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Jumping Worms #877949

Asked July 19, 2024, 3:41 PM EDT

Hi!!! So, I recently discovered that I have brought home some contaminated soil from a client that I garden for. I learned after working in the garden that she has jumping worms and when I went into my yard yesterday to clean up, anything I had brought from her house I saw a couple jumping worms that had wiggled out of a pot into my grass soil, and I am certain there must be more at this point in my yard from the tools I have used! I am frantically researching and curious if you have any suggestions as to how to begin to eradicate anything I see or how to prevent any worsening and will my gardens die?! Thank you!!

Hennepin County Minnesota

Expert Response

Once you have jumping worms in your yard the best you can do is manage them. Jumping worms mature in late July. Once you realize you have them do not share plants from your yard with others. You can dig them and wash the roots well but three is really no guarantee that there will not be eggs laid on the roots. 

You can report your location to the DNR. 

And Manage your reaction to having them. Unfortunately, we will all have them in time. 

You may want to share this information with your client so that he/she is aware and not sharing without telling others first. Maybe they don’t know they have jumping worms but sharing the information is best.

https://extension.umn.edu/identify-invasive-species/jumping-worms

https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/terrestrialanimals/jumping-worm/index.html

https://mitppc.umn.edu/research/research-projects/jumping-worms-minnesota

Deb Reierson Replied July 20, 2024, 9:27 PM EDT

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