One of the main benefits of worm castings compared to synthetic fertilizers or manure is that the nutrients are water-soluble and can be used immediately by plants. But don’t worry-it smells like earthy soil and looks like organic black soil. If you didn’t already know, worm castings are the worm’s poop. However, this can be easily fixed by adding some acidic amendment or fertilizer to the soil. The only time not to use worm castings you’re using it on plants that prefer acidic soil. Worm castings are good for almost all plants as they contain a variety of nutrients that are ready to absorb by the plants. So, while we can clearly see that using worm castings alongside fertilizer is a good idea, are they good for all plants? Are Worm Castings Good for All Plants? A study done by Mississippi State University found that worm castings not only increased the germination rates of cucumbers by 20% but also the seedling and root length.Įven with these benefits, fertilizer still has its place as many plants, especially large and mature ones, need a larger amount of nutrients that worm castings can’t offer on their own. These nutrients are favored by plants to the point where they dramatically increase germination rates.

Here’s a list of the nutrients in worm castings, almost all of which can be immediately absorbed by the plant: While, compared to fertilizer, worm castings might be lacking in their quantity of nutrients, their quality should not be ignored. However, worm castings are often touted as a better amendment to soil than synthetic fertilizers due to their many soil-promoting properties.Įver since I saw the benefits of worm castings first-hand, I’ve become a big promoter. Fertilizers are often synthetic and contain specific amounts of nutrients in high amounts. Worm castings aren’t a fertilizer-they’re a soil amendment.

Let’s take a further look into what worm castings are and how we can use them. Worm castings also have a neutral pH of 7, so acid-loving plants, such as citrus, will likely need some acidic-amendments mixed in. Even though worm castings provide high-quality nutrients that can be absorbed by the plant immediately, they simply lack the volume of nutrients that’s in fertilizer.

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