I just found an abundant source of worm castings really close to me. Problem is I've never used the stuff and not sure what to do with it.

Should this stuff be used like manure? Either in-ground or as part of potting mix?

See this video

I found a gallon jug at Walmart at the very end of last season. Just started using it in my potted figs. I dont know the results yet. Used it on top of soil line.
Its really good to make tea with. Not to drink lol.
I table spoon molasses
Five gallons bucket filled with 4 gallons water
Two cups worm castings
Small aquarium pump
Small air stone
Mix well
Turn on for 1 week covered with towl
Kills insects in soil.
Great for trees.
Also spray on leaves
I sprinkled the dry castings on top just to see the results. Lazy way.

Make a tea with it that stuff works amazingly. My father swears by it he went as far as feeding a portiin of his lawn with it and its way thicker and greener than anywhere else in his yard.You can even add some sea weed extract to it. It's supposed to feed the plants as well as the soil itself creating healthier environment for the plants,and help resist insect damage and disease.

There's a worm farm in Scarborough who sells it by the approx 50 lbs bag.

The molasses and air stone create microbes and they are the magic in the tea. So its different then fertilizer. Your absolutely correct PAOLO. GREAT STUFF.

Thanks all. I think I'm going to take advantage of this. This guy is selling the stuff for $4 per 50 lb bag including free delivery with a minimum number of bags. That pretty good, no?

What do you do with the waste castings after they've been used for tea? Spread on the lawn or something?

You're getting a gift.  I've seen it sold for $5 for a small baggie full.
Throw the waste castings on your lawn, on your garden, in the compost pile.

Well, this guy is in the GTA so if anyone  in the area want's the contact info send me a PM.

Curious - Why the tea as apposed to working it right into the soil? My father used to make rabbit manure tea and give it to all his food plants... Is the difference that noticeable? 

Apparently the tea extracts the nutries and beneficial bacteria from the casting quickly. They naturally have a type of shell I guess on the casting that if tossed in the soil breaks down slowly sort of a natural slow release fertilizer. Ya I have got castings from that place before great price, few bits of plastic though. we were getting them from another nusery in Toronto for a while but I guess he caught on to what he had and jacked up his prices.

That price is beyond excellent. It's practically stealing it. Buy all you can get!

I add a couple of cups to each of my SIP soil. I can't judge the results yet, but I hear really great things about the benefits.

When you make the tea it's a way of making the castings go further.  You can throw a cup in a plant container, which is good, but that same cup can make enough tea for a lot of plants.

Paolo (above) had bought from them before. It appears these guys raise bait worms. By the looks of things they have truck-loads...They also guarantee no mixes or chemicals... 

Seems to me that if you track down a bait farm and deal directly with them you might have a similar good source. I normally till quantities of sheep manure into all my garden beds every spring. At $80 per 1000 lbs I think I'll be trying out worm poop this year.

I've been reading and reading on this...I think this will give me all the micro-nutrients I need... After that add a bit of NPK and I think I'm good.

I'm going for a record cucuzza this year! I think this will help!

Worm castings are worm poop...does it not need to be composted like other manures?

OMG $4 for 50lbs of worm castings? Can you ship me about 8 cubic yards of the stuff on consignment....? Happy Happy...

I'm getting the sense that I could re-sell this poop at a profit...I think customs might take exception though... Anything to declare sir?  :-)

Seriously...no joke... they offer a special on 2000 lb deliveries...

Apparently Toronto is the place to be for worm poop...

Heck... even without an additional discount beyond the 50lbs@$4, I would buy a ton in a second if they included free delivery... its only 460 miles from Toronto to my front door... Set it up and let me know where to send the money!

This is the guy:

http://www.kijiji.ca/v-gardening-plant-fertilizer-soil/city-of-toronto/organic-worm-castings/1156402572?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

I was told not to use air stones as its very hard to clean them. As they sit in between "brews" you can get the wrong bacteria growing in them and it will screw up your batch of tea.  When I took a workshop with Elain Ingram, she stressed cleaning everything with a mix of water and bleach in between brews. 

Thanks, Joe... I went to the web site you provided and it looks great... Only issue is that delivery is available for $4 per bag delivery within 30km radius (min 40 bags). That puts me a few miles beyond their delivery zone... Too bad.... Another thought I had was whether there are any import restrictions on bring this product across the border... Would it be considered soil or something else... Import permits / fees?

I think my solution is to create my own mini worm farm .....

You definitely have a great thing there...

T

That would definitely fall outside their zone. you should consider checking in your area for a bait worm grower. They might be a good source of bulk worm casting. Good luck!

So I'm a little skeptical because of the price.  Pure compost worm (aka red worm) castings sell for a significantly higher price in my neck of the woods.  What I suspect is that you're getting is a combination of earth worm castings and spent bedding material.  If that's the case, it can still be used as fertilizer, tea, etc. but you might not see the full benefits as someone using 100% red worm castings.  

I would be interested to know the following:
1. What kind of worms they are selling.  There's a difference between composting/red worms and your every day earth worms (aka soil worms).  
2. Do they breed the worms and raise them from birth to adult or do they collect worms in the wild and store them while waiting to sell them.  
3. What do they feed the worms.  If they collect worms in the wild, they may not be feeding them much of anything.  If that's the case you could be getting more bedding than castings.  

So, I googled worm growers and worm casting availability in my area and found one in Avon, NY with a local distribution network out of Branford, CT.... Their pricing isn't quite on a par with the $4 per 50lb price point we were discussing and I guess it points out what a bargain that price point really is. The price for me to pick up a 40lb bag of worm casting from the distributor here is $31 bucks....

In the meantime, consider starting your own worm bin.  With the right conditions they'll multiply very fast.  If you've got the space and can control the environment look into an outside worm bed (protect from cooking in the sun, freezing in the winter, controlling moisture, protect from predators).  People have use old tubs as their worm bed.  Lots of options.  But at $4 for 50lb, if nothing else you could consider it inexpensive compost.

Is this really worm casting?  Even a 50 lb bag of composted manure cost more.  50 lb worm casting for 2 toonies seems darn cheap.  How do you know it's only worm poop and not fixed it other stuff