The message
from Jane Ransom contains these words:

In article 1gbflld.1ppi3zj1bbug8uN%hughchal_nospamthanks@eir com.net,
Hugh Chaloner writes
Hi,

I seem to have an almost total lack of worms in my garden - I've been
digging down to about 15 inches and haven't seen a single worm. Any
ideas why this might be? I'm new to this garden and the soil looks
fairly dusty and poor. Would I be rewarded by introducing some worms
from my sister's wormery - she has loads. Would adding some bulky
organic matter help?

Just check you don't have any New Zealand flatworm first, or any worms
you introduce will be consumed by them anyway

Fortunately the threat to UK native worms from NZF has turned out to
be far less than anticipated. The NZF's are very slow, don't burrow, and
only live above the soil surface, so they are far more vulnerable to
predators and temperature, and don't intrude down into the soil where
earthworms mostly live, feed and breed.

When we moved to this garden, wherever I dug there were virtually no
earth worms. Shortly after, I discovered NZFs on the soil surface under
some pots and stacked turf and thought they were the cause. However, it
turns out the reason was lack of food and chemical deterrence by my
predecessor. With loads of mulch, manure and no chemicals, the place is
now heaving with earthworms. (NZF's appear to have been successfully
eradicated).

Janet.