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Casting FAQs
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| SEE OUR CASTING ANALYSIS |
| click for Analysis |
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| BEAR CREEK WORM FARM TOMATO STUDY |
| click for Tomato Study |
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| WORM CASTINGS IN GRAPE/AVOCADO PRODUCTION |
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The solid vermicast introduced into the brewing process is also a beneficial factor towards
the release and sustainability of these elements. Generally, vermicast (worm castings)
contain four to six times more of the major trace elements than the best top soil around and
is between ten and twenty times more powerful than compost.
The key to this fertilizer and soil conditioner is the bacteria content which has the ability
to release "locked up" fertilizers in the soil, enabling them to become immediately
available to the plant. Some growers to date have had production increases of up to 30% using
vermicast, as well as the benefits of a high range of trace elements, increased soil water
holding capacity, less pest and fungal problems, improved plant health and increased shelf life
of harvested crops.
Worm castings contain a high percentage of humus. Humus helps soil particles form into aggregates,
which help create channels for the passage of air, and also improve it's capacity to hold water.
Humic acid which is present in humus, not only provides a binding medium for plant nutrients, but
also releases them to plants on demand. Humus is believed to aid in the prevention of harmful
plant pathogens, fungi, nematodes and bacteria.
Quite amazing results have been achieved to date in avocado and grape production. One trial
recently in a grape orchard where vermicast was spread around the vines approximately 20mm thick.
This was covered with a living mulch. For the next five years the orchard had a production
increase of 40% with the quality of the grapes being maintained. All that was done in the three
to four years following the vermicast application, was the mulch topped up.
Research has shown that the combination of vermicast and seaweed actually complement each other
and work better as a "brew". The seaweed helps feed the beneficial bacteria in the
vermicast and the bacteria in return make the seaweed more readily available for plant uptake.
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