Dear Amy, recently I bought couple of bags of [brand name topsoil]. I took some earthworms from my own organic compost and let them into the soil to test if they adapt. The result was a disaster. The worms wiggled like crazy...then died :( The soil itself looks great, rich and black with a strong scent of ammonia. I tried contacting Scotts company; they don't know the answer. Can you please tell me what caused the worms to react like that? And what can I do to the soil so its worm-safe. Thank you very much.

11/10/200810:45:29 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment

Soil Questions

It's hard to say why the worms died. The soil may have been too "hot" (i.e. too much ammonia), although that's unlikely to have killed them right away as you described. It's also possible the soil was contaminated somehow during manufacture or storage. Either way, if it kills earthworms I personally wouldn't use it for anything, particularly if the manufacturer wasn't able to answer your question. If you decide to use it I would let it sit open for a few months. And don't use it on anything edible regardless. Our Lawn and Garden top soil is a premium product that we recommend for any gardening application. You might try that instead--it certainly isn't going to kill any earthworms!