Learn why you want to fertilize your houseplants with worm compost, which is also known as vermicompost. Worm compost gives plants micronutrients that they may be lacking. Worm compost can also help a plant ward of disease. See how to fertilize your houseplants with worm compost and mulch them with this nutritive amendment.
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Hello and welcome to Healthy Houseplants.com, where we teach you all about gardening in the great indoors. Today’s video is sponsored by our Amazon affiliate link, which you’ll see in the comment section below.
Today, I’m going to talk to you about worm compost, one of my favorite amendments for soil. Worm compost is, to be frank, worm poop, and it’s also called vermicompost. You can make your own or you can buy it bagged; either works well.
The great thing about worm compost, as you can see here, is that it really doesn’t look like food. Even when you make your own, it doesn’t look like poo; what it really looks like is a really nice rich soil amendment. As a matter of fact, worms are one of the few creatures that can really boast that their, you know, what does not stink, because it really doesn’t. It actually smells really nice and earthy, and it does great things for your soil.
Studies have found that worm compost adds nutrients to your soil. It provides a lot of different nutrients, including many micronutrients that plants really need. I am going to be putting some into this plant here because I think that it is a little micronutrient deficient. If you can see some of those spots on the leaves, that’s what we’re going to do today for this plant.
Talking a little bit more about worm compost, studies have shown that it can make plants disease-resistant. That is why we have worms outside crawling all over the ground, because it helps the plants become more disease-resistant. This is something else to consider with worm compost; it also looks pretty as a mulch. You could put this worm compost right on top of a plant.
Another thing you can do is put it inside of the plant at the root zone where it can provide nutrients more quickly, which is what I’m going to do with this plant. You usually want to do that, especially with plants that are a little compromised, to get those micronutrients down there.
Now a question is, will you get worms in your houseplant soil? There are some eggs in the worm compost, so yes, you could. Generally speaking, they will stay in the soil. Do keep that in mind though; if you’re repotting, you might want to go outside in case the worm does wiggle out. Although, to be quite frank, I put them back in the soil. My mother, who is highly afraid of worms, would be horrified by that, so I have never told her that.
At any rate, I haven’t had any problems with them crawling out or doing anything; they stay in there. It’s not all the time; a lot of times the worms just fertilize your soil, and you’ll be fine. The other thing to consider is that worm compost tends to help break up airspace at the root zone, which is also good for the roots.
We are going to add some worm compost to this plant here. I’m going to make holes and go down about an inch. You can go down an inch to an inch and a half. I like to use something that’s a little smaller than a pencil for this. You can also do this with granular fertilizers; just sprinkle some in.
The nice thing to consider about worm compost is that it’s so low in nutrients; because it’s completely natural, it doesn’t have a lot of really strong nutrients in it. It’s very hard to overdo adding worm compost to your soil, so you don’t have to worry about burning the roots with it.
Let me go around here and put that in. You do that, and then the worm compost goes down. You can pat it down, do it again here, and this is going to help the plant with any micronutrient deficiencies it has. It will also help it fight off any diseases it may have. It’s a wonderful organic amendment for overall really healthy growth.
I’ll do one more here, and then what you want to do afterwards is sprinkle a little bit on top as well, because that will work its way in and act as a nice mulch. It will keep the soil surface a little bit moister than it would be otherwise.
Now, after you add any kind of amendment, including worm compost, you want to water it in well so that it will activate. I use warm water when I water it in. One of my videos explains the importance of that. I filled this up a little bit, so I’m going to want to tamp down around the edges here a little bit to keep the water in so it doesn’t rush off.
You want to keep that in mind too; if you are repotting a plant, you can do so with worm compost. You want to probably add in about a quarter to one part worm compost to two to four parts soil. You can go lower than that, or even a little higher than that; that’s perfectly fine.
As I mentioned, it’s very hard to harm your plants with worm compost. So try that; it helps a little bit. If you are repotting and you want to mulch with some worm compost, you want to leave a little bit of a quarter-inch lip underneath so that you can put the worm compost on top without it flowing over.
If you have already done that, work it down a little bit around the lip to keep the water in when you water and water slowly. That also helps.
So that is it for the wonders of worm compost in your houseplants, growing them in the houseplant soil. Please leave any indoor gardening tutorials you’d like to see, and remember to like, comment, subscribe, and share this video.
Worm Compost FAQ
What is worm compost?
Worm compost, also known as vermicompost, is made from the waste of worms and serves as an excellent soil amendment.
Can I make my own worm compost?
Yes, you can make your own worm compost or buy it bagged; both options work well.
What does worm compost look like?
Worm compost looks like a rich soil amendment and does not resemble food. It has a nice earthy smell and is not unpleasant.
How does worm compost benefit plants?
Worm compost adds various nutrients, including essential micronutrients, to the soil, helping plants become healthier and more disease-resistant.
Will I get worms in my houseplant soil?
Yes, worm compost may contain some eggs, and while worms can stay in the soil, they may wiggle out during repotting.
How do I apply worm compost to my plants?
You can make holes in the soil, about an inch deep, and add worm compost directly to the root zone of the plant.
Can I overdo it with worm compost?
No, worm compost is low in nutrients and it is very hard to overdo it, so you don’t have to worry about burning the roots.
How much worm compost should I use when repotting?
For repotting, it is recommended to use about a quarter to one part worm compost to two to four parts soil.
What should I do after adding worm compost?
After adding worm compost, water it in well to activate it. It’s best to use warm water for this.
What if I want to mulch with worm compost?
If mulching with worm compost, leave a quarter-inch lip under the mulch to prevent overflow when watering.
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