What are Earthworm Castings?

Earthworm castings can provide performance above and beyond that of conventional fertilization methods for all plants. At the same time, it is completely safe to all plants, animals and people in any concentration.

B & D Organics Soil Builder Earthworm Castings Organic Fertilizer is an all purpose natural fertilizer that comes to you straight from nature with no alterations whatsoever. Our nightcrawlers are fed a very rich peat humus which contains a wide variety of minerals and trace elements. The earthworms digest this material and in its' passage through the worm, it is beneficially altered both chemically and physically. The end product is "super humus" which is extremely fertile top soil properly conditioned for best root growth, containing in rich proportion and water soluble form, all the elements required of the earth for optimum plant nutrition.

Earthworm castings, as stated, contain rich proportions of water soluble nutrients. This is a primary reason for being able to provide incredible results. B & D Organics Soil Builder allows plants to quickly and easily absorb all essential nutrients and trace elements. This is possible because the earthworm grinds and uniformly mixes the nutrients and trace elements in simple forms, so plants need only minimal effort to obtain them. This is not the case with most other natural fertilizers. Though they may have many nutrients and/or higher analyses, the ability of plants to optimally use them is limited because they are not broken down to the degree in which the earthworm is able to provide them.

As well as an abundance of available nutrients, B & D Organics Soil Builder also provides a perfect mix of nutrients that are not readily available, but present for long term nutritional needs. This allows plants to feed as needed for weeks and months at a time, depending on the plant.

Chemical fertilizers usually provide only available synthetic nutrients, much of which are quickly lost into the soil with watering, as a plants' root system can only absorb so much. Chemical fertilizers are most often detrimental to soil microbiology, by-passing and often destroying much of its beneficial microbial and bacterial activity. At the same time, many of these synthetic nutrients are absorbed into your plants and food. Chemical fertilizers and pesticides used in both farms and gardens have become our country's leading cause of water pollution.

Another point in favor of B & D Organics Soil Builder Earthworm Castings is the high concentration of beneficial bacteria and microbes added to them by the earthworm in the digestive process. These microscopic creatures help different elements of the soil work in conjunction with each other to create healthy, working soil that provides the best possible atmosphere for optimum growth.

Yet another benefit of B & D Organics Soil Builder Earthworm Castings is their ability to improve soil structure. These miniature football shaped particles improve aeration of the soil as they don't pack together. This allows roots the ability to grow fast and fibrous which promotes rapid plant growth. It also allows for excellent drainage in soil so roots don't become waterlogged or develop root rot. While improving aeration,
B & D Organics Soil Builder Earthworm Castings also increases the soil's water retention capacity as they contain absorbent organic matter that holds only the necessary amounts of water needed by the roots, while their shape allows unnecessary water to easily drain.

The simple fact is that Earthworm Castings were created by nature for the purpose of promoting optimum plant growth and everything required to provide it, is found in them. When you concentrate this odorless, non-burning miracle of nature in greater concentrations then usually found in nature, the results are truly spectacular.

 Wonderful Earthworm Castings: Little Known Facts

Gardeners have known for years that adding compost and manure to their soil results in better plants. Many folks are not fully aware of the reasons for the improvements. One of the major insights to the superior outcome is that all of the decomposing organic materials mixed into the soil create an atmosphere that worms are extremely attracted to. Drawing additional worms to your garden increases aeration of soil, and at the same time, the smorgasbord of decaying matter is devoured and deposited in the form of worm castings. After this material passes through the worm's digestive system, the nutrients that are found in these fertile castings are changed into a form that is much more available to plants.

The ceaseless contributions of the earthworm have not gone totally unrecognized though. Back in the days of ancient Egypt, Cleopatra named the worm a sacred creature, whose removal from Egypt was punishable by death. Rightfully so, because the Nile Valley is said to be the most fertile tract of land on earth and it is literally one vast bed of earthworm soil. Aristotle had called them the intestines of the earth. Charles Darwin, after forty years of studying them, said that it is likely that worms are the most important creatures on earth.

Why the excitement over worm-do?  Research shows that compared to the soil itself, castings are definitely higher in bacteria and organic matter, total and nitrate nitrogen, exchangeable calcium and magnesium, available phosphorus and potassium, pH and percentage base saturation and cation exchange capacity. In other words, they are a sterile, odorless means to condition your soil and an organic and natural way to provide your plants with the nutrients they need, when they need them. Scientists have shown that castings work extremely well in promoting lush plant growth, but to this day, they still are not exactly sure why they work as well as they do. It just goes to show that Mother Nature knows best.

 EARTHWORM CASTINGS - Literature Search
Copyright by Jim Jensen. Permission granted to copy or post with complete attribution in whole, without addition, deletion, or substitution.

Earthworm castings provide many special benefits beyond what farmers or gardeners can expect from just manure or compost. In fact, most specialists recommend that castings be used as a top dressing or supplement. In this way, castings help make the most effective use of all your bulk soil amendments. "A little goes a long way" because the benefits of castings are so concentrated.

In nature, composting worms tend to be highly localized, thriving in pockets of highly enriched, organic materials. They will consume a great variety of organic wastes and excrete "worm castings," a highly valued soil conditioner. Composting worms also tolerate a wide range of environmental conditions, which helps explain their adaptability.

Here are the results of research conducted by leading researchers around the world:

Scientific studies show that worm-worked composts have better texture and soil-enhancing properties; hold typically higher percentages of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorous; and may offer plants disease-fighting properties. [Edwards, 1988].

