests. Within half an hour the feeding process stops, and within 24 hours the pests die. Does not destroy eggs.

Chemicals are toxic; safety rules must be strictly followed.

Folk remedies

If you're not a supporter chemical reagents, try folk remedies:

Prepare a pale pink solution of potassium permanganate and water the indoor plant several times with this solution.
Use for spraying soap solution.
Place citrus peels, garlic cloves near the flowers, and treat the soil with anise oil.
Prepare a solution of 5 g of tobacco dust and a liter of water. After steeping for 24 hours, spray the plant and soil in the pot. Repeat the procedure once a week for 1-1.5 months.

Many gardeners are convinced that matches stuck with sulfur heads into the soil help deal with white worms in the soil.

#gallery-2 ( margin: auto; ) #gallery-2 .gallery-item ( float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 50%; ) #gallery-2 img ( border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; ) #gallery-2 .gallery-caption ( margin-left: 0; ) /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */

Prevention measures

It is easier to prevent insects from infecting plants than to fight them.

Listen to the advice of experts:

Even if you notice one fly or worm, check all the pots.
Replace the soil, wash the containers.
Adjust watering, do not over-moisten the soil.
Do not use folk remedies for fertilizer - tea leaves, meat juice. These products create favorable conditions for the breeding of pests.
Do not place vases with purchased flowers near indoor plants.

Monitor newly acquired plants and soil. Follow the rules of flower care; a healthy plant is less susceptible to pests.

There are two radically opposing opinions about the activity of earthworms in containers with.

Some claim that these creatures harm the root system of the flower, others claim the opposite. In fact, there is no clear answer to this question.

These creatures live in all layers of the soil and play a leading role in creating its fertility. These creatures feed on dead organic matter.

Digesting it, they secrete great amount vitamins, humic and amino acids, enzymes, antibiotics and a host of other biologically active substances that suppress pathogenic microflora.

Together with plant residues and soil particles, worms ingest harmful bacteria, fungal spores, nematodes and protozoa found in them.

This is the basis of their protein nutrition. During the day, one individual absorbs and processes a mass of soil with organic matter equal to its weight.

Simply put, they fertilize and normalize the microbial composition of the soil. In addition, they increase the aeration of the fertile layer by making numerous passages in it.

In one summer, each worm creates up to a kilometer of channels through which moisture and air enter deep into the soil.

Availability of water and oxygen – prerequisites for the occurrence of chemical processes, as a result of which substances beneficial to plants are converted into easily digestible compounds.

In addition, moisture and air are necessary for soil microorganisms, whose activity is important for maintaining fertility.

Due to the fact that there are a huge number of species of worms living in different layers of soil, the channels they lay penetrate the soil to a sufficient depth. This is where the bulk is located minerals, .

The waste products of such worms are coprolites. They are small lumps of soil that have passed through digestive system these creatures.

In addition, worm manure contains bacteria that can bind nitrogen in the air. Coprolites are rich in chitinase, a hormone that protects plants from pests, and fungicides that protect against diseases.

Such residents leave piles of manure on the soil surface. They are collected and used to make biologically active solutions, which are used as a growth stimulator, fertilizer and protection against diseases and pests.

In the digestive tract of the described creatures there are special glands that produce lime. It neutralizes acids formed during the decomposition of organic matter. Thus, the worms lime the soil.

Results of worm activity in flower containers

Many gardeners believe that these inhabitants harm potted plants by gnawing their roots. This statement is not true. Worms do not have teeth, so they cannot feed on living organic matter, and they do not eat roots.

Another thing is that the benefits of them in a small volume of flower pot are very doubtful.

This can be bad for the flowers. The ready-made soil is already enriched with the necessary fertilizers and active substances. It also does not need increased aeration, since it includes significant part peat having a fairly loose structure.

In addition, such soil contains little food for worms - undecomposed organic matter. In search of food, these soil animals will make numerous passages, exposing the roots of the flower in places and damaging them mechanically. As a result, the plant stops growing and may appear unhealthy or depressed.

