We’ve been preaching the use of worm castings in your garden for a while now. There are so many benefits to their use, including beneficial microbes and nutrients being added to your soil to help plant growth.

But, do you actually know what worm castings are?

According to Dr Norman Aroncon, “worm castings are stabilised organic matter that is produced by the interaction of worms and micro-organisms under controlled conditions”. 

In layman’s terms, worm castings, otherwise known as vermicast, worm manure or worm poo, are produced from earthworms as they eat through organic matter. As the worms work their way through the composting waste, their excrement produces a 100% organic and natural fertiliser for your garden.

The composting process allows the worms to biodegrade the complex molecular structure of the organic matter, and convert it into individual elements and nutrients that are more readily absorbed by plants. These nutrients are also designed to release slowly, meaning your garden won’t be at risk of nutrient depletion caused by run-off, leaching or volatilisation. 

Worm castings are rich in many naturally occurring microorganisms and chemicals that are essential for your soil health, including nitrate, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium. Worm castings are so high in microorganisms due to the digestion process of the earthworms themselves. Earthworms have been found to add their own microorganisms when digesting organic matter, therefore producing a product that has a higher population of microorganisms than the food that is consumed. 

Overall, worm castings offer a great natural alternative to synthetic chemical fertilisers. Worm castings will organically improve your soil and plants, allowing them to thrive without the need for much human interference.