Worm tea, (or vermitea) is valuable when applied to the leaves of plants because it prevents the infestation of plant diseases like powdery mildew and black spot while providing nutrients to the plants.

Worm tea is inexpensive, organic and safe to use on all plants, and is especially good for growing vegetables and herbs. It also prevents plant infestations with harmful microorganisms, to name but a few benefits.

Check out this insane root growth from a test done at XLNT3 labs in the USA.

Other benefits  of Vermitea are:

The tea can be applied in two ways, directly into soil or as a foliar spray. A quick list of benefits of worm tea include:

• Pathogens cannot infect the plants because the potential infection sites are already dominated and occupied by beneficial microbes.
• Plants are more active, taking up nutrients from the tea making it less susceptible to attack by pathogens, as bacteria/fungi or mild proliferate when a plant is out of balance.
• Nutrients and food in the tea encourages good microorganisms to grow, with the nutirents being retained better, allowing for nutrient absorption on an “as needed” basis by the plant.
• Soil structure is improved, with more oxygen reaching into the roots and preventing toxin build up in soil by anaerobes. Vermitea or vermiliquid is abosorbed via the roots, and overall water retention is better, which is great in our water stressed country.
• The depth of root a grow is increased, encouraging stronger plant growth, with robust leaves and yeild.
• By using an organic alternative, your plants are truly healthy, which means that you will be too! Consumers are demanding a shift away from the many dangerous and harmful chemicals that get used in commercial vegetable farming.You will now have control over what you eat, and as so many diseases are dietary related, this is a no-brainer!

NB! Organic matter will contribute to the growth of the tea microbes when applied to the soil. So if there is not enough organic matter, adding some more will help prolong the benefits of the worm tea application.

This if your soil is very poor, best to add vermicompost as well, particularly on planting new stock. You will need +-1/2 cup per small bush, 1 cup per shrub, and 2-4 cups per tree (per season!). The vermicompost is immensely concentrated, and has an extremely high humus concentration. Humus acts like a “water nappy gel”, which absorbs water for long periods, and stayes in soil for up to 20 years!

The most important thing to remember when applying worm tea is this.  It must be used within 24 hours of its manufacture.  In fact, the fresher the better!  The beneficial aerobic microorganisms require oxygen to survive

Do something good for our environment, composte your kitchen waste and newspaper with earthworms.  Go Green!  Contact esther@ecowormfarms.co.za for more information, or order your worm tea, vermicompost, compost worms or worms farms here, at:

http://www.ecowormfarms.co.za/ecowormfarmproducts

- About the Author:

Daniel C. Merrill MD is the author of the eBook Raising Earthworms for Fun and Profit published by ebookit.com.  The book will soon be published in a paperback edition by the  XLibris publishing company.  Additional ebooks by Dr Merrill include So, you want to go to Medical School?; What You Should Know About Prostate cancer (Get it before it gets you); and, The Northern California Camper.  You can contact Dr Merrill at docmerrill@aol.com.