do i really need worm castings?

Discussion in 'Growing Organic Marijuana' started by dylan843, Feb 20, 2013.

  1. first of all, i know i dont NEED them, but i know they are very benefitial and im looking for a great grow.

    growing organic, 1/3 perlite, 1/3 peat, 1/3 compost. with crab, alfalfa, neem, kelp meals, tomato tone for ferts, lime and azomite added to the mix at there right proportions. will also be fertilized with rabbit manure au ju mix i was shown.

    so my question is, with all of this going into it, will ewc be nessesary? i only want to add it if its going to be a night and day difference or close too it. or would it be a good idea to add just a little bit too each one? the point is there expensive as it everything and im trying to lighten my bill.

    thanks guys! peace
     
  2. #2 GiMiK, Feb 20, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 20, 2013
    Yes, in my opinion they are.

    EWC could even be used in lieu of compost, though I'd be hesitant to do it vice versa.

    I can give you a link to some nice castings I just got for a really decent price. Shipping is included.

    Worm Casting Organic Fertilizer: Energize your soil and plants naturally!


    I'm not trying to actively promote any specific stores, but you asked and this is the place that I went through. The lady I contacted was helpful; even responded with their worm feed, which comprises of topsoil and grains.

    Not the best, if you can find a local casting farmer or make your own, but for the price and convenience....:D
     
  3. Yes, as long as you have a quality compost in your mix you definety can get away without them.

    Would I? Is another story... Listen man, you've come this far... And this stuff isn't that expensive. I dunno. Look at what an OZ of good nugs'll cost ya then rethink it - this is cheap as hell.

    Your call. It'll work without them sure.
     
  4. It can be done. I ran out of ewc before this grow. Here I only used molasses, kelp and alfalfa meal, and my best friend fish emulsion. I also used kelp extract and protekt maybe three times in flower.

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  5. dylan, as you might guess it is difficult to state with absolute certainty that EWC would benefit your grow "night and day" with a positive outcome. If all other areas of cultivation are maximized for production then the decision to add EWC might distill down to one of either or both: a) the quality of the EWC, b) the quality of your compost.

    If your compost is of questionable quality then the addition of a superior quality EWC would benefit your soil mix. But if the EWC is of poor quality then adding it not going to provide you a "night and day" difference in outcome. It really is about the quality of EWC.

    Based on what you listed for your ingredients and if you are certain about the quality of your compost I suggest you do not fret about adding EWC, especially right away. Besides adding benefical humus to your soil mix, which you may have adequately addressed with your compost, the main benefit from quality EWC is bacteria and nutrient variety. Think of it as "garbage in garbage out". Again, if your compost is of quality manufacture you will have plenty of bacteria variety as well as fungi, yeast, and perhaps small decomposers. As such adding EWC will not produce the "night and day" outcome. IMO and FWIW.

    The key focus area in your question should be on quality. If the EWC are of poor quality, no benefit to your mix. If your compost is of high quality you already have diversity covered pretty well and can do without.

    HTH.
     

  6. agreed
     
  7. This is why I ask questions, that's for all the input ill be definately be adding the castings then. And yeah I've already seen nlwc.com that's what I was going to use. I have 17, 20 gallon holes, would the 60lb bag suffice enough for that? I figure that should be around 3 or 4 cf whcih would be around 1 to 2 gallons each hole, what do you all think of this?

    Also, not quality compost I would say, I am starting a conpost bin but that's no help for now so ill just be going with some store bought cow manure. Should still do the trick!
     
  8. #9 GiMiK, Feb 21, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 21, 2013
    I would guess every 30-40 lbs of EWC would be around a cubic foot, roughly. :smoking:

    If you have 17 holes, at 20 gallons a hole, you'll be needing quite a chunk of soil. Roughly 51 c.f., if I'm not mistaken. I personally wouldn't go less than 10% humus, that would still mean 6 c.f. of EWC/compost.
     
  9. Which, at that point, whither the sheer amount and size of your outdoor grow I wouldn't personally spend the $$$ on castings unless you're rich. I had assumed that this was for a smaller indoor garden - not a larger outdoor garden. Take Doodlebugs advice and opt for quality compost instead - you will absolutely get the soil microbes that your looking for and the cost difference is huge.

