Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard
The percentages of nutrients in these is so low that they are more accurately thought of as supplements. Otherwise they are both beneficial to plants. I use worm castings in every soil mix that I make for my own use.
A year-long study out here in commercial orchards has shown that worm castings applied topically alone are no better than topically applying composted mulch alone. This is significant because worm castings cost 20 times more than composted mulch. Another find of interest to homeowners and perhaps no surprise to many of you: the best scenario by far was topical worm castings covered with a 3-4 inch layer of composted mulch.
The "composted mulch" in the study was produced by first "cooking" enormous piles of shredded greenery clippings for 90+ days, then using mechanized sorters to produce several grades of products. The composted mulch is the 1-inch screened material.
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Thanks for the info, I generally dont care whether its organic or not, But some people try to avoid synthetics. I used well composted horse manure as a supplement to my mix at planting. I saw the cost of " black castings" at a local nursery and was shocked at the price for a small bag. I think its ridiculous considering all other sources of compost, more of a ploy towards people who want to be earth friendly. I believe if u had the time to farm worms and collect them yourself it could make it worth while.
alex