Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard
You are getting good results because the plants are receiving nitrogen, a moderate amount of phosphorus, and potash -- plus, the worm tea contains micronutrients.
Now about worm castings and worm tea: the best of worlds would be if the worms were fed composted fruits, vegetables, and horse or sheep manure. If you are putting steer or cow manure into the worms' food chain, then you are getting higher concentrations of unwanted minerals which in the long run can degrade your plants. If any of the fruit or vegetable material is store-bought non-certified-organic material, then you might also have plant hormones in your worm castings that could cause your plants to have shorter stems, larger leafs, and less fruit development. This is especially true of commercially produced ornamental flowers, including poinsettias. Also, you are better off giving your plants worm castings than worm tea, because the tea is missing some ingredients that will break down and attract beneficial bacteria.
As for your general purpose triple-six fertilizer, I think you can do better, and probably for less money. Here is what I have written for the horticultural society: PTP_2008_12_Fertilize_II
For a few more details on micronutrients, see: Micronutrients
And since you are focusing on things labeled "organic", you should understand that the word alone is completely unregulated. Read this to find out what the label might mean on various products: PTP_2008_09_Organic |
Well, I get the Worm tea faster then I get the worm castings. I currently am not getting more then a few gallons of worm castings ever few months. I have expanded to a 2nd farm now, and want to upgrade this summer to a much larger system and add a door on the bottom to have harvesting quick and easy. Right now I mix 1 - 2 handfuls of worm castings into my potting soil before planting. I mostly use it on Flowers, and veggies. As my population grows I will start to get more and more. Once I get to a good point EVERYTHING will get a heavy dose of freash castings a few times a year. I mostly feed them Cardboard, paper products around the house, Coffee grounds, tea bags, Kitchen scraps, old spend veggie plant leafs, grass, Banana leafs and peals. Almost anything and everything I get them. I do not really give them too much manure. I once gave them some Pig poo from out Pot bell and they killed it in just a few days. I also watched them kill a pumpkin which was pretty cool. I am about to get a large shipment of Horse manure that I plan on feeding them a little bit of and starting a large horse manure compost pile to mix into potting soil also. I plan on mixing the horse manure with a bail of hay. The worms are truly amazing! Best pet ever, they dont smell, they dont want to be held, you dont clean up after them, and they pay you back with Pure Black GOLD! And all the ask for is some food and a place to safe place to stay. Because of the castings I harvest I end up putting baby worms in the potting soil, once the plant is moved they are adults in the pot. Now my yard has worms all over it when you dig into the ground.
WORM power FTW!
But my Tropical plants do not seem to like the Worm Dirt to much. When applied to surface or pot the Bananas look like the burn a little bit. But on my veggies, It is pure goodness!