    I WOULD make sure that I had at least 25%, and probably 30%-35% of good compost in my mix though. I get the very excellent Coast of Maine lobster compost here in the Northeast for around $7 a bag - pretty cheap and an excellent product. Ten percent humus just isn't enough in my book. You could look on Craigslist under "Compost" and probably do really well getting a mess of it off of a local farm near you and be perfect with that, too, but either way, make sure you get 25% to 35% minimum of some kind of compost mixed in! Trust me, you'll be SO glad you did come mid summer.I also suggest mulching the top of your soil too. This will really help keep the soil nice and moist during the heat of the summer. You can get a couple of bales of hay to use at $4.00 each I'm sure - again, look on Craigslist.

    If you do add the right amount of compost into the mix you showed above into 20 gallon holes, mulch them and keep them moist all summer, providing you have a good spot that gets full sun all day you're going to be really happy - I could see these getting very large and providing you with a very bountiful harvest.

    Full sun all day. Compost. Mulch.

    J
     
  10. #11 dylan843, Feb 21, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 21, 2013
    Thanks man. You have been a lot of help, now I understand finding the quality compost, but would the mulch matter much on quality? I was hoping to buy some from lowes or something

    Edit: the only thing I could find was horse manure compost from a farm relitively close. Nothing else suprisingly besides anything id get atlowes.
     
  11. I think everyone should have a worm bin or bag. Amend the vermicompost as you would amend a soil. Rock powders, kelp, crab shell, etc. You will make much better vermicompost than anything you can buy, and you feed the worms... your food scraps.

    Elegant.
     
  12. Just make sure that the horse manure is composted really well and it will work perfectly. If and when you you out to the farm check it out for yourself and ask for, and take the oldest manure you can get. It should be dark and very rich looking. You shouldn't be able to really tell what it used to be. It's cold right now but you very well find it loaded with worms in the midst of the heaps - a good thing.

    If you can get what I've described you'll be all set!

    J
     
  13. Lol, the one thing I regret not getting was some of my aunt's cow manure when I was up in Wisconsin visiting family; over 2000 head on a dairy farm, and I didn't even fill a 5 gallon bucket... :(
     
  14. From reading so far everyone pretty much hit the nail on the head. As far as a soil additive its up to you, its not mission critical, however having a smaller bag of ewc around for teas is always a great idea. That way you can get the goodness in there one way or another. Also be wary of casting sold by weight, it only takes a little water to change weight then compromise volume. But look into both bokashi and worm bin composting. Both methods used together make amazing castings and worms love the half processed bokashi goop. Plus it leaves the liquid behind that works great if you add it to your teas after brewing.
     
  15. I do the Bokashi / Worm bin thing. I'm using a 30 gallon Geopot (fabric) instead of a traditional worm bin. Working really well. It's in my basement. I'm starting a second bin shortly. No smell, no fuss, they eat my scraps.

    Just feels right.
     

  16. Yeah ima look into that kinda stuff for future grows. And I'm probably going to add a small amount like a gallon to each hole just for the hell of it and for the tea. Btw I love your sig haha
     
  17. What is minumum amount for horse manure in the soil.I have like 10 killos fresh manure.It is't heavy and probably is like 10 gallon(didn't press it).Just put it under soon weiting for compose.Probably will use it for 3 20-25 gallons bottomless pots and 2 7-8 gallon pots,also bottomlees.I don't think will have time for full compose befor mix with soil,but it will have time to rest in the ground befor I plant...:confused:
     

  18. I have 4 32 gallon containers, full but not compacted, with horse manure. My mix is looking like its gunna be 40 hm 30 peat 30 perlite. Those things were heavy as fuck! Like 80lbs each at least. And I didn't enjoy getting horse shit all over my new lleather seats :( haha but worth it this shits so dark and rich my mj is gunna love it. The gentlemen showed me his winter garden, which he used only the hm as a additive, and it was flurishing.
     
  19. And if there ae not full composed should I use less.I don't have that muthc...Readed somewhere they use verry little amount if it isn't co mposed
     

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