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OptiGrow

~ Your planting partner

OptiGrow

Category Archives: literature

Planting Macadamia trees.

12 Tuesday Dec 2017

Posted by Nicholas in Articles, literature

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Tags

Macadamias, planting, Rehabilitation

Here at Optigrow we understand that, happy roots = happy fruits… or nuts.

That is why soil preparation prior to planting is so important to us.

It’s common practice to plant first and feed and irrigate second.
There are many benefits to considering soil preparation prior to planting.

Not just from a plant health point of view but cost wise too.

Soil is the environment that supports plants and as we all know as farmers a well fed and stress free plant is a happy plant.

Simple steps can be taken to prepare for planting.
The earlier the better, but any preparation in advance is better than none.
Soil preparation cost per tree is a fraction of what that tree costs, therefore as an investment, it makes complete financial sense to cover this extremely important factor.

Preparation inside the plant hole is also extremely beneficial vs just building soil from the surface down.

Optigrow produces earths oldest and best soil rehabilitator and conditioner.
We suggest using vermicast in soil preparation as it seeds in all the plant beneficial micro and macro organisms, hormones, micro fungi and plant available nutrient needed to establish a healthy substrate for young developing plants.

Young plants are very susceptible to peaks and troughs in the availability of moisture and nutrient, PH and chemical imbalance in soil due to pesticide use.

Freshly prepared soil is often deep ripped, disturbing and displacing microbe colonies plants rely on for healthy growth.

Commercial farming relies on high yields and quality crops at harvest.
With this in mind after years of investment, the early formative years of trees are essential in achieving this goal.
Healthy root development in young years is first priority and soil health goes hand in hand with this.

Land preparation and planning takes time.
Once plant locations are planned and marked it is advised to begin soil prep at each planting location thereby ensuring established soil health when your investment goes into the ground.
Your trees have a better chance of “taking” in healthier soil, and that alone can offset costs of your soil preparation, not to mention the time, effort and labour to replace dead trees.

But im busy, why soil prep in the hole?
Why not just apply castings on the surface around your trees?
The short answer to this is best effect for your financial investment in soil preparation. The second is time.
Vermicast in the plant hole surrounds the roots supporting them exactly where it is needed.
Microbial colonies then populate outwards in all directions preceding and pioneering ahead of roots. With a surface application, the root supporting components of vermicast work downward towards the roots and then outwards, which takes time. Both support root development and your tree, however soil preparation in advance benefits the tree right from the start and in all the right places.

Investment in macadamias is a wise investment but with any investment it is best to do so carefully. Planning for the healthy support of your trees from young to bearing age is exceptionally important.

Ensuring that the organic function of soil is optimised means that from the start your structural, chemical and biological components of soil are in place and ready to work hand in hand with the chemicals and pesticides you use, keeping your root zones healthy and balanced.

To discuss how we can help you today or for more information on Opti-cast and what we do, please feel free to give us a call.

Nicholas and the Optigrow team.

Agricultural and commercial literature.

18 Wednesday Jan 2017

Posted by Nicholas in literature

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agricultural, commercial, literature

agri-com

Here at Optigrow / Davley Vermicast we strive to make the scientific data, reports and articles as digestible as possible.

We know our farmers and commercial users are busy and always on the move, so if you don’t have the time to peruse our site, please find below links to all the most pertinent documentation to download and read when you have the time.

We start with the basics, going through to the longer and more comprehensive scientific data.

We endeavour to offer our farmers the best price possible. As price is volume driven call us today to discuss how much you can save on your bulk order.

The benefits of soil rehabilitation are extensive and we want to work with you optimising your soil. Optigrow, your planting partner.

PDF_Logo - icon Planting Guide – Agriculture

PDF_Logo - icon Optigrow Opti-Cast – Your complete guide.

PDF_Logo - icon Opti-Feed percolation – Your guide for nutrient and microbial fertigation.

 

Opti-cast / Davley vermicast – Your complete guide.

17 Tuesday Jan 2017

Posted by Nicholas in literature

≈ Comments Off on Opti-cast / Davley vermicast – Your complete guide.

brand-v4-0-a4-header-large

Optigrow and Davley Organics produces the oldest and most successful compound used in fertilisation and soil remediation in history.

Over 50 years of research show how effective this compound is and it can be found in all the healthiest soil ecosystems on our planet.

It is a compound that physically, chemically and biologically stabilises soil, stimulates further plant growth even when plants are already receiving optimal nutrition.

