I am trying to make sure my plants get plenty of nutrition, lots of light and keep everything as safe as possible for the Chorus Frogs. (Thought they were tree frogs but they are Chorus Frogs form the Pacific Northwest) The plants are all peperomia's. Don't plan on using anything else unless I can not get them to survive. Right now, all I have is coconut coir fiber for substrate with some worm casting put around the roots. All I plan to do for fertilizers is to use compost tea 1-2 times a month. I have searched everywhere I can find and I can not find if this is going to be enough for the plants to survive and grow. I don't need them to grow like weeds, just stay healthy. Does anyone know if this is enough? Do I need to add something like bone meal or other additives for the plants to survive? It all has to be safe for the frogs.
Here is an interesting link I found that shows the nutrient analysis of worm castings and the quantities used in several experiments. Bear in mind that this site sells worm castings so it may be less than fully objective. http://www.vermiculture.ca/transform/worm_castings.htm ~Will Creed
Good morning Fish, I just read your post and the site Will Creed sent you. The info is very good. I have been using worm casting since early spring and I swear by them. I do mix them the casting with composted soil, Rich Earth (it is a mineral compost I buy) 1 tsp. per plant when transplanting seedlings also I add about 1 tsp. of bone meal per plant 4 to 6 inch pots. But I use just the casting to start seeds. I have had really good luck this year and its true about the root systems being so much larger and healthier. I even have my own worm factory now. Another site is CompostJunkie.com He will answer any questions you have about worm castings.
The active bacterial and fungal numbers seems very close to everything I have read. Some higher, some lower but in the same range. NPK numbers can't be quantified unless you use the exact same things in the exact same quantities every time. I compost with my own worms and there is no way they get the same components every time. one box gets a lot of newspaper, one doesn't. One gets more fruit and veggies where one will get more of the worm food. I do think that the plants are gonna be okay, they are growing, at least in the sort term. I will have to find a way to add some bone meal although there is a lot of eggshell in the worm castings anyway. Is there a way to get bone meal to mix in properly so I can feed the plants with it when I make the compost tea?
