All about Wormilizer worm castings

Healthy soil is a living thing. It is full of organic matter, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, nematodes and micro arthropods with thousands of chemical reactions taking place every second. In healthy soil an amazing balance exists that allows plants to grow and thrive. Characteristics of healthy soil include:

• The ability to retain nutrients so that they are not leached out or volatized from the soil.
• The ability to mineralize nutrients so that they are in a form useable by plants. Bacteria and fungi are essentiall to this process.
• Has good structure that allows oxygen, water, and other nutrients to move easily into plant root systems.
• Is able to suppress disease causing organisms by maintaining high populations of beneficial organisms.
• Is able to support the vast array of microorganisms that make up healthy soil.

Farmers and gardeners have always known that an abundance of earthworms in their plots was an indicator of healthy soil. The worms work to make the soil healthy by burrowing the earth, composting organic materials, and by excreting their castings - mother nature's ideal soil supplement.

The substance that worms excrete is technically referred to as vermicast. Other names for vermicast include worm castings, earthworm manure, and worm poop. At D & T Worm Farm, we call our vermicast Wormilizer.

Our worms live in long bins that are only 2 feet deep. The bottom of the bin is a screen with a tray beneath it. The bins contain a bedding material made up of horse manure that has been composted and leached, and shredded paper. We feed the worms a mixture of vegetables, egg shells, and coffee grounds, this feedstock is added to the top of the bins. The worms eat quite a bit; they can digest their weight in organic material in a day.

As the worms eat through the feed and bedding they excrete vermicasts (poop). These vermicasts settle to the bottom of the bin and eventually fall through the screen and into the tray where they are collected. Some of the bedding, and of course some worms and eggs, also end up in this tray. We use a trommel screener to separate the unprocessed bedding from the castings. This screening process also allows us to collect any worms and eggs that may have fallen through the screen so that they can be added back to the worm bins along with the unprocessed bedding. Once harvested, the castings are left in a cool, dry container where they "cure". This step allows for the completion of the biological processes and the formation of a finished product. Our Wormilizer product is 95-99% pure worm castings!

Vermicasts are rich in beneficial microorganisms, enzymes, plant growth promoters and nutrients. These organisms and compounds nourish the soil and work to convert existing soil nutrients into forms that are useable by plants. Vermicasts, like the soil they are used in, are alive and work synergistically to strengthen the soil to improve fertility and resistance to disease and pests. Plants grown in soil supplemented with worm castings have been shown to germinate faster, exhibit enhanced productivity and be more resistant to pests when compared to plants grown with conventional fertilizers.

The exact chemical composition of worm castings will vary depending on the bedding and feedstock used. The ranges of specific constituents are shown below:

To learn more about Healthy Soil visit the Soil Foodweb web site.