Earthworms, Biodynamic Farming, and Orchards
If you think earthworms would not be useful in orchards, you are mistaken. Worms are small soil-inhabited creatures that are present wherever there is moist soil. They are present in farms, vegetable gardens, backyards and yes, even orchards. There are numerous large and sturdy trees in orchards, but earthworms are still thriving in the areas’ soil, however large and strong roots of towering fruit trees may become. Thus, the creatures are essential and necessary in making biodynamic farming work.
Orchards are specific and specialized land areas for planting and habitation of shrubs and trees. Purposely, such land areas are allotted for food production through the dominance of fruit trees. There are also nut-producing trees that are planted and maintained in orchards for commercial production of food.
Natural orchards are usually located near water bodies, where climates are extremes and moderated. Man-made or artificial orchards are commercially funded and are artificially provided with water supplies and temperate climates. There are many consumer businesses and food manufacturers that are establishing and maintaining their own orchards, especially those in the fruit marketing and processing operations.
Naturally or artificially, earthworms are common features of orchards. As usual, they are helpful in that they help make the soil more nutritive. Worms feed on organic matter like fallen leaves and tree barks. They also feed on soil. When they excrete, their castings are mixed to the soil, which is made fertilized due to high levels of potassium, magnesium, nitrogen and phosphorus. Aside from that, the natural burrowing action of earthworms facilitates further aeration and transport of nutrients from the topsoil down to the subsoil, where most active root parts are located.
Natural orchards have abundant volumes of earthworms. Artificial orchards can be implanted with heavy volumes of vermiculture or artificially raised and cultivated earthworms. Orchard keepers and agriculturists know how advantageous having earthworms in orchard soils could be. More volumes of earthworms should be present in such land areas because there are more risks of exposure to predators like birds, possible soil dryness and exposure to harmful sunlight, which are all usual in acres of orchards.
As such, vermicultured earthworms are more appropriate for orchards. The presence of more worms in orchards has been proven to help make fruit trees more productive. The need for expensive and tediously applied fertilizers can also be significantly reduced, if not totally eliminated. There will also be fewer problems about disposal of organic wastes from the trees and from animals and insects roaming the areas.
The soil in orchards should be maintained rich and fertile. That may be hard to do but through the help of earthworms, it would be possible. Such creatures are usually disgusting and scaring people, but you should not be scared and disgusted of them. In fact, if you really want your orchard to be productive as it can be, you should learn to appreciate and recognize the importance of earthworms in biodynamic farming, particularly in helping keep the richness and conduciveness of the soil.
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