GARDEN CHAT By Jean Lundquist
Jumping worms? They’re real, and you need to be aware of them
I
’ve finally figured out that social media is a bad thing in many ways. I limit myself to Facebook, but often find that, too, to be depressing. I follow some birding sites, and I’m distressed to see all the common and hoary redpolls at others’ feeders this past winter. Ditto for the pileated woodpeckers in other people’s feeders. Alas, as winter wanes and spring springs hopeful, I turn to gardening pages. Last year I started winter sowing some seeds, following what I thought were the rules. The rules called for milk jugs cut in half, soil applied, seeds implanted, milk jugs taped shut and … Voila! Super-hardy plants to put in the garden. Nowhere did I see in those rules that those jugs were to be watered. I thought they took care of that themselves! I was so naive. But now, the average last frost date is upon us, and those outdoor beds are looking in need of attention.
My winter depression is lifting along with the seasonal affective disorder from not enough sunlight. I’m ready to rock and roll in the dirt! OK, soil. Remember: Don’t treat soil like dirt. I want to remind you again about taking precautions against jumping worms. Someone told me I’m being too alarmist about jumping worms. But they have been found here in Blue Earth County and surrounding counties. And once you have them, you keep them. As yet, there is no known way to get rid of them. Perhaps we were not alarmist enough about zebra mussels, Eurasian water milfoil, Dutch elm disease and emerald ash borers, and look where it got us. How many elm trees are growing in your neighborhood? When you get a plant at a nursery, fundraising sale, from a friend, yard sale or market, check the soil it is planted in. If it looks like coffee grounds, don’t buy it. If you don’t see what looks like coffee grounds, it still
54 • MAY 2022 • MANKATO MAGAZINE
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