I was doing research on how to control a very serious whitefly problem in my garden and I came across one suggestion to use worm castings. Apparently there is something in it that whiteflies do not like.
My main focus was getting the whiteflies off of my tomatoes; they were literally sucking the plants to death. My tomatoes were looking really bad. I went out to Harmony Farm Supply and purchased a 2.25 lb. bucket of Mega Worm Earthworm Castings. After putting a tablespoon per gallon of water in a bucket and letting it steep for a few days, then watering my tomatoes with this solution, I noticed an almost immediate drop-off in whiteflies on my tomatoes. Mega Worm is not entirely water soluble but that is okay. This product is not cheap, however. About $15.00 per bucket! Ouch!!!
Later, I discovered that Harmony Farm Supply also carries 1 cu. ft. bags of E.B. Stone Organics Super Earthworm Castings. I could not buy a bag fast enough. They are not giving this stuff away either. About $9.00 per bag. Super ouch!!! It is a lot more water soluble and I put a heaping tablespoon per gallon of water in 5 gallon buckets. I only let this steep overnight and I used this solution to water tomatoes and other plants in my garden and garden beds that I am preparing to plant. The whitefly population seems to have died off completely. I have been adding the Stone Castings right out of the bag to my garden beds and around plants.
What is it with this stuff? Vital Earth's Mega Worm states that its castings contain "beneficial bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms that assist in the uptake of nutrients." If that is so, then the castings are probably helping with the uptake of calcium and maybe my blossom end root problem will disappear.
At any rate, I am completely sold on using worm castings in the garden. I am not completely sold yet on installing my own vermicomposting operation at home.
