does worm dressing only added on top of your soil do anything?

[supermanlives]

the only thing that likes wormcastings more than my plants is my damn puppy. she drank a quart of my tea. LOL

 

[bonsai]

Aside from nutrients, there is some other plant mojo in there. I have read all about seeds that should not germinate, like date palm. If I try to germinate the seed myself, no dice. Heat mat, proper moisture, etc... But if i throw the pits in my flow through worm bin, they germinate by the time they get to the bottom.

Clackamas Coot posted a great PDF that was a well-referenced compilation of various studies into the benefits of EWC, with a considerable section pertaining to germination and seedlings. Inspired by that, I've planted out my veggie beds using seedballs made of EWC from my bins and mycorrhizal inoculate. Generally I let the many many seedlings that sprout in the worm bins die off from lack of light and join the nutrient cycle, but sometimes I'll pull a handful of pumpkin seedlings out and plant them. Great germination rates!

 

[IwannatokeNbone]

If you are harvesting from a worm bin, you can use EWC that is "almost there" for your top dressing.

overnight results I have observed include very perked up leaves, and over about a week I see off looking plants return to good health.

Aside from nutrients, there is some other plant mojo in there. I have read all about seeds that should not germinate, like date palm. If I try to germinate the seed myself, no dice. Heat mat, proper moisture, etc... But if i throw the pits in my flow through worm bin, they germinate by the time they get to the bottom.

worm mojo, thats what my intuition says also=the woms got the joe, someone on the icc i cant remember were said that 90 percent pelite with 10 pecent castings gave him his most amazing erb, something i want to try someday. thx for the info guys.

 

[Sgt.Stedenko]

I noticed my bag of ewc is getting dry on top. I assume I can remoisten to keep the microbes going.

 

[zymos]

the only thing that likes wormcastings more than my plants is my damn puppy. she drank a quart of my tea. LOL

Fruit flies love 'em too, at least around our house- I had to move the bins outside...

 

[C21H30O2]

and perhaps a helping of rock dust so your herd knows you love them...

 

[Marquis de Sod]

sold me. gotta get some more today. have only mixed it in.

if putting on top i would definitely mix some perlite in or put over the top of the castings to keep flys away tho.

 

[mad librettist]

sold me. gotta get some more today. have only mixed it in.

if putting on top i would definitely mix some perlite in or put over the top of the castings to keep flys away tho.

properly finished castings won't attract gnats or flies.

half finished castings and organic material will, and if you don't have enough predators they get out of hand.

 

[StrapAssassin42]

I've been using cypress mulch around my outdoor plants and im considering do this inside but i also want to top dress with castings.
So im thinking about doing a 1/2 in. of casting then covering that with a light layer of mulch.... beneficial?....too much?
Thanks for any advice.

 

[mad librettist]

well the common advice is to use straws and such for veggies and annuals. I mulch with stuff I grow in the pot, and clippings from my plants, along with live white clover.

i would save the cypress mulch for your ornamentals in the yard, and use something a little more bacteria friendly for your cannabis.


A good rule of thumb is: if you can't feed it to worms, it's not a good cannabis mulch.

 

[FunkBomb]

I top dress with Espoma Garden Tone fertilizer and plants love it.

-Funk

 

[mad librettist]

I top dress with Espoma Garden Tone fertilizer and plants love it.

-Funk

also great in the worm bin as a special treat!

 

[VerdantGreen]

ive started using EWC as a top dressing after the guys here turned me on to it. i find a couple of handfulls just after the plants have budded up and topped out helps to keep them going during flower without giving them a too much of a boost that might mess up the bud structure/density.

VG

 

[rrog]

Very helpful thread. An eye opener for me

 

[mostnonymouse]

I'll say that the worms in the mulch in my containers are as active and healthy as those in my worm bin, if not more so. Constantly adding ewc throughout the grow = healthy plants! Just keep feeding them with mulch!

 

[h.h.]

I find top dressing most beneficial with less drainage interference, however, I also find the roots have little reason to travel where the soil contains little food. About 10%+ top dress with 10%- mixed in, occasionally adding more top dress.

 

[heady blunts]

I love to top dress EWC! plus the worms that live in my containers make little deposits as well!

 

[Dislexus]

I have EWC in my mix, and at early veg I put about 5 parts EWC to 1 part finely ground alfalfa into my water and leave the leftover sludge on top of my pots... makes a nice top dressing..

Less often and less amounts will I water with EWC in flower.. but alfalfa isn't added past early veg..

Other than that all I do for veg is foliar spray with some seaweed extract... bada bing bada boom they are super healthy... love the color and structure of super healthy vegging weed... veiny green leaves cupped like "praise the light!".. new growth spilling out over itself all wrinkly ready to go