All my potted citrus trees have earth worms. It just happened and I have had 0 problems.

6b Steve

I was a part of that discussion and the anti worm crowd went so far as to suggest it affects container kept trees at large kept year round in a garden environment. I keep several trees ( a hemlock shaped like a palm over 25 years old in a pot, two dwarf apples, 2 dwarf pears, 2 dwarf plums, asters, etc.) outside to enjoy/suffer the outdoors throughout the year. I also freely will dump organics like manure/compost in pots as top dressing or not.......They have also survived undamaged any snow/frosts in my area in pots unprotected. You do see worms on occasion but you have to constantly add mulch etc. to potted plants, never lost anything ever except one fig that got rootbound too quickly (I was busy elsewhere) and choked itself. I don't know that I'd want worms (or any insect period)in a smaller dwarf container LAB RAT Citrus that comes in/out, and would probably avoid organic fertilizers like compost or manure which would possibly contain redworms. But successful gardening at large isn't exactly the same as Citrus.

Even if I get argumentative at times, in defense of the Facebook forum "worm issue", the moderators (which are quite good BTW) considering the questions they get, and the "drive by" nature of Facebook itself on an indoor container Citrus Forum, they tend to give answers to give the most people the highest degree of success with the least bit of thought/confusion to the question poser. unlike this forum spot where more involved/nuanced answers exist as different things can work for different people and nothing is absolute. Never say never.

I've been growing several different fruit tree varieties for 5 plus years in containers and they all have earth worms in them and the trees are healthy and fruiting- Citrus, Peach, Nectarine, Avocados.

To bring the question to the point, would it be possible to use the worms to help get rid of root rot? Or minimize damage to root rot befor it even starts?

I could be wrong but I think the earthworm debate could be put to rest with some research on how the feed. I think the basically eat dirt, digest out of that what is digestible and the rest comes out the other end as castings. I don't think earthworms have any teeth or mandibles that could sever a live root. I think they are excellent to have in your root zones for several reasons, especially in my area to help provide air passage to the root zone.

Susanne, earthworms prefer a well aerated soil, not a wet anaerobic soil that results in root rot. In fact, I doubt that earthworms could survive in such an environment.

John, you are correct - earthworms do not have teeth or mandibles. They ingest soil and mechanically digest it in their crops. Any roots that they eat would have to be dead, partially decomposed roots that they could easily take into their mouths without biting it to pieces.

I love earthworms, I move them out of the way when I'm digging in the garden. I put a couple in a citrus pot once, thinking it was a good idea, then realised a few days later the dark coloured pot in full sun would probably get too hot and cook them. So then I felt bad. Must check for any at next repot...

Another issue raised in that same post that Suzanne is referring to was that worms would create holes/tunnels in the potted soil that would then collapse later and the soil would turn to gunk around the citrus tree roots similar to black gunk you get when using a poor mix. I don't even know how to answer that proposition, except if worms were there wouldn't they be making new holes? The issue bothered me because it seemed to violate a basic gardening premise and of what I see around me (evidently others as well) leading inexperienced gardeners astray. I mean if they saw an earthworm in their pot are they going to rip the pot apart to get at it or pour in some poison?

Yes Miscel, that was the claim on holes being made as worms move about in container soil with worms. That worms make holes and then the holes collapse for one reason or another including worm death. Also any dead worms was also mentioned as a potential pathogen problem once you have them in there. To me, it's like the last thing to care about.

Evidently there are 2,700 species of earthworms, and 4 main types of composting worms that don't really live deep in the soil. I get the medium size red ones and the large night crawlers which I only see in late summer on in the dark in my garden. Nothing exotic. I did see on the web that some scientists somewhere: http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8694000/8694377.stm (there might be another agneda as in saving northern forests from invasives), found some that some unnamed type eat live roots/seeds/seedlings in a lab under certain test conditions. Whether some exotic variety somewhere is a cause for concern to me in Brooklyn New York is doubtful. I lose most seedlings/young plants in the garden itself to grubs, bad weather, cats digging and the occasional gang/horde of squirrels which comes by. I've never lost anything in a pot, and I've got crap in the same pots outdoors all year for a few years. Toss in some composted manure, you'll likely get a worm. I have to top up on mulch every spring, something is consuming it (there are other microorganisms around besides worms).

Still does anyone know if 'worms' get rid of root rot or help avoid it is what was asked?

Of course we know that proper watering practices and the proper mix can help cure and prevent root rot.)

I would probably never get a worm in my pots because I don't keep them in contact with the soil, but if I did get any, I would not worry about it. Besides, once they were brought in for the winter, they would probably die anyways..

Mike

Earthworms in the ground help avoid root rot by removing decaying plant material, including rotten roots, and improving soil aeration, but I have not seen any references to using them specifically by themselves as a treatment for this. I think you'd have variable results in a container anyway because you might not get a population of earthworms to thrive in there, but no harm (to your plant) in trying.

I would say that worms would not help with preventing or treating root rot. Get your tree on Poncirus Trifoliata/Flying dragon rootstock Those rootstocks get an A+ for resisting root rot.

6b Steve

I doubt the common worm could chew through the thick root of a healthy citrus tree. And as far as tunnel collapse, those tunnels provide air to roots and if some collapse, oh well. There will be more tunnels to replace them.

i like worms personally