Hi Everyone. Help with Earthworm Control Needed

[BDL2]

I’ve got a clay paver patio that’s been down for about 30 years. I’ve jet washed it, replaced the odd damaged block and remanded with kiln dried sand.  Next summer I plan to do another quick wash and sand before applying a flexible resin sealer to fix the sand and prevent weed growth.

 

However I’ve got loads of worm casts all over the patio.  The gaps are a minimum of 2mm as all the blocks have spacers cast on the sides, up to 6 or 8mm where the blocks have moved over the years.  If I sweep it off they are all back the next morning.

 

ideally I would like to bring the worms to the surface so I can catch them and move them down the garden.  Alternatively apply something to deter them from coming up through the sand.  The final solution unfortunately would have to be to apply something to poison them.

 

Has anyone had a similar problem and how did you resolve it?

Thanks

Brian

[Onoff]

Worms are good for the soil and ecosystem etc. I'd be loathe to "kill" them deliberately

 

I'd get 5L of white vinegar, dilute it and spray the patio with it. Worms don't like acidic soils particularly.

 

There are nuclear options but I'm not going to recommend them.

[BDL2]

Thanks.  That’s my view as well. I have a large garden, with vegetable plot, compost heaps etc and I’d hate to have to kill them. I’m happy to give anything a try to avoid that option

[dpmiller]

soapy water is the old angler's trick to bring them up

[Adsibob]

33 minutes ago, dpmiller said:

soapy water is the old angler's trick to bring them up

When I was at school I remember doing a biology lesson where we had to count the number of worms in the school field. We did it by using a mixture of fairly liquid and water. I think the ratio was something like two drops of fairy per litre of water. It worked a treat.

[BDL2]

I’ve tried the fairy liquid in water. Put on 3 lots yesterday afternoon.  No worms came onto the surface, but there were a load more worm casts this morning but still no worms?

[Adsibob]

22 minutes ago, BDL2 said:

I’ve tried the fairy liquid in water. Put on 3 lots yesterday afternoon.  No worms came onto the surface, but there were a load more worm casts this morning but still no worms?

Bar some genetic mutation that makes them resistant to Fairy liquid,  it's not worms that are causing your casts.

[Onoff]

Fairy Liquid is alkaline isn't it? 

 

Try vinegar in water even over a small area, just as a test. 

[BDL2]

I’ll try the vinegar next.  If they are not caused by worms then I don’t know what it is.  It is much too coarse for ants.