So as I have a little time before I can start planting my veggie garden (again – yes all my tomatoes, peppers and onions appear to be DEAD from the frost – 3 nights in a row was just too much to take for the little guys) I have been doing some research about worm castings… I’ve found some great sites for lots of advice about this incredible biological product. Check out Dirt Works to find out tons of valuable information. This stuff can be used for just about anything.. disease control, drought control, algae, fertilizer, increased root growth, insect control, soil conditioning, and the list goes on!
From The Wacky World of Worms, they claim that worm castings have anywhere from 5-11 times more Nitrogen, Potassium, Calcium, Phosphorus, Potash, and Magnesium than topsoil!
The Happy Gardener’s Vermicomposter is used to convert kitchen waste to rich organic fertilizer! Not only can you get an unlimited supply of worm castings by incorporating the vermicomposter into your kitchen but worm castings are also available in the Pour N’ Feed All-Purpose Soil Conditioner.
Being an environmental biologist makes me want to dig deeper (no pun intended)… I need scientific evidence that worm poo is going to work on my soil, plants, and veggies. So I did some more research and low and behold:
- Analysis of earthworm casting reveals that they are richer in plant nutrients than the soil, about three times more calcium and several times more nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. (K.P. Barley, Advances in Agronomy, Vol. 13, 1961, p. 251)
- Redworm castings contain a high percentage of humus. Humus helps soil particles form into clusters, which create channels for the passage of air and improve its capacity to hold water. Humic acid present in humus, provides binding sites for the plant nutrients but also releases them to the plants upon demand. Humus is believed to aid in the prevention of harmful plant pathogens, fungi, nematodes and bacteria. Blueprint for a Successful Vermiculture Compost System. Developed by Dan Holcombe and J.J. Longfellow 1995.
- “Vermicompost outperforms any commercial fertilizer I know of.” continues [Professor. Clive A.] Edwards, who began his earthworm research in his native England in the early 1970s before coming to Ohio State. “I think the key factor is microbial activity. Research that I and others have done shows that microbial activity in worm castings is 10 to 20 times higher than in the soil and organic matter that the worm ingests.” Dr. Clive Edwards, in “Worldwide Progress in Vermicomposting” by Gene Logsdon in BioCycle October 1994, p. 63.
- Earthworm castings are the best imaginable potting soil for greenhouses or houseplants, as well as gardening and farming. It will not burn even the most delicate plants and all nutrients are water-soluble, making it an immediate plant food. Earthworm castings, in addition to their use as a potting soil, can be used as a planting soil for trees, vegetables, shrubs, and flowers. They may be used as a mulch so that the minerals leach directly into the ground when watered. The effects of earthworm castings used in any of these ways are immediately visible. They make plants grow fast and strong. Nematodes and diseases will not ruin gardens or plants if the soil is rich enough for them to grow fast. It is the weak plant in poor soil that is destroyed by nematodes and diseases. R.E. Gaddie and D.E. Douglas, Earthworms For Ecology and Profit, Vol. I “Scientific Earthworm Farming,” 1975, p. 175.
So there you have it! I think I’m investing in this and going to try to work it out for my garden – First thing is first – get a Vermicomposter!
