Worm Poop

We get asked everyday, what are worm castings?  

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Also known as vermicast, worm castings are the cured and finished stage of worm poop.  As we all know, soil is a dynamic and living ecosystem.  The probiotic content of the insects and microbes that make up the soil ecosystem are capable of nourishing plants in almost magical ways.  The microbes that live in the earthworms gut, and therefore assist with soil production, are the same microbes that colonize plant root systems and bring nutrients to straight to the root systems where they live.  This symbiotic relationship is part of the soil food web and is an integral part in plant health and growth.  Just think of how much better probiotics can make a human feel! 

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Vermicast, or worm castings, is the solid, soil form, of cured worm poop.  This is what you harvest out of a worm bin.  Worm tea,, takes this solid substrate to the next level.  Many people assume worm tea is the liquid you drain out of a worm bin.  However, that is a misconception.  Worm Tea is made on an aerator pump, is pH neutral, and microbially ultraconcentrated.  Leachate, is what drains out of your worm bin.  

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Leachate can be dangerous when used freshly harvested.  It generally runs acidic and is most likely anaerobic (without oxygen).  Applying this product to your plants or roots, may result in burns.  Leachate should always be diluted 1 to 1 or greater, with more water than leachate in your solution. After dilution it is still recommended you test the pH of the leachate to make sure it is closer to neutral before applying to your soil.  

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Worm Tea is pH neutral and aerobic (has oxygen).  It is made on an aerator pump in non-chlorinated water (such as rain water or well water).  It is fed at certain times during the brew to increase the microbial population by add an abundance of food such as sugars or decomposing organic materials.  The feeding spikes the microbial concentration tremendously for a brief period of time.  It is best to use worm tea during this microbial population explosion for the fastest and most showy results.  Within 2 to 3 days of being off the aerator, the microbial populations begins to die back, and eventually it returns to the same concentration of vermicast.  When this happens the tea is still safe to use, but you are not as likely to see new growth or increased health in the 4 to 7 day period after applying tea at full strength. 

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