What is Vermiculuture?
Earthworms for Vermicomposting
Vermiculture is the feeding, raising and managed reproduction of earthworms. At Vermagreen Organics Our managed production of earthworms is focused on producing and harvesting worm castings for use as an organic fertilizer, an ingredient in special blends or compound growing formulas, vermicompost, and worm casting tea.
To understand the basics of vermiculture you need to understand the digestion process of an earthworm. Earthworms are classified as annelids. Annelid in Latin means little rings. Those little rings around an earthworm are muscle. Earthworms have muscles that run the length of their body too. In addition to their muscle structure, worms have small bristles around each ring used to get traction. The worm’s compression and extension of its body with its muscles, as the bristles “grab” the soil, allows the worm to move.
Vermagreen Organics Earthworm Castings
What Value Do Earthworms Provide to the Soil?
As worms pass through organic matter much of it passes through them. Early in the digestion process earthworms expel calcium carbonate into their food. As the food continues through the earthworm it’s crushed and ground inside the gizzard, assisted by small stones and grit also ingested by the worm. The undigested nutrients pass out of the worm in the form of a casting. This digestion process concentrates the nutrients and microbes ingested by the worm and provides a nutritional product to be consumed by plants – The organic matter is broken down so extensively that nutrients can be absorbed much more quickly into the root system.
How Do Plants Benefit From Worm Castings?
Vermagreen Image of Lilies
At Vermagreen Organics we sell earthworm castings to be used as an organic fertilizer. There are many benefits of earthworm castings and a multitude of different applications.
Getting plants off to the right start is a significant part of what earthworm castings can provide for gardeners and growers. Like infant formula, there are many great quality synthetically produced fertilizers, but none of them can provide the intrinsic value that Mother Nature can provide. Earthworm castings, with all of the micronutrients and helpful microbes, can be likened to mother’s milk for your soil and have proven to be a great natural way to assist your plants in establishing strong root systems, higher yields and improved disease resistance.