"Earthworm excreta (castings) are an excellent soil-conditioning material with a high water holding capacity and a ‘natural time release’ for releasing nitrogen into the soil." [Harris, et. al., 1990].

"Vermicompost (castings) is a finely divided peat like material with excellent structure, porosity, aeration, drainage and moisture-holding capacity." [Dominguez, et. al., 1997]

"Among the blessings of castings, vermiphiles count a smaller particle size than thermophilic compost, lower odor, enhanced microbial activity, and as a bonus, the vermicompost often contains worm cocoons, meaning a free work force for the future." [Riggle and Holmes, 1994]

"Through vermicomposting the humic substances showed an increase of 40 to 60 percent which was higher than the value obtained for the composting process." [Dominguez, 1997]

"An important feature is that during the processing of the wastes (manure) by earthworms, many of the nutrients they contain are changed to forms more readily taken up by plants, such as nitrate nitrogen, exchangeable phosphorus and soluble potassium, calcium, and magnesium. The most surprising result [of our research] was that even 5% of worm-worked animal waste in the worm-worked waste/commercial mixture had a significant effect on the growth of plants." [Edwards and Lofty, 1977]

In a study for the EPA, researchers reported, "Passage of organics through the earthworm’s gut significantly alters the physical structure of the material. Large particles are broken down into numerous smaller particles, with a resultant enormous increase in surface area. As a result of the increase in surface area, any remaining odor-producing sulfides are completely oxidized, microbial respiration is accelerated by a factor of 3, and Salmonella bacteria are destroyed at a higher rate." [Camp, Dresser and McKee, 1980],

"The results obtained for the germination index showed a beneficial effect of earthworms and the highest values of this index were recorded at the final stages of the process. The germination index was 65 to 70 percent higher in the treatments with earthworms than in the control (no earthworms)." Regarding heavy metals: "We found a decrease of between 35 percent and 55 percent of the bioavailable metals in two months." [Dominguez, 1997]

"By shredding organic matter and contributing nitrogen, earthworms stimulate microbial decomposition. Soil microorganisms live in the worm’s gut as well as the surrounding soil and so the microbial content of casts is usually more concentrated than in surrounding soil. Microbial activity in casts improves soil structure by encouraging aggregation of particles. Microbial secretions (gums) and growth of fungal hyphae stabilize the worm cast. Worm-worked soil is relatively water-stable and will resist soil compaction and run-off due to rains. [Edwards and Lofty, 1977]

"In sum, earthworms must be seen not as a "miracle pill,’ a panacea for better soil and crop yields, but as an integral part of intelligent organic soil management practices. As earthworms are dependent upon organic matter for food, and mulches for protection from heat, cold, and drought, so do growing plants depend upon the earthworm, in combination with bacteria and other microorganisms, to maintain and improve soil structure and fertility. When earthworms are seen as part of a living soil, existing in and contributing to a vital ecosystem, then the question of "whether earthworms create good soil, or good soil creates earthworms" becomes essentially meaningless. Our aim is to improve our soils and grow higher yields of healthy crops, not to banter about academic questions. In this pursuit, the earthworm has—beyond doubt—found a treasured place in the organic scheme of gardening and farming." [Minnich, 1977]

References
Buchanan, M.A., et. al., "Chemical Characterization and Nitrogen Mineralization Potentials of Vermicomposts Derived from Differing Organic Wastes," Earthworms in Waste and Environmental Management, The Hague, Netherlands, SPB Academic Publishing, 1988.

Camp, Dresser, McKee, Inc., Compendium on Solid Waste Management by Vermicomposting, Cincinnati, OH, Municipal Environmental Research Lab, EPA, 1980.

Dominguez, Jorge; "Testing the Impact of Vermicomposting," BioCycle, April 1997.

Dominguez, Jorge; Edwards, Clive; and Subler, Scott; "A Comparison of Vermicomposting and Composting," BioCycle, April 1997.

Edwards, Clive, "Historical Overview of Vermicomposting," Biocycle, June 1995.

Edwards, Clive, ed., "Breakdown of Animal, Vegetable and Industrial Organic Wastes by Earthworms," Earthworms in Waste and Environmental Management, The Hague, Netherlands, SPB Academic Publishing, 1988.

Edwards, Clive, and Lofty, J.R., Biology of Earthworms, Chapman and Hall, London, 1977.

Frank, Richard, et. al., "Metal Transfer in Vermicomposting of Sewage Sludge and Plant Wastes," Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol., 1983.

Haimi, J. and Huhta, V., "Capacity of Various Organic Residues to Support Adequate Earthworm Biomass for Vermicomposting," Biology and Fertility of Soils, Spring-Summer, 1986.

Harris, George, et. al., "Vermicomposting in a Rural Community," Biocycle, Jan. 1990.

Loehr, Raymond, et. al., Waste Management Using Earthworms: Engineering and Scientific Relationships (final project report), Washington, DC, National Science Foundation, 1984.

Minnich, Jerry, The Earthworm Book, Rodale Press, Emmaus, PA, 1977.

Riggle, David and Holmes, Hannah, "New Horizons for Commercial Vermiculture," BioCycle, October.

Scott, Margaret, "The Use of Worm-Digested Animal Waste as a Supplement to Peat in Loamless Composts for Hardy Nursery Stock," Earthworms in Waste and Environmental Management, The Hague, Netherlands, SPB Academic Publishing, 1988.

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