Worm Castings (Soil)

When worms expel their manure/castings, they coat the outside, which encapsulates it and then hardens when exposed to air. When these granular castings are mixed into garden or houseplant soils, there is a slow "time release" of nutrients to feed the plants. The coated worm castings break down slowly and act to break up soils providing aeration and drainage, thus creating a superior organic soil conditioner and natural organic fertilizer.

Worm castings have a high content of humic acid which is a natural soil "glue" (binding agent) that is vital in binding humus with mineral soil and helping to prevent it from being washed away. Humic acid is also vital in making minerals and nutrients available to plant roots. Humus is the top portion of soil that is alive and that feeds plants. Mineral soil by itself is considered dead soil. Building topsoil rich in humus is the backbone of organic gardening and worm composting is in a class by itself for soil fertility. Worm castings are rich in enzymes, yeasts and moulds that have many properties as yet unknown to science.

Shredded paper and wood waste produces castings that are fungal dominat and are suited to shrubs and trees. Shredded leaves and food waste produce castings dominant in bacteria and microbes suited to vegetables and flowers. Here at Dan & An's Worm Farm, we use a wide variety of feed to give a more diverse worm casting end product. Rich soil makes for healthy and plentiful plants to feed humanity. The health of plants raised in this environment is far greater than plants raised in soil with chemical fertilizers. Much is still unknown and to be gained by research.