Worm Compost Recipe

Super easy to make, Worm Tea is the miracle elixir that will infuse your soil with beneficial microbes, prevent and treat plant diseases, ward off pests, improve soil structure, increase your soil’s water-holding capacity, and promote the health, strength and yields of your plants!

Also called worm casting tea, vermicompost tea, or worm compost tea, it is an all-natural liquid fertilizer that is made from steeping worm castings (worm manure) in water.  In this way the nutrients in the worm castings are extracted into the water and the resulting “tea” is used for watering and nourishing plants.

Worm castings are created when worms consume and recycle organic matter and food scraps which are then passed through the worm’s body and exit at the end.   Worm castings are packed

How To Make Worm Compost In 3 Easy Steps

Is an effective way to “stretch out” the worm castings to cover more area and to allow for easy application (simply water the plants).

A couple of years ago I read about a study that was conducted using worm castings.  Researchers at a university in the U.S. placed two rows of plants in a greenhouse.  One row of plants were given worm castings, the other row did not.  The researchers then released plant pathogens into the greenhouse and stepped away for a couple of weeks.  What they observed astounded them:  The plants with the worm castings were healthy and thriving.  The plants without the worm castings were diseased and dying.   These remarkable results have been repeated over and over since:

The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) states that “soils with low organic matter and microbial activity are conducive to plant root diseases and addition of organic amendments can effectively suppress plant disease.”  Worm castings, also known as vermicompost, have been proven to be especially effective in accomplishing this.

Blackdirt Farm Compost Tea Grade Worm Castings 6 Quart

More from the NCBI:  “Vermicompost enhances soil biodiversity by promoting the beneficial microbes which in turn enhances plant growth directly by production of plant growth-regulating hormones and enzymes and indirectly by controlling plant pathogens, nematodes and other pests, thereby enhancing plant health and minimizing the yield loss….It is found to enhance the beneficial microflora and suppress harmful pathogenic microbes.  Due to richness in nutrient availability and microbial activity, vermicomposts increase soil fertility, enhance plant growth and suppress the population of plant pathogens and pests.”

We use a no-till method in our garden and a primary focus is the health of the soil.  I regularly make and use worm casting tea for our vegetables, berries, and fruit trees.

Worm casting tea can be used on any type of plant and everywhere:  Flower beds, vegetable gardens, raised beds, potted plants and containers, hanging baskets, house plants, shrubs and trees.   It’s also known to make grass greener (brew up several gallons and use a sprayer to apply it all over your lawn.)  It is completely natural, organic, and beneficial for all plants.   

Worm Composting: Easier Than You Think

To reap the benefits of worm tea you can limit applications to once every 2 weeks for most plants and once a week for vegetables and fruits.  If a plant is showing signs of distress of disease, apply more frequently.

You can use worm casting tea to water the soil or use it as a foliar spray to spray directly onto the plants.  The latter is especially effective if the foliage is showing signs of disease.

Worm casting tea does not get better with time.  It has living microbes in it and needs to be used up pretty quickly.  In cold temperatures it will keep for 3 days before the microbe populations begin to decrease.  In warmer temperatures use it within 24-48 hours.  Be sure to keep your worm tea out of the sun; store it in a shady area.

Vermicomposting For Beginners (composting With Worms)

There are several brands of worm castings you can buy but be careful to look at the ingredients to make sure that what you’re getting is 100% worm castings and not worm castings mixed with soil or other compost.

I’ve been using and am happy with the ones from Wiggle Worm Soil Builder which I have found to be the best value and if you buy it in bulk quantities you get the best deal.

We’re making a basic worm tea without any special equipment needed.  If you’d like to take it a step further by aerating your tea, we’ll discuss that next.

How To Use Worm Castings To Grow Huge, Healthy Plants

Both sugar (molasses) and aeration boost the microbial activity resulting in an increased microbial population.  Sugar alone will do that but adding some aeration will increase it further.

If you choose to aerate it you can use a fish tank bubbler to add oxygen while the tea is steeping.  Insert the aerator all the way to the bottom of the bucket.  Let it aerate for 48-72 hours, stirring occasionally.

Stir the mixture to combine and let it steep overnight.  (See section above on aerating if you’d like to aerate your brew.)

Worm Factory 360 4 Tray Unit

The miracle elixir that will infuse your soil with beneficial microbes, prevent and treat plant diseases, ward off pests, improve soil structure, increase your soil's water-holding capacity, and promote the health, strength and yields of your plants!