Earth Worm Castings at Walmart!

Dignan · Mar 22, 2008

If your circumstances permit it (do you have 4 square feet of floor space in your home or garage or shed?), do yourselves a favor and make your own castings in a worm bin. It's the easiest thing in the world and, even when compared to Wally World's employee-exploitin' low low prices, it's extremely cost effective to maintain your own worm bin.

The worms do all the work! Look into it.

rckymtnthuglife · Mar 22, 2008

The only difference between any earth worm casting is what the worm had been fed. I'm sure Wal-Mart gets it from a giant supplier because it comes from a bait company where I am too. Who knows what they feed em???? For me I can pay 4 dollars for a 10 bag at wal-mart or I can support my local shop and worm grower and pay 13.50 for a 30 bag. It is good that alot of people will have access to quality products. Even though I don't use them myself they have bone meal, blood meal. I'm with Dignan on growing your own...waiting till spring on that one.Peace

Mr Celsius · Mar 22, 2008

earthworms, actually Redworms (proper type), feed off of the bacteria that are decomposing the O.M. that is put into the bin. Most of "EWC" (should be called "RWC") is just the broken down O.M. Redworms need a lot of carbon for there dwelling. They can't handle a lot of nitrogen in their environment. "EWC" are great because the decomposed carbon brings in a lot of humates (humic acid) and water retention. The bacteria are a plus as well.

They likely-hood is, that wally world's producer just throws in a bunch of recycled newspaper and some sort of nitrogenous material... maybe some sort of food scraps. All I can say, is its probably not top quality.

green_grow · Mar 22, 2008

this is wal-mart we are talking about here ... i am picturing a factory full of large vats, into which are pumped large quantities of the bodily wastes produced by the factory workers.

Ulysses · Mar 23, 2008

Geez! Oh Okok, Walmart is evil whatever we all know this...

And DMF bait company is a secret walmart holding company where worms are actually being fed the dead bodies of illegal aliens and old people so walmart doesn't have to pay the family's healthcare benefits...

Walmart is not manufacturing the castings!

Not everyone has a premier hydroshop in their backyard!!!

I have a 2 hour round trip to the hydroshop AND they open at 1pm AND they are expensive! $1/lb is expensive! Also, there is a certain amount of paranoia associated with hauling bag after bag of soil, nutes and bulbs out of that place...

They look and smell like any other brand of castings- No, I didn't have them sent to the lab for a gas chromatograph...

Dignan, nice to hear from you- I would LOVE to make my own EWC but finding the space is the key- hell, I might have to start collecting bats and seabirds 'round here!!!

bakelite · Mar 23, 2008

Ulysses said:
Geez! Oh Okok, Walmart is evil whatever we all know this...

And DMF bait company is a secret walmart holding company where worms are actually being fed the dead bodies of illegal aliens and old people so walmart doesn't have to pay the family's healthcare benefits...

Walmart is not manufacturing the castings!

Not everyone has a premier hydroshop in their backyard!!!

I have a 2 hour round trip to the hydroshop AND they open at 1pm AND they are expensive! $1/lb is expensive! Also, there is a certain amount of paranoia associated with hauling bag after bag of soil, nutes and bulbs out of that place...

They look and smell like any other brand of castings- No, I didn't have them sent to the lab for a gas chromatograph...

Dignan, nice to hear from you- I would LOVE to make my own EWC but finding the space is the key- hell, I might have to start collecting bats and seabirds 'round here!!!

People have to understand that not all of us who choose the organic route have easy access to hydro stores, RO/rain water or have room for compost piles, worm bins etc. I hate the exploitive capitalist mega-chain stores as much as anyone else does and I try to avoid the places as much as possible, but if they happen to carry something organic (or semi-organic) that suites my needs then I have no problem buying it. It looks as though Wal-Depot is starting to carry more and more organic products (Alaska fish fertilizer, Espoma, Worm Castings etc.). This IMHO is a good thing.
-bakelite

reddy1 · Mar 23, 2008

made a special trip yesterday and didn't see any. i'm in a cold northern state btw. garden center is not fully open yet. is it in a yellow bag? got some at sams club last year for cheap. they worked great.

B.C. · Mar 23, 2008

The DEBIL!!!

The DEBIL!!!

Well...I reckon...If ya don't like em,don't buy em. Simple.But then yer gonna feel like yer missin out tho. Oh them e-vil bastards! lol later,BC

RedwoodGrower · Mar 23, 2008

Does anyone know how long a bag of EWC will stay good for, just in case i want to stock up for a while?

Ulysses · Mar 24, 2008

After mixing up a nice batch of soil tonight with these castings, I am going to be man enough to admit that there is a significant difference between the quality of $1/lb. EWC and $.35/lb. EWC...

I made my judgement on a hasty grab out of a knife slit while the bag was still on the pallet. What I got in my hand looked ok. However, based on several bags, there is a compost mixed with them- they are not "PURE" castings if such a thing is available. Not for use in hydro... Make sure these are up to your standards before you buy out a pallet or two...