That is why some flower growers clearly consider such cohabitants to be pests and do their best to combat their presence. Some people simply don't like the slime trails these creatures leave on the surface of the soil. Others don't like worms and their colors at all.

If so, getting rid of or removing them is not difficult. It is enough to immerse the flower pot in water so that it reaches its edge. After some time, the worms will feel the lack of oxygen and crawl to the surface. All you have to do is collect them and throw them away.

There is also a more radical one with unwanted earthly guests - poison. Fumigants and fungicides are poisonous to them. They can be used at home.

Some people confuse these worms with really dangerous pests - weevil and cutworm larvae. They feed on the roots of the plant, causing its death.

Worms or their eggs get into the pot along with low-quality soil purchased at the store, or when using a soil mixture prepared independently.

To avoid the appearance of unwanted guests in a flower pot, it is necessary to sterilize the soil used for planting indoor plants using a chemical or thermal method.

Earthworms will not cause any harm to large plants planted in large containers.

On the contrary, their benefits in this case are undoubted, especially if the pot is filled with heavy garden soil. These tireless workers loosen the soil, fertilize and aerate it.

Some gardeners note that in large pots, such residents. Especially if the flower that lives there needs heavy and very nutritious soil that tends to shrink. But you need to carefully monitor the condition of the plant; if signs of wilting begin, then it may be worth getting rid of the worms.

One of the advantages of earthworms is that they can only eat softened and rotten roots, and this will have a positive effect on the condition of the flower. After all, it will help protect him from further spread of the disease.

If you decide to prepare a mixture for a flower yourself and do not want additional inhabitants to appear in the pot, then we recommend frying the soil collected from the garden in the oven for high temperature. This method helps well against any uninvited guests and a number of diseases, including fungal ones.

While watching the video you will learn how to get rid of pests.

Attention, super FLIGHT!

To print

Nadezhda Galynskaya 02/11/2014 | 79250

If you find white worms in a flower pot, it's time to sound the alarm, because they are by no means harmless. Because of these pests, not a single new plant will be able to sprout in the ground, and an adult one may die.

If there are white worms in the soil, but black ones do not fly around the plants small flies, then they probably develop in the ground enchytrea, or saprophytic nematode species.

Enchitraea look like small white worms about 1-2 cm long. These are the closest relatives of earthworms. Lovers aquarium fish They are specially bred for food. They live in the soil at a depth of about 10 cm.

They can be noticed if you remove the plant from the pot. They harm potted plants - they eat roots and tender shoots. The damaged plant begins to lag in growth, the leaves turn yellow and wither, and eventually the plant dies. Promotes the appearance of enchytraea high humidity soil and the presence of undecomposed pieces (organics) of plant residues. In places rich in food, enchitraea are found in whole balls.

Preventive actions

Do not allow the soil in the pots to become waterlogged. When moving plants to Fresh air Be sure to use trays to prevent insects from entering pots from open ground.

Control measures

Keeping potted flowers drier.
Immersion of flowerpots completely in hot water to flush out insects.
Replanting plants that have been affected by this scourge: rinse the pot and roots of the old soil and plant the plant in fresh soil. But such a procedure for a flower is not painless.
Most effective way– water the soil with an insecticide solution (Aktara, Bazudin, Inta-Vir, Fury, Fitoverm) or anti-helminth medications (repeat twice with an interval of two weeks). In the spring, transplant the plants into new soil, carefully clearing the roots of the old soil.
Land must be purchased from branded flower shops. First of all, check that the package is not torn and pay attention to the expiration date. Do not buy soil in counterfeit bags that do not have the manufacturer’s brand name and address.

Soil disinfection

The soil must meet all standards and be free of any pests, pathogen spores and weed seeds. But it’s still safer to disinfect the finished soil yourself.

You can pour boiling water or a hot (90°C) solution of potassium permanganate over the soil poured into a bucket and cover it on top to maintain the high temperature for a longer time.

