They are often cursed by lovers of a beautiful, uniform green lawn.
Also called twists, castings are the droppings of earthworms (worms) which come up from galleries dug in the ground.
Considered unsightly by some, these small mounds are in fact particularly useful for the garden, as the blog “Lazy Gardener” explains.
Topdressing to limit their appearance
In addition to making the ground a little bumpy and uneven, these castings become visible if you mow the lawn very short, a sacrilege for the most meticulous owners.
Some would even go so far as to try to kill the earthworms in their garden with products, which has the effect of greatly reducing the quality of the soil.
To have less, and smaller, one solution is to make the soil lighter by topdressing, which also improves its texture and quality.
You should also
avoid watering the lawn too often.
The castings actually develop more on the surface in a humid environment because the earthworms are then forced to come to the surface to breathe.
And if you really can't stand these mounds anymore, you can always use a lawn broom to break them up and spread them out or just pick them up.
A wonderful natural fertilizer
But this would not be the best option for the health of your garden.
Although they are not the most aesthetic, the castings contain two to eleven times more minerals (nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, potassium, magnesium, etc.) than the surrounding soil, which makes them a wonderful natural fertilizer.
Also readOrganic fertilizer: the 8 best to adopt!
This organic matter is also rich in bacteria which improve soil drainage.
Finally, it should be noted that vermicompost, compost made from earthworm droppings, is considered one of the best green manures.
Something to think twice about before wanting to get rid of the castings.