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Experimental Evidence for Castings' Effectiveness |
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Written by Administrator
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Sunday, 11 September 2005 |
by Philip Snow, Earthworks, Suisun, CA, from our issue #4
I have been working with worms for the last five years and have seen
from practical experience the effect worms and castings have on plants.
Looking at the gargantuan-sized weeds that grew out of a neglected worm
bed, I knew something extraordinary was going on, and I wanted to see
it happen in a more controlled atmosphere.
In the spring of 1992, I offered to donate worms and castings to Mark's
Farm in Vacaville, California. I requested that they use them according
to my directions and keep that part of the farm sectioned off and
marked, advising visitors what we were doing and that Earthworks
provided the worms and castings. The Solano County Master Gardeners
took over from there, and thanks to Master Gardener Kalo Heldt, the
project soon escalated. Larry Clements, the County Director/Farm
Advisor of the U.C. Cooperative Extension in Solano and Yolo counties,
began advising the Master Gardeners on U.C.D. methods and the best ways
to conduct this project. He also offered U.C.D. services to provide
leaf and soil analysis.
It was decided that tomatoes (Solano County's #1 cash crop) would be
grown, and on April 1 the plots were set up. In a checkerboard-type
planting, there were four different soil conditions, multiplied by four
for a total of sixteen plots. The four soil conditions were: 1) soil
with no amendments, 2) soil with steer manure incorporated, 3) soil
with castings incorporated, and 4) soil with castings and worms
incorporated. The results were not surprising. There was virtually no
difference between the plain soil and the soil with manure. Soil with
castings increased production by 10% and the soil with worms and
castings produced 33% more tomatoes.
This project clearly shows the enormous impact worms have on increasing
productivity. There are many more questions to be answered and I
believe we've only scratched the surface of the enormous potential
worms can have in global agriculture. |
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 18 September 2005 )
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