But better soil steam using any large old pan or bucket. Pour water (1/4 volume) into the bottom of the container. At a height of 1/3 from the bottom, install a lid with drilled holes(grid, colander bowl), which is covered with a large piece of cloth so that the soil does not spill. Or pour the earth into a cloth bag. Cover the top tightly with a lid and boil for at least 40 minutes.

Disinfecting soil in the oven requires caution. The layer of earth should be no more than 8-10 cm, and the temperature should not be higher than 60-80°C. Heat treatment causes the death of not only pathogenic microorganisms, but also beneficial ones.

Sterile soil is very quickly (within 2-3 weeks) populated by new inhabitants, both harmful and beneficial. To ensure that there are as few of the former as possible, it is recommended to add vermicompost (1:10) to the disinfected cooled soil.

To print

Reading today

Florist school How to protect home flowers from the sun

Even though all plants need light, in large quantities it can not only damage, but also completely...

Earthworms- a family of worms from the class of oligochaetes, such as annelids. The length reaches from 10 to 30 cm. With thick skin, red blood, without eyes. The body consists of rings, or segments. All segments, except the anterior one, bear 8 short small hooked setae, which serve as support during movement. They reproduce by laying cocoons with eggs in the ground. Each sexually mature individual lays summer period 18-24 cocoons, each containing 1-21 eggs. After 2 - 3 weeks, new individuals emerge from the eggs, and after another 7 - 12 weeks, the “newborns” themselves are able to bear offspring. Worms live 10 - 15 years. Young sexually mature individuals weigh up to 1 g. The cultivated red Californian worm provides 18 - 26 times reproduction in the local climate and 500 times reproduction in special greenhouses, while wild relatives provide 4 - 6 times reproduction. They live in the soil, where they move by pushing its particles with their heads or swallowing them. They are nocturnal. During the night, the worm can “walk” along the surface of 15 - 20 meters. They come to the surface only after heavy rains, when they are saturated with water.

Earthworms(lat. Lumbricidae)
C ardom	- Animals
Type	- Annelids
Class	- Belt worms
Subclass	- Oligochaete worms
Family	- Earthworms

The soil suffocates due to lack of oxygen (hence the name). The peculiarities of digestion make earthworms detritivorous, i.e. they feed on detritus - decaying plant organic matter with soil particles located on the surface or in their underground burrows, as well as in the soil itself.

Earthworm species can be classified according to three morpho-ecological criteria:

- Epigeic Live in upper layers soils rich in organic matter. These are small worms with a rapid succession of generations. A representative of this class, Eisenia Foetida (known as the Red Californian worm), is widely used in industrial biotechnology for the production of vermicompost.

- Endogeic Representatives of this class live in soil less saturated with organic matter, and their diet includes a larger amount of minerals. They build horizontal branching burrows at shallow depths and play very important role in soil formation. They continuously mix and aerate the soil.

- Anecics Bouche This name includes species that build permanent vertical burrows that penetrate deep into the soil. They play a very important role in soil formation as well as fermentation organic matter. The main species in this class are Lumbricus terrestris and Aporrectodea longa.

Earthworms are unique creatures! Their extremely positive role in the processes of creating fertile and living soil is widely known. Worms feed on decaying organic debris (leaves, grass, manure, etc.), which they drag into their passages. Absorbing together with the soil a huge amount of plant debris, protozoan nematodes, microbes, fungi, algae, earthworms digest them, excreting them together with

coprolites (piles of earth secreted by worms) a large number of humic acids, own microflora, amino acids, enzymes, vitamins, and other biologically active substances that suppress pathogenic microflora. Earthworm excrement (coprolites), containing a lot of crushed earth particles and organic matter processed in the intestines, is deposited on the surface of the earth. This is a valuable organic fertilizer. Thus, earthworms help increase the fertility of the arable layer of the soil, at the same time, with their burrows they loosen the soil, and by dragging in plant residues they increase the organic content in the soil. An earthworm in the ground is a continuously working factory for the production of organic fertilizer. They loosen the soil, penetrating it with burrows, which promotes aeration and moistening of the deep layers, mix it and accelerate the decomposition of plant residues. Over the summer, in search of food, the worm is capable of digging up to 1 kilometer of passages underground. In the garden, in the flowerbed, in the vegetable garden, earthworms are undoubtedly very useful inhabitants.

