Worm Castings and Pests

Anyone had issues with pests coming in from the worm bin?


I have a few worm bins that been untouched for at least a year with around 30litters of good black worm castings however Im a bit scared of using it and bringing some spider mites aphids or whatnot into the garden...



Should I just stick to brewing teas and using that instead of the worm castings itself?



I understand the benefits that fresh live worm castings bring for the garden and I would love to take advantage of that without having to worry about some pests...


Any suggestions please chime in!


Thanks!

Buddah Watcha said:

Anyone had issues with pests coming in from the worm bin?


I have a few worm bins that been untouched for at least a year with around 30litters of good black worm castings however Im a bit scared of using it and bringing some spider mites aphids or whatnot into the garden...



Should I just stick to brewing teas and using that instead of the worm castings itself?



I understand the benefits that fresh live worm castings bring for the garden and I would love to take advantage of that without having to worry about some pests...


Any suggestions please chime in!


Thanks!

Click to expand...

After 8+ years of running worms I've never had an issue of plant pests being introduced from worm castings or fresh VC.

Think this through a little bit in regards to food sources. Spider mites and aphids feed off the juices of living plants and live on, lay their eggs on (or very near), living plants.

Worms feed off the bacterial slime from decaying organic matter, not living plants and there is really nothing in a worm bin that would attract these typs of plant pests. I do have plenty of decomposers in my bins along with the worms but they are only interested in the same decaying organic matter and help the worms by breaking down the bigger bits.

Use the castings, they'll work wonders, but be wary of introducing plants from outside or from other sources than yourself. Bought or gifted plants are a #1 source of unwanted pests.

Wet

Logic wins every time ^^^^

I have never gotten any pests other than fungus gnats from my worm bin. After yours have sat that long most everything other than worms probably died {worms too most likely}

Right on, thanks guys! Can put that black gold to use then! Plants will thank me later!

the only thing worm castings ever brought into my indoor garden was worms. and you're never sorry to see them, typically it's a real skinny one, thinner than a toothpick, because they don't have time to grow very large in the 8-week flower cycle in a container.

actually I've also see springtails and potworms in my containers and run-off water, but you're going to have those with organic living soil, it's not a bad thing. Every once in a while their population spikes, I have no idea why

So what would happen if someone who had spider mites threw all their trimmings and stems in the worm bin... what would happen to the spider mites?! Same thing with broad mites or other pests... would they not survive inside the worm bin?



Just out of curiosity...


Thanks

Buddah Watcha said:

So what would happen if someone who had spider mites threw all their trimmings and stems in the worm bin... what would happen to the spider mites?! Same thing with broad mites or other pests... would they not survive inside the worm bin?



Just out of curiosity...


Thanks

Click to expand...

Of course they would survive, they're tough buggers.

But, you would have to be a special kind of stupid to put infested plant material in a worm bin rather than a burn pit that is a sure cure for any stage of spider mite or broad mite still alive.

Some things you simply don't mess around with and infested plant material is one of those things and broad mites especially. That is from sad experience.

Wet