'Almost the size of my head': Gardener moved every worm they found into onion patch and were shocked by the results

A community garden in Northern California produced an impressive onion harvest after its gardener spent months relocating every worm they found while weeding and tending to other plots into the onion patch.

The unusual garden method appeared to pay off: the gardener said some of the onions grew so large they were "almost the size of my head."

What happened?

In a post on Reddit's r/vegetablegardening, the gardener explained: "I planted 100 onion starts back in November in a Northern California community garden."

The poster said they used fertilized only once, spaced the onions about four inches apart, and gave them roughly an inch of water each week.

"Now, the one thing that I would say is unusual is I diligently weeded the common areas in the community garden to control the pests, and every time I found a worm, I would place it in my bed," the gardener wrote. "I'm talking thousands of worms over the last 6 months."

The effort resulted in what the gardener described as "by far my most rewarding harvest to date," producing an onion crop that far exceeded their expectations.

One commenter under the Reddit post joked, "[You] literally kidnapped all the worms in the community garden! No wonder they grew so huge. The worms were put to work."

Why does it matter?

The fruitful onion crop came from a simple mix of regular watering, persistent weeding, and soil packed with worms.

Healthy soil can make a big difference, and growing more food successfully at home can help stretch grocery budgets while making fresh produce easier to access.

The example also highlights the appeal of community gardens. Shared growing spaces can turn small plots into productive sources of food while giving people a place to swap advice, compare results, and celebrate wins together.

What can I do?

If you want to borrow the basics from the post, pick onion varieties suited to your area, give them enough room, and keep watering consistent.

Healthy soil builds over time. Regular weeding can reduce competition for water and nutrients, while adding organic matter, like compost, can help create an environment that worms and other beneficial organisms prefer.

Community gardens can be especially useful for trying that out if you d o not have much yard space. They also make it easier to learn from other growers, test what works in your local climate, and stay motivated through the season.

Commenters under the post were stunned by the size of the onions. 

"Good heavens! Those are beasts!" one said. 

"Any bigger, they are going to grow arms and legs, and you'll have to start paying for them to go to school," another joked. 

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