The debate about the dangers or benefits of earthworms in a flower pot continues , especially on the Internet. By the way, do not confuse them with very bad worms: cutworm and weevil larvae that feed on roots. Among some flower growers, there is a widespread belief about the absolute harm that earthworms bring. I'm just These are nasty pests. They They gnaw roots in pots, eat young shoots and seedlings, sprouts, and seeds. They cannot do this due to the structural features of the oral apparatus. It turns out that there are no teeth in the worm's mouth. Therefore, they cannot gnaw or bite or feed on living plants. Normally, they feed on plant debris. Food should be soft enough and partially decomposed so that it can pass through a small mouth opening. Some see earthworms as dangerous pests, while others recommend specially bringing worms from the street and putting them in pots. Thanks to the numerous passages and burrows of earthworms, aeration and drainage are significantly improved. In principle, for large plants in large tubs, the earthworm is not a pest at all; it fertilizes, aerates and loosens the soil. This is useful if the tub is filled with heavy clay garden soil; it improves air access to the poor substrate. However, in a pot with a high-quality peat substrate there is no need for additional aeration.

Earthworms do not cause direct harm to indoor plants, but in a small flower pot the benefit of their presence is very doubtful. IN the process of movement in the substrate worms actively dig rather wide passages, expose part of the roots, and can mechanically damaging and disturbing is very gentle y young homies . If there are a lot of worms then this is bad for the flower. Crawling along the surface of the substrate, worms leave not very beautiful mucus. Some people just don't like them. In general, this is a matter of taste. But when buying indoor plant in the shop, there should be no earthworms or any other worms in the pot. Can worms be brought in with purchased soil? Yes. But that's the problem low-quality products, especially if the mixture includes turf or deciduous ground, bad vermicompost, compost. There is a worm in the peat very rare guest and can get in two cases: during careless storage or when exposing plants outside. Earthworms, despite the huge amount of undecomposed organic matter, do not live on industrial peat bogs. The probable cause is an acidic reaction of the environment and very high humidity (in an environment with an acidity below pH = 5 or above pH = 9, all worms die within a week). At the right technology extraction, transportation and processing of peat, as well as delivery of the substrate to the consumer in packaged form, infection with live worms or their eggs is excluded. Worms do not live in high-moor peat, so with a high-quality peat substrate, worms cannot get into the pot. Most often, worms or their eggs get into the pot when using unsterilized garden soil. Usually, they come with unsteamed soil in the form of eggs. External signs presence of earthworms Characteristic lumps of earth appear on the surface of the substrate and on the pallet, thrown out of their passages; the earthen lump is riddled with characteristic passages; the soil dries quickly. Preventive actions Use a high-quality peat substrate. Store the remainder of the substrate in a closed container in a dry place. If you take the plants outside in the summer, place the pots on pallets so that earthworms cannot get into them. If you independently prepare soil from the garden and use other high-risk components (turf soil, compost, deciduous soil, vermicompost of dubious origin), it is highly advisable to sterilize them with thermal or chemically. This is true both for the soil from your garden and for unreliable cheap purchased mixtures.Ways to fight When transplanting, it is easy to collect large worms. Carefully inspect the earthen lump. If characteristic passages are detected, remove the plant from the pot and carefully, using tweezers, without disturbing the roots, gather the uninvited"guests". Place the pot in warm water (you can use a weak pale pink solution of potassium permanganate) and hold for 15-20 minutes. The earthworms will not have enough air and will crawl to the surface on their own. Collect crawling worms. This method of fighting is the best. In extreme cases, chemicals can be used. Herbicides have fairly low toxicity to worms; fungicides and fumigants are poisonous to them.

Sincerely, Yuri Kardash