Worm casting substitute ?

[nomoreschwag]

I've been using casting from day one of growing. Unfortunately there isn't anyone within 50 miles of me that sells them, and I'm getting tired of having to buy them off the internet. The shipping on a 50lb bag of castings is almost as much as the castings themself. Is there anything more redily available that I can use instead of castings? Manure...compost...etc?

 

[Ncogneato]

Try doing a search on vermiculture. You can make your own worm castings with leftover tablescraps and such. Also good to have if you are a fisherman.

 

[jaykush]

yea i agree with Ncogneato, make your own its so easy, takes a bit of time to get a good system going but you always have it. a good quality compost will do just as good in a mix or tea.

 

[nomoreschwag]

I'd make my own, but I live in an apartment. A worm bin isn't exactly an apartment item. When I can finally get out into a house of my own its one of the first things that I plan to build. That and a good compost pile.
So a quality compost should do fine ?

 

[Guest]

I'm in the same boat as you in regards to availability nearby....but I have since started my own bin. In the meantime...check out this deal. I have bought mine online, with better deals than most places offer.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Worm-Castings-O...ryZ20540QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Cheers,
SH

 

[Suby]

hello boys,

basically compost is very similar in content to ewc, the idea is the same, to provide humic acids and a sampling of beneficial bacteria to the soil.

Stay away from manures as they can be too hot for a 1:1, i like srimp meal and regualr garden compost can do wonders.

I've seen alot of liquid worm casting concentrate, basically wormbin runoff, this stuff is also great for making teas with so the sky is the limit.

 

[Guest]

i have both a worm bin frome sunleaf a stackabl unit.and a compost tumbler i put vegtabels and shreded news paper in both and coffee grounds and get the richest compost and earth worm castings .when i add this stuff to my teas you can se the foam like a head on a beer start to rise out of my bucket.the compost tumbler i leave outside.and i bring in my wormcomposter inside when it gets cold outside ther is no smell with the worm castings it smells and looks like rich earth black dirt.

 

[keschette]

Do you have a Lowes near you? They sell mushroom compost there in 50 lbs bags. I hear its a pretty good additive.

 

[supermanlives]

i have a few worm setups. well worth the time and once setup not much work. the stackable ones with a drain on the bottom rock. real easy to make tea. get a shredder from walmart unless you like cutting up paper all day. worms eat my evidence leaves ,stems,rootballs everything goes in.wormbins can be put just about anywhere especially the stackable ones.