With the popularity of composting for green living and pesticide free growing it’s no wonder worm castings have become so popular.
The process is pretty simple, all local compost is fed to our resident earthworms. They digest the organic materials and the resulting manure is known as worm castings.
The process begins with surplus horse manure which might otherwise be destined for the landfill. This manure undergoes a natural composting process in which internally generated heat breaks down the material, killing weed seeds and harmful bacteria in the process. The composted manure is then fed to worms which imbue it with colonies of microorganisms which aid the plants in extracting nutrients from the soil and in fighting off some insects and plant diseases. Making for healthier, stronger plants in your garden or flower bed.
Summary of Benefits
1. Earthworm castings are know to have over 60 micronutrients and trace minerals, including calcium, magnesium, nitrogen, phosphates and potash.
2. Castings act as a barrier to help plants grow in soil where the pH levels are too high or too low. They prevent extreme pH levels from making it impossible for plants to absorb nutrients from the soil.
3. The humus in the castings extracts toxins and harmful fungi and bacteria from the soil. Castings therefore have the ability to fight off plant diseases.
4. Castings have the ability to fix heavy metals in organic waste. This prevents plants from absorbing more of these chemical compounds than they need. These compounds can then be released later when the plants need them.
5. Castings are also an effective way to repel white flies, aphids and spider mites and any pest that feeds on plant juices. According to recent studies, applying earthworm castings to the soil around your plants increases the production of a certain enzyme that is offensive to these insects.