I mixed a cup of DMF EWC with 1/4 cup of Espoma Biotone Starter Plus and wetted it with a Tea of DMF and I'll keep it warm tonight to see if it's bioactive...

:fsu:

DIGITALHIPPY · Mar 24, 2008

Ulysses said:
After mixing up a nice batch of soil tonight with these castings, I am going to be man enough to admit that there is a significant difference between the quality of $1/lb. EWC and $.35/lb. EWC...

I made my judgement on a hasty grab out of a knife slit while the bag was still on the pallet. What I got in my hand looked ok. However, based on several bags, there is a compost mixed with them- they are not "PURE" castings if such a thing is available. Not for use in hydro... Make sure these are up to your standards before you buy out a pallet or two...

I mixed a cup of DMF EWC with 1/4 cup of Espoma Biotone Starter Plus and wetted it with a Tea of DMF and I'll keep it warm tonight to see if it's bioactive...

typical wal-mart

always 1/2-ass it just to undercut someone.
some people just think the quality is worth it.

sounds like people should just get themselves a bag of dirt with worm castings in it...ffof has never let anyone down, glad walmart dosent sell gh i bet theyd force GH to water it down... LOL

Guest · Mar 25, 2008

I grew my own EWC for a few years then I set them free. Hundreds of thousands liberated that day. Wallmarts M.O. dictates this stuff is poison.

B.C. · Mar 25, 2008

Worm castings are compost.

Worm castings are compost.

When you buy worm castings yer buyin the bedding that they were in not jus their poop by itself. That bedding is compost,the worms jus add to it....It's prolly why they're cheaper,they jus haven't been processed as much; filtered/sifted or ground up.I dunno,I've only stuck my hand in one bag,and they seemed ok,but that -is- only one bag. My friend has been usin em since last fall with great results tho...I know I'm gonna use a bunch this summer on all my outside stuff,veggies LOVE worm compost! Later,BC

texas grass · Mar 25, 2008

i just went to my walmart next door and they had them i bought enough for this batch of soil. i bought 50lbs at about $22 with tax. compared to 30lbs for $30. they seem fluffy and its been screened, they claim on the bag no pestacides, insectasides, or herbacides used and 100% natural and organic and have tests to prove it. ill let yall know my experiences with them.

heres info on the company http://www.dmfbait.com/home.asp but i didnt find anything on their castings

Ulysses · Mar 25, 2008

B.C., you are right that stuff is worm bedding. The amount varies from bag to bag... It's like hay or something so is should add to the goodies when it breaks down...

I disolved the stuff in a glass and there was no oil residue or unpleasant smells- it smelled like mud...

I had to go fetch another bag of highend Wiggleworm brand EWCs because it was driving me nuts! I held a fist full of WiggleWorm Castings $1/lb. and they are moist, sweet and rich black. The DMF is less so...

They should be excellent for outdoors and hole prep- the smaller bag makes them very portable...

acidnI_livE · Mar 26, 2008

if u go to the sporting goods section at wall mart and look at the little refrigerator that they keep the earthworms in for fishing bait, and the brand that makes the live earthworms that they sale is DMF BAIT company.

Dignan · Mar 27, 2008

EWC are relatively low in nutrients and most people don't apply them with nutrient content as the primary reason. They are an excellent way of introducing microbes to your garden... which is true of the bedding, as well.

I'm sure they're worth the $3.50. It's debatable whether supporting Wal Mart is worth the cost, but that's been rehashed here and elsewhere over and over.

Dig

GirthDogg · Mar 27, 2008

I picked up a few bags at my local wallyworld as well and it looks just fine to me. Seems to be more than good enough to do the job as an additive. It looks quite rich and the price is slammin' :headbange

Clackamas Coot · Mar 27, 2008

If these castings are from the fishing worm operation (and I assume that they are) then I would think that the castings should be pretty good.

Large worms are what anglers are looking for and you have to feed worms good food to get them to grow large and fat. Feeding them nothing but paper doesn't make for good fishing worms. I feed mine rotting fruit, vegetables, various animal manures, kelp meal, kelp, straw, alfalfa, etc. and they get HUGE.

Same deal with a large worm castings operation up in Washington. They pick up expired produce all over their area from grocery stores, produce distributors, etc. and get paid for hauling it away. Then it goes into their worm operation. I bought a couple of lbs. of their worms last summer and I couldn't believe how big that they were.

Good luck on the worm castings!

onelov · Mar 30, 2008

hmmmmm....... drive's to wal-mart....... last time i look they did not have any we should see...

Earth Worm Castings at Walmart!

The Soapmaker!

Member

I am patient with stupidity but not with those who

Active member

Member

Active member

Member

Non Conformist

Member

Member

Active member

Guest

Non Conformist

Member

Member

Member

The Soapmaker!

Member

Active member

Member