Worm Ranch
Worms:
Earthworms (red
worms) are one of God’s primary tools for
regenerating the soil’s lost nutrients. Among other things, they naturally:
-
Stimulate microbial
activity
-
Mix and aggregate
soil
-
Increase
infiltration of water into the soil
-
Improve
water-holding capacity
-
Provide root growth
channels
-
Shred and bury
plant residue
-
Aerate the soil,
and
-
Finally, for the
angler, they tempt fish to bite hooks!
Thousands of sizes,
shapes, and colors of earthworms share common characteristics: they ingest food
(organic waste like table scraps, plant cuttings, paper, cardboard and various
types of manure), process it internally, then excrete waste. Their natural
fertilizer is gingerly referred to as “worm poop ,”
but their excretion
is officially
named
"worm casts" (or castings). Castings may be used directly on
vegetables, flowers, trees and plants, naturally stimulating healthy growth,
without fear of burning the plant, as happens with direct application of most
manure. They also help the plant boost its production of a natural
repellant for whiteflies and aphids.
ALL WORMS ARE
NOT CREATED EQUAL! “A rose is
a rose,” but a worm is not just a worm. The earthworm most
suitably disposed to domestic casting production is the “Red Worm”
(Latin: eisenia
fetida). The red worm has been referred to as the “Cadillac of worms”
due to its voracious appetite
(eats at least half it's weight per day, possibly more under perfect conditions)
for organic waste. Other common names by which this hearty little worker might
be known are; California Redworm, Brandling,
Tiger Worm, California Red and Red Wiggler.
ORGANIC:
No pesticides are used in the production of quality Da-Le Ranch red worms &
castings. A careful selection of environmentally safe food products is always
fed to the population which is housed in winrows and/or bins. Every effort is
made to ensure that no pesticides and chemicals are used for the control of
pests and involuntary weeds which naturally find their way into the worms’
food cycle.
Da-Le Ranch worm castings are a
by-product of our rabbitry and exotic palm divisions. A proprietary blend of
manure produces a high quality casting, which provides our customers the best
bang for the buck!
ANGLING (FISHING):
Big, juicy, fat, healthy and squirming Da-Le Ranch worms give the angler a boost
toward success in a venture to the lake, sea, ocean, pond or stream.
Fishing becomes an all-around more enjoyable experience with Da-Le Ranch red
worms.
Worm
Castings (worm poop):
Read instructions for growing any plant, and you’ll find a
need to fertilize at some point; prior to planting, during the plant’s
life-cycle, or afterwards, when renewing soil for the next season. Insecticide
spraying is often recommended to deter or kill various types of pests.
Worm castings should be used for fertilization in soil
preparation and for ongoing feeding. In addition to their soil regenerative
qualities, worm castings may naturally assist plants in repelling certain
insects. For example, plants fed a steady diet of worm castings can develop
greater self-protection from pests, naturally repelling such insects as
whiteflies and aphids. Removal of these parasites aids in plant growth and
improves harvests.
Indoors, worm castings aid in young plant root structure
development, and encourage continued growth even in hard to grow areas of the
home. Natural food keeps pesticides and potentially harmful chemicals away from
living spaces to minimize exposure for the family. To start plants, mix 1 part
castings to 3 parts potting soil (1:3), later topdressing with 1/4 inch of
castings every 45 to 60 days. Diluted casting tea may be substituted (see Worm
Casting Tea below).
Check label
for application rates.
Outdoors, worm castings naturally aid the soil’s
biological regenerative process by returning leached nutrients to the soil. Mix
1/4 to 1/2 inch castings with soil in the trench or hole prior to planting
seeds. During growing season, add an inch or so monthly from the base of the
plant to the root line. Rake to blend with topsoil.
Container plantings. One of the main concerns when using
various containers for growing is how to maintain healthy soil and develop
strong root systems. Repeated application of worm castings introduces essential
natural bacteria and enables the soil to regenerate itself quicker than with
man-made chemicals and fertilizers. Rule of thumb: 2 teaspoons once a month to a
4 inch pot, so adjust your application to fit the container. Casting tea (see Worm
Casting Tea below) works well as a nutrient-packed natural substitute for
dry castings.
Recipe for healthy plants: Worm castings or casting tea
applied prior to, during and after the growing season makes for a
nutrient-packed soil.
Grow the best vegetables, fruits, plants, flowers and trees.
Achieve a 20% to 40% yield in crops, bolder colors, heartier vines, greener
leaves, tastier fruits and more delectable and palatable fruits and vegetables.
Worm
Casting Tea:
CAUTION: WORM CASTING TEA IS
NOT FOR DRINKING!
Worm casting tea is a highly concentrated natural liquid
fertilizer made by aerating and steeping worm castings in water, or collecting
watering runoff from worm beds or bins. Generally created through a multi-step
process often compared to making iced tea (hence the name “tea”), casting
tea serves a dual purpose:
First, as a natural liquid fertilizer, casting tea may
be diluted 1 part tea to as much as 50 parts water (1:50) to speed absorption of natural
nutrients into the soil.
Secondly, in some situations, casting tea may be used as a natural
insecticide to kill and repel populations of aphids and whiteflies that have
taken residence on a plant.
When using casting tea, water the soil first, to speed direct
access to the root system. Use caution with casting tea when growing root
vegetables like beets, potatoes, carrots, radishes, etceteras. The highly
concentrated nutrients may cause overgrown roots and bolting.
Worm casting tea is made
with various types of brewing systems, ranging in size from a cup of tea to
thousands of gallons at a time. The Da-Le brewing system is simple to use,
inexpensive, and when properly used, will last a long time. (Sorry, the
brewing system is not yet available for public sale).
Worm
Bins:
Worms
may be grown in a variety of locations ;
indoors, outdoors, in or
above ground,
or in containers,
called bins.
Either method works
well, subject to environmental conditions, like wind, rain, sun, soil
conditions, feed and temperature.
- Do-It-Yourselfer: Many
garden enthusiasts find it most convenient to build their own worm
bin. In a future website update, we will provide
some FREE tips
on building your own worm bins.
Da-Le Ranch "My First Worm
Farm" Instruction Manual teaches the novice to care for his worm
colony, and offers scientific logs and journals for tracking progress.
Da-Le Ranch TurboBin Worm Bins offer
quick-start, and simple worm bins for learning the process from start to
finish.
Upward Migrating 3 tray Worm
System is for the novice OR more involved vermiculturist planning a
larger volume of worm castings production.
Compost Mixes:
Although we believe worm castings are the best all-around fertilizer, we have
developed some proprietary blends for specific use on various plants, trees or
vegetables.
|
