WoRmECYCLE in the NEWS

http://www.urbanitebaltimore.com/baltimore/community-supported-composting/Content?oid=1310257

Worm Tea: The Miracle Vermelixir

Our first distribution of worm tea to "Green Thumb" members is scheduled, so some explanation of the product is due.

First of all, what the heck is it:
Worm tea is liquid fertilizer formed when water percolates through worm compost. It is collected as drippings from the bottom of worm composting bins or can be brewed by soaking worm castings in aerated water.

How is it used?
Just about anyway you would use a commercial fertilizer intended to be applied with water, suggestions include...

• Dilute with water up to 10:1 (or even more, I actually pour it directly into my rain barrel in the summer) for regular use on plants
• Diluted 50:50 with water to use as a natural biweekly or monthly fertilizer
• Applied full strength once a week with water application between each use

Unlike commercially available fertilizers, it will not burn your plants and is not harmful to people or pets.

Benefits of the worm tea include:

• conditioning, feeding, and promoting healthy soil
• improving water retention
• promoting plant growth and production
• naturally repelling scale, mites, white flies, and aphids
• naturally inhibiting fungal growth in soil and on plant surfaces

Other claims go much further...EVEN Medicinal Benefits
M&B Williams (http://www.wormpro.co.uk/resources/worm-tea-benefits.php), suppliers of professional worm products and worm digestion systems (wow, who knew), reports

• Surprise to us was the value of Worm Tea when applying it to sun burn. We have testimonials from Australia where after a painful sunburn – placed worm tea on one shoulder and arm and another product on the other. The cooling effect was immediate and by the following day, saw tremendous difference between the two arms. Another Testimonial here in Apopka, FL. We have many nurseries growing Pothos and Diffenbachia. Some workers break out in a rash and have constant itching. Again – experimenting found the Worm Tea gave a cooling effect, the itching stopped and the rash disappeared. The testimonial given was that, "Finally she had a restful night's sleep".

If anyone is brave enough to test that claim, please let us know.