What are these piles of mud in my yard every morning?
It has been a question in the back of my mind since we moved to Sunnyvale over two years ago. What are these little piles that look like poop, or a drizzle castle, or bubbled up mud. They appear overnight and are in my yard by the hundreds in the morning. If you live here, you have seen them.
They are worm castings!
And what is a worm casting? Worm castings are an organic fertilizer made by earthworms. Worm castings manure, also known as vermicast, is earthworm poop. Yes - those piles of mud in your yard are all worm poop. People - specifically gardeners - pay for bags of this to amend their soil because worms consume compost, and their waste is as an excellent soil enricher. A six pound bag of worm castings is around $10 at your local nursery or hardware store.
Worm castings, which resemble football-shaped particles, enhance soil aeration and drainage while also boosting soil water retention. This fertilizer can be used on practically any type of plant, and can be applied directly to plants without burning them. Plus, worm castings manure can be applied on top of the plants, as a side dressing - around your plants, or as a soil amendment.
Benifits?
Make Soil More Absorbent
Introduce Beneficial Microbes
Improves Germination and Seedling Growth
Don’t smell strongly!
Packed with nutrients
Calcium, manganese, copper, and iron are just a few of the 60-odd micronutrients in them.
Some pests hate worm poop!
[1] Vinje (2022) Worm Castings Benefits: Why Use This Plant Superfood
[2] Neilsen (2023)Worm Castings: Powerhouse Poop From Wiggly Worms
