Description
What are Worm Castings
Worm castings contain a highly active biological mixture of bacteria, enzymes, remnants of plant matter and animal manures. Worm castings are rich in water-soluble plant nutrients and contain more than 50% more humus than what is normally found in topsoil.
Worm castings are jam-packed with minerals that are essential for plant growth, such as concentrated nitrates, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium and calcium. It also contains manganese, copper, zinc, cobalt, borax, iron, carbon and nitrogen. The best of all is that these minerals are immediately available to plants, without the risk of ever burning their roots. As the organic matter moves through the earthworm’s alimentary canal, a thin layer of oil is deposited on the castings. This layer erodes over a period of 2 months.
Worm castings are also chock full of plant growth promoters like gibberellins, cytokinins and auxins, along with increased levels of micronutrients like calcium, magnesium, and sulfur.
Benefits of Worm Castings
Added to soil or potting mixes, the organic matter in castings improves soil structure. With more humus than traditional compost or normal garden soil, castings increase the water retention in soil, improve soil aeration and anchor plant nutrients that would otherwise leach away with water. Organic matter feeds soil microorganisms that produce, store and slowly release plant nutrition. Earthworm castings suit all indoor and outdoor gardens.
- Increase yields – In the farming business, yield can make all the difference. Worm castings have the ability to increase yields by more than 25% on many crops.
- Disease protection – Depending on the disease, it could completely devastate your crops. By planting your crops with worm castings, they’ll have a protective barrier around them throughout their life cycle.
- Use less water – Many farms have been able to cut their water consumption by up to 50% by using worm castings, due to their ability to retain moisture in the soil.
- Easy to handle – With many commercial fertilizers, you have to wear protective equipment when handling them. The fumes can be toxic and damaging. With worm castings that you can pick up and hold with your bare hands without worrying about injury. There are no disgusting smells or texture.
How Castings Benefit Plants
Earthworm castings provide substances that directly influence healthy plant growth. Research conducted over several years at The Ohio State University Soil Ecology Laboratory found that worm castings enhanced seed germination, plant growth, flowers and fruit production. Castings also curbed certain plant diseases, including root and crown rots and wilt disease, and inhibited some insect pests, including mites, aphids and mealy bugs.
In 2011, researchers at Cornell University Department of Plant Pathology and Plant Microbe Biology demonstrated that worm castings suppressed damping-off disease in seedlings. In addition, castings naturally degraded the protective covering of some insect pests, regulated plant nutrient release and stimulated the nutrient cycle from soil to plants.
