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How To Use Worm Castings In 4 Different Ways
Worm castings are highly prized by gardeners simply because they are considered the richest natural fertilizer known to humans. As a matter of fact, a small amount of it can easily provide enough nutrients for one potted plant for several weeks. Plants can easily absorb it and it can also help prevent root rot.
What makes worm castings unique is that it contains bioactive components such as bacteria, enzymes as well as plant matter and animal manure that has been broken down by the worm. In general, worm castings can contain high amounts of nitrogen, manganese, borax, iron copper, zinc, cobalt and carbon.
Since worm castings contain 50% more nutrients than ordinary fertilizers, they are very useful in farms and gardens. As a matter of fact, the average home gardener, professional landscapers and even commercial farmers buy this product to help them in a wide variety of ways.
How To Use Worm Castings In 4 Different Ways
Making The Necessary Preparations
If you want to use the maximum potential of worm castings you need to have the right gardening tools. You need to prepare the following:
1. A Garden Hoe
This will be used to open up the soil around small plants and shrubs. You can use a garden trowel if you do not have this gardening tool. You can also use small picks if you need to open up areas that have a lot of rocks.
2. A Shovel
This will be used to open up the ground around trees. You can use a large pick mattock or a spade if you do not have a shovel around.
3. Chlorine-Free Water
This will allow the nutrients from the worm cast to go deep into the soil. This will also be used to help make the worm cast into liquid fertilizer. Use chlorine-free, filtered or distilled water since chlorine can easily kill the live bacteria in the worm cast.
4. Sand
This will be used mainly to create a germination mixture.
5. Gardening Gloves
Always use gloves so you can avoid skin irritations and hand injuries.
How To Use Worm Casting
To use worm castings effectively, you need to know its true potential. Although it is very rich in minerals, it does not actually burn the plant unlike very concentrated fertilizers. Worm castings also contain organic materials that have been processed by bacteria in the worms, making them readily absorbable.
The castings are also known to contain toxins which are harmful to microbes that can cause rot and other plant diseases. Worm castings are also known to help stimulate plant growth even in small amounts. With that said, here’s how you can use worm casts effectively:
Step 1: Use It As A Set And Forget Fertilizer
Since you cannot put too much worm castings on you plants, even the average home gardener can easily use it on flowers, fruit-bearing plants and herbs. You can use the worm castings by sprinkling it around the base of the plants and you can also put it inside the pot.
If you want to make sure that it will be absorbed by the plant, you can dig in lightly around the plants using a garden hoe or trowel. If you need to use it on a large area, you can use a garden spreader so you can easily fertilize orchards and several rows of plants in your area. Use a shovel to dig around trees.
Step 2: Use It As A Liquid Fertilizer
Liquid fertilizers can help condition the soil and it can easily penetrate the ground so that the roots can absorb its nutrients. To do this, you need to mix 1 cup of casting to 1 gallon of water. You need to store this mixture for a week before using. It can also be used as a leaf foliate spray and for insect control.
Step 3: Use As Tea For Flowering
Soak 1 cup of casting to 3 cups of water, let the mixture soak for 24 hours. Stir it properly and use it to water the plants or to aerate hard to reach pots. The casting tea can help make the plants flower and it can also be used for fruiting.
Step 4: Use For Seed Germination
Combine 30% of worm casting with 70% sand and use this mixture to germinate seeds. The worm casting can help the seed to sprout simply because it can provide the seed with all the nutrients that it needs. You can expect a steady three months of growth if you opt to use the casting.
Bonus: Use As A Facial Mask
Since worm casting is alive with helpful bacteria and because it contains a lot of nutrients, it is said to be beneficial for your skin. Mix small amounts of casting with a little bit of chlorine-free water to create a paste. Apply on the skin for 10 minutes and rinse it off so you can have softer skin and tighter pores.
Conclusion
Worm casting can be used in many different ways. In order to use it effectively for your plants, I highly suggest that you try it in different applications so that your plants will be able to enjoy its full effect. Do not worry about using too much of it simply because it is very safe to use on a wide array of plants.
If you are trying to grow fruits and vegetables in your garden, use worm casting for germination so you will not have a hard time trying to look after your sprouts and seedlings. Make a casting tea when the plants are mature enough so you can support them towards flowering or producing fruits.
About the Author Emily Taylor
My name is Emily Taylor, gardening is my passion and I’m looking forward to sharing it with everyone. I know that there are millions of people out there want their backyard and garden be attractive just like their front yard, so I am here to help you create your own backyard paradise.