It is that time of the year again, late September when soil temperatures and air temperatures cool down and earthworms begin coming to the surface. While earthworm activity is very beneficial to the soil as it is like free aerification, the castings they leave become a playability and maintenance issue. First, the castings are mounded up organic matter (probably one of the best soils for growing any plants), which when driven over or mowed over, create a flat dirt spot, the size of a quarter or bigger. Also, once these mounds are flattened, they suffocate the turf underneath, which can lead to poa infestation. Another problem is the mowers are dulled when they cut up the mounds and this reduces the life of the reel and the bedknife, which can become costly to replace. We are proactive in keeping them in the soil, but it is expensive to continue to do so all fall. Also, the more the soil stays moist, the more they will stay near the surface. In the summer, when the soil temps are high, the worms go down deep where it is cool, which is why we rarely see them all summer.
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