Gardening by Cathy

Today with the concern that we are slowly poisoning ourselves it is comforting to know that there is an all organic alternative to chemical fertilizers. Vermicomposting refers to the turning of our vegetable garbage into a soil additive called Worm Castings.

The natural fertilizer contained in worm castings is very high in nutrients. Take a typical soil. Worm castings contain several times the available Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K); and three times the available calcium(Ca). Nitrogen is hard to supply to a soil since it comes in volatile forms such as an ammonia-like gas that quickly dissipates or is bound so tightly that the plants cannot use it. However, worm castings allow for the slow release of its nutrients to the soil, making them readily available to the plants roots. How is this done? Basically, via the breakdown of organic matter, humus is formed. Humus contains humic acid which loosely holds onto N, P, K and Ca It has been found that a soil composed of 15% worm casting is optimal for the growth of plants. More that this, there is no observable difference in plant growth.

Now, soil castings take longer to break down or erode that regular soil. How is this possible? The red worms digest the vegetable matter as well as some paper and/or cardboard by passing it through their crop, muscular gizzard, and intestines where it is ground up and mixed with their enzymes and mucous. Hence, this mucous coating remains on the worm casting and quickly dries to provide a barrier to resist being eroded by water. In fact, worm castings also take 2-3 times their weight in water and so help to keep a soil moist.

Stay tuned for Part II