Jumping Worms

This is important information for all Garden Societies and Clubs regarding invasive Jumping Worms:

“We are starting to get requests to advertise plant sales from various not-for-profit groups in our forum. In the past, this was a welcome sign of spring. In this age of Jumping Worms, it’s a very scary proposition.

There is currently no effective treatment to rid your garden of Jumping Worms, so once you have them, it’s too late to act. Prevention is the key to keeping your garden safe.

Whether you are the organizer or the buyer at any plants sales, there are things you need to know. They also apply to purchasing of plants, soil and mulch from any commercial suppliers and even receiving and giving plants to friends and neighbours.

Jumping worms hatch from eggs each spring, so it’s not until late summer (August) that they are even identifiable. This makes the issue even more difficult.

If you’re organizing a plant sale you may want to have an area where you can give out information about Jumping Worms.

You may also want to share any steps your organization has taken to make their plant sale as Jumping Worm free as possible.

Additionally:

Don’t spread them. Clean your shoes before hiking, clean your tires if travelling to parks and natural spaces, and please don’t share anything with soil from your garden if you have them. Be very careful with spring plant sales. If sharing plants, wash roots and repot in quality soil-less mix. If purchasing from a grower, ask them about their protocols to protect against the spread. Better still grow from seed.”

PLEASE NOTE: Spread the word and stop the spread. If you have these worms please report them to researcher Dr. Michael Mctavish michael.mctavish@alum.utoronto.ca and to EDDmaps.org