Includes plant-growth regulators which increase growth and yield.

Consistently improves seed germination, enhances seedling development and growth, and increases plant productivity.

It has been proven to effectively control or regulate, pests, fungus, disease, soil toxicity and chemical imbalance.

It is a compound that exists in all healthy soil and if you as a farmer, are suffering from an unhealthy soil, your soil in all likelihood, is missing it.

So who are we and what is this compound I am talking about.

 Optigrow produces Opti-cast, also commonly known as earth worms castings.

We produce primarily for Mpumalanga’s fruit, nut and veg industries.

 

So what exactly is worm castings?

Vermicast is a thick black compound produced by earthworms,

a living fertiliser and soil rehabilitator that is highly microbially active.

It  makes available nutrient more plant available, microbial activity makes minerals and micro nutrients otherwise locked away in mineral sand, soluble, making them available to plants.

The microbial activity and physical structure of vermicast stabilizes chemicals and minerals within the substrate keeping nutrient available more consistently and for longer and  helps stabilize moisture levels in soil leading to reduced drain away.

soil-test

Castings work in a multi faceted approach.

It is a natural process that supports all the elements plants and trees need for sustained healthy growth, encompassing

  • Physical property.
  • Chemical state.
  • Biological activity.

With these three in check, trees and plants have the best environment for healthy growth.

Optigrow works with farmers like you to restore your struggling soil, to reintroduce the missing puzzle piece that modern agriculture is only now realising it has lost, to decrease chemical fertiliser costs, increase yield, increase quality and control disease and pests.

We aim to help rebuild your soil by the reintroduction of organic methods, integrating into and working with your current chemical fertilisation schedules to better the results you aim to achieve.

And all this we endeavor to do within your current budget.

soil

What is soil?

Soil is certainly not simply a sterile growth medium.

It is a complex web of mutualistic and symbiotic interaction, complex relationships between plants and animals both big and microscopic.

It is the backbone of our food system; your greatest asset and greatest resource.

It is comprised of two main components, mineral sand  and  organic matter, but that is not the whole picture.

In order to support plants, soil health is based on three components.

It’s that Physical, Chemical and Biological structure.

The three structures within soil that worm castings work to naturally repair.

The Physical structure of soil is what holds moisture in place so that roots don’t  become either too dry or to wet. Holds chemicals in place so they are available to plants without being washed away.

Chemical structure is having a readily available supply of all the nutrient plants need to grow and thrive, but most importantly in plant available formats that plants can readily absorb.

And finally the biological structure of soil.
Probably the most important component in soil. It is the microbial activity within soil that works on the chemical fertiliser we add, the nutrient and micronutrient, to convert it into the plant available formats plants require.

nitrifying bacteriacfans_asset_249211

Earthworms do not create nutrient they simple refine it from their food source and convert it into a format that is the most efficient form for plants to take up.

During the process  organic matter passes through the worm’s gut, it undergoes physio-chemical and biochemical changes by the combined effect of earthworm and microbial activities.

Worm castings or vermicasts, are coated with   mucopolysaccharides and enriched with nutrients.

The biota introduced to the soil in vermicast or leachate (worm tea) can work away out of sight, releasing the minerals that are already there.

Worm castings can be as much as 1000 times as microbially active as conventional compost, with compost being higher in ammonium, while castings are higher in nitrates, which is the more plant-available form of nitrogen.

With the introduction of castings and its biota, supply rate of nutrients like  P, K, S and Mg, are increased.

Earth worm castings are an excellent media for harbouring N-fixing bacteria, also trapping free nitrogen from the atmosphere.

Nitrogen fixation is a process by which relatively inert  atmospheric molecular nitrogen (N2) is converted into ammonium (NH4+) freeing up the nitrogen atoms to be used in other ways for in the case of castings, to be converted to nitrates.

As farmers all know, this is essential because nitrogen is required to create the basic building blocks of plants, therefore  essential for agriculture.

Earthworms directly cycle this nitrogen by excretion in their casts, urine and mucoprotein and nitrifying and nitrogen fixing microbes are all found established in worm casts.

Several valuable compounds are also produced through the earthworm  and microfloral interaction, which included vitamins such as B12 and plant growth hormones (gibberellins).

Cationic

Cationic exchange is important in your soil, but what is it.

Trace elements are attracted to worm castings and readily bond to it in the same way that opposite poles of a magnet attract each other.

Everything in nature has an electrical charge. Some charges are positive, cations, and some are negative, anions. Organic vegetative matