Vermicompost certainly has some positive properties. However, we can’t ignore the fact that the mixture can cause issues. If you add vermicompost to soil with healthy levels of organic matter, it may harm your plants. It’s crazy, but it’s basically nutrient poisoning.
Vermicompost provides nutrients that all plants can benefit from. However, there are some instances where castings are not the ideal option and can be harmful if added to plants with healthy soil.
What Is Vermicompost?
Before you use vermicompost on any plant, you should have a basic understanding of what it is. Vermicomposting is sometimes called worm composting, and it involves worms that help break down your kitchen scraps. The worms turn your food waste into usable fertilizer that you can put in your garden.
ow to Use Vermicompost in Potted Plants
For any plant, vermicompost can offer extra nutrients and help plants grow. Vermicompost can help potted plants just like any other plant, though there are some considerations you may have to make (source).
Here are just a few of the ways you can take advantage of worm castings as a nutrient source:
- You can sprinkle some vermicompost over the top of the soil. This way, the nutrients will work their way down to the roots of the plant.
- If you have a new plant, you can mix vermicompost with regular topsoil. This requires a bit more compost, but it can help when potting plants.
- When you have seeds, you can combine vermicompost with the seed starting mix. That can help the seedlings grow.
The Benefits of Vermicomposting
Vermicomposting can be suitable for most plants in almost any situation. It gives you an easy way to get rid of food scraps and you’ll have an excellent organic fertilizer to use in your garden, flower beds, or potted plants.
There are also other benefits to consider when determining where to use the vermicompost. Different plants have different nutrient needs, so you should consider those factors when deciding if vermicompost will be suitable for an individual plant.
The Disadvantages of Vermicomposting
While vermicompost can be useful and beneficial, there are some instances where using it in your garden might not be the best decision. In rare cases, it can do more harm than good.
