Worm Castings and Garlic.
Worm Castings and Worm-Casting Extract are powerful soil conditioners that deliver nutrients and beneficial soil microbes and mycelium to improve soil health. In our experience, it helps garlic plants thrive and meet their potential. Why? Worm Castings and Worm Casting Extracts derive nutrients and beneficial microbes from vermicompost. Worm castings are easy to apply.
At our farm, we typically use a liquid-worm-casting-soil conditioner which provides a fast-acting nutrient and a microbial boost to our garlic plants. Worm castings improve growing outcomes and may also improve soil structure and microbial health, greater transplant success, more resilient plants, more vigorous stems and leaves, larger root mass, and higher yields, and better quality garlic bulbs.
(the wine glass contains an ample level of liquid worm-casting juice, and the garlic loved this liquid on a hot day).
Overview of Worm Castings
Picture this: you're a tiny plant, just sprouting out of the ground, feeling a bit peckish. Suddenly, a magical shower of delicious, crumbly treats rains down on you! That, my friend, is the joy of worm castings in your garden. 🪱
These little nuggets of goodness, lovingly produced by our wiggly garden buddies, are like gourmet compost for your plants. Packed with nutrients, minerals, and beneficial microbes, they're essentially the worm equivalent of Michelin-starred cuisine for your greenery. Think fluffy pancakes for your tomatoes, or a juicy steak for your squash!
And for garlic? Worm castings are like a garlic spa day. The extra calcium helps form those plump, pearly cloves, while the nitrogen gives them a kick of growth power. Plus, the improved drainage and aeration keep those pungent bulbs happy and healthy, free from any root rot worries. Basically, you're giving your garlic the VIP treatment, and it will reward you with the most flavorful cloves you've ever tasted.
So, ditch the chemical fertilizers and embrace the worm revolution! Your plants will thank you with bigger yields, stronger roots, and a natural resistance to pests and diseases. It's a win-win for everyone (except maybe the slugs, who won't be so happy about those healthy plants!).
So, grab a handful of worm castings, sprinkle them around your precious garlic, and watch the magic happen! Remember, happy worms, happy plants, happy you! 🪴
What Are (Earth) Worm Castings? Worm castings are worm poop. Worms are hard workers and do not even ask for pay or overtime. Worm castings is also called or vermicompost. Worm castings make up the “poop” fraction of vermicompost, a compotation of microbes, undigested organic matter, and yes, worm castings. Worm castings have magical benefits to both garlic plants and soil. Differences in feedstock, maintenance of worm conditions, and storage can all greatly affect the benefits worm castings can provide.
Earthworm castings are chock full of organic matter and desirable micro-organisms that have the potential to increase garlic yield, way better than fertilizer ratios show. Earthworm castings contain micro levels of very important essential plant nutrients that garlic needs to thrive. The dark brown color looks like human poop or maybe rich soil. Castings have a rich, earthy texture reminiscent of exceptional garden compost or dirty coffee grounds.
Not only do worm castings improve soil structure, but castings also increase water retention in soil, improve soil aeration and help garlic plants feed and consume organic matter. Castings help soil microorganisms produce and store the nutrition needed by the garlic plant. Earthworm castings suit virtually all of us that are growing garlic.
Worm castings are a valuable soil amendment and can be used to improve the fertility and structure of soil. Worm castings are also a good source of organic matter and can help to reduce soil erosion. Worm castings are produced by earthworms as they eat their way through soil and organic matter. The worms digest the organic matter and excrete it as worm castings. Worm castings are a rich source of nutrients, including nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. They also contain beneficial microorganisms that can help to improve soil fertility. Worm castings can be used to improve the fertility of soil in a number of ways. They can be added to soil directly, or they can be used as a starter for a compost pile. Worm castings can also be used to make a worm tea, which is a liquid fertilizer made from worm castings.
Worm castings can also be used to improve the structure of soil. Worm castings help to loosen soil and make it more friable. They also help to improve soil aeration and drainage. Worm castings are a good source of organic matter. Organic matter helps to improve soil fertility and structure. It also helps to reduce soil erosion and improve soil water retention. Worm castings are a valuable soil amendment that can be used to improve the fertility, structure, and organic matter of soil. They are a good source of nutrients and beneficial microorganisms. Worm castings can be used in a variety of ways, including adding them to soil directly, using them as a starter for a compost pile, or making a worm tea.
Here are some of the benefits of using worm castings:
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Improved soil fertility: Worm castings are a rich source of nutrients, including nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. They also contain beneficial microorganisms that can help to improve soil fertility.
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Improved soil structure: Worm castings help to loosen soil and make it more friable. They also help to improve soil aeration and drainage.
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Increased organic matter: Worm castings are a good source of organic matter. Organic matter helps to improve soil fertility and structure. It also helps to reduce soil erosion and improve soil water retention.
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Reduced pests and diseases: Worm castings contain beneficial microorganisms that can help to reduce pests and diseases in plants.
