What is the difference between compost teas made from worm castings compared to compost teas made from compost?

Worm castings make great compost tea, but it will be bacterial dominated. That kind of tea is good for annuals, vegetables, and grasses.
Thermal compost has a more complex set of organisms in it. If you want a fungal dominated tea you use compost to make it out of. Fungal dominated teas are good for perennials, trees,  and grapevines. Forest soils contain high populations of fungi. One can observe what kinds of plants thrive there.

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2 Responses to What is the difference between compost teas made from worm castings compared to compost teas made from compost?

  1. Heather says:

    I want to know as to why you branded this post, “What is
    the difference between compost teas made from worm castings compared to compost teas made from compost?

    | Compost Tea Making”. Anyway I admired the blog!

    Thanks a lot-Natasha

    • admin says:

      Hi Heather
      The difference between worm castings and compost could only be quantified specifically, but in essence we are talking about different sets of microbes. Exactly which microbes species are flourishing in one compost pile will be different from another. However, worm castings have predominantly bacteria in their makeup, compared to compost, which may have more fungus in it–in general. The rules can always be broken, as in my own compost pile this year, which is really more of a winter worm bed than an aerobic compost pile. I have been working in large volumes without a tractor to turn the pile–so I layer it. Yesterday (Oct. 16) I pitchforked a pickup load of grape stems on top of last years mulch, followed by multiple mixed layers of manure and grape pomace (skins & seeds). About 3 yards total. There were plenty of earthworms in the manure, but I dumped all of the contents of three worm bins (red worms) in the middle as well. I did this last year, and without turning, in the spring there were a zillion red wigglers teeming in the pile. I grew shallots the size of baseballs. They say shallots are hard to grow–not with worm castings! I planted 50 bulbs today. I am in western Washington state. Does that answer your question?

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