How to get rid of night crawlers in my yard - Ask Extension
The night crawlers have made my yard unusable with all their little hills....how can I get rid of them?
Knowledgebase
How to get rid of night crawlers in my yard #390717
Asked March 28, 2017, 7:38 PM EDT
The night crawlers have made my yard unusable with all their little hills....how can I get rid of them?
Denver County Colorado
Expert Response
Worms and night crawlers are beneficial so we encourage people to leave them alone, although you can level the lumps with a rake. Here's some more information on earthworms and night crawlers from Plant Talk Colorado:
"[earthworms and night crawlers] in a lawn are a sign of healthy soil because they eat thatch, grass clippings and other organic matter, recycle nutrients and aerate the soil. This improves the health of the lawn. Since worms are good for a lawn, it is best to mow the lawn as high as the mower can be set and leave the worms alone.
However, worms build mounds of soil on the surface of the lawn, creating an uneven, bumpy surface. Aeration in the spring and fall, coupled with light rolling of the lawn, will help smooth the surface. A lawn roller is a machine with a weighted cylinder that rolls along the ground.
A light layering of compost or soil on the lawn from an adjacent flowerbed or vegetable garden can also be helpful."