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Improved plant growth: Worm castings can help to improve the growth of plants. They provide plants with nutrients and beneficial microorganisms.
If you are interested in using worm castings, you can purchase them from a variety of sources, including online retailers and garden centers. You can also start your own worm farm to produce your own worm castings.
How Castings Benefit Garlic Plants
Researchers at The Ohio State University Soil Ecology Laboratory found that worm castings not only enhanced plant growth and production, castings also curbed certain plant diseases, including root and crown rots and wilt disease, and inhibited some insect pests, including mites, aphids and mealybugs. How about that! Earthworm castings provide substances that directly influence healthy plant growth. The researchers at Cornell University Department of Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology have shown that worm castings suppressed damping-off disease in seedlings. In addition, castings naturally degraded the protective covering of some insect pests, regulated plant nutrient release and stimulated the nutrient cycle from soil to plants.
Our GROeat farm, where we grow hardneck garlic, we’ve learned that what makes worm castings so great It’s the worm. As it digests the organic materials it consumes, it refines them. Nutrients, including minerals and trace elements, are reduced to their most usable form. The castings have a neutral pH of 7.0. The process of making worm castings is commonly known as vermicomposting.
Adding worm castings to the soil aerates and improves its overall structure while providing beneficial nutrients to plants. Worm castings are an organic form of fertilizer produced by the amazing earthworms that live in the soil. What kind of life would that be? Also known as vermicast, worm castings manure is essentially earthworm poop. As these snake-looking creatures eat through compost, their waste creates a special soil enrichment. Worm castings resemble football-shaped particles. Tell that to the Green Bay Packers. Castings improve soil aeration and drainage, as well as increase water retention in the soil.
How to Make Worm Castings
Worm castings are a valuable soil amendment that can be made at home. They are a rich source of nutrients and beneficial microorganisms. Worm castings can be used to improve the fertility, structure, and organic matter of soil.
To make worm castings, you will need:
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A worm bin
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Worms
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Organic matter, such as leaves, grass clippings, or food scraps
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Newspaper
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Water
Here are the steps on how to make worm castings:
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Set up a worm bin. You can use a store-bought worm bin or make your own. The bin should be at least 12 inches deep and have drainage holes.
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Add worms to the bin. You can buy worms from a garden center or get them from a friend. The type of worm you use will affect the type of castings you produce. Red wigglers are the most common type of worm used for vermicomposting.
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Add organic matter to the bin. The worms will eat the organic matter and produce castings.
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Cover the organic matter with newspaper. This will help to keep the worms moist and prevent them from escaping.
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Water the bin regularly. The worms need water to survive and produce castings.
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Be patient! It takes time for the worms to produce castings. You can expect to see results after about 3 months.
Once the castings are produced, you can use them in your garden or give them to friends. Worm castings are a valuable soil amendment that can help to improve the fertility, structure, and organic matter of soil.
Here are some tips for making worm castings:
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Use a worm bin that is at least 12 inches deep.
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Add worms to the bin that are at least 1 inch long.
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Add organic matter to the bin that is moist and chopped into small pieces.
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Cover the organic matter with newspaper to help keep the worms moist and prevent them from escaping.
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Water the bin regularly to keep the worms moist.
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Be patient! It takes time for the worms to produce castings. You can expect to see results after about 3 months.
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Harvest the castings when they are dark brown and have a crumbly texture.
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Use the castings in your garden or give them to friends.
How to Build Great Soil - A Soil Science Masterclass with Dr. Elaine Ingham (Part 1 of 4).
Dr. Elaine Ingham presents her soil science for beginners masterclass. She covers what the soil food web is, how plants benefit from a healthy soil food web, and how you can change the food web in the soil for your benefit.
A Story About Worm Castings
"Once upon a time, there was a farmer named John who had a very small garden. He grew a few vegetables, but his soil was very poor and his plants didn't grow very well. One day, John was reading a book about gardening and he came across an article about worm castings. He decided to give it a try, so he went to the store and bought some worm castings.
John spread the worm castings on his garden and watered it well. The week, he was amazed to see that his plants looked much healthier! They were growing taller and the leaves were greener. John was so happy with the results that he started using worm castings every year in his garden.
The worm castings continued to help John's garden grow. His vegetables were larger and tastier than ever before. He even started selling his produce at the local farmers' market. John was so grateful to the worm castings for helping him improve his garden and his life.
One day, John was visited by a man who was interested in buying some worm castings from him. John was happy to sell him some, but he also told him about the benefits of using worm castings. The man was very interested and asked John if he could come back the next day to learn more about worm castings.
The next day, the man came back to John's farm and John gave him a tour of his garden. He showed him how he used the worm castings and how they helped his plants grow. The man was very impressed and decided to start using worm castings in his own garden.
John was very happy to have helped the man and he was even happier to know that he was making a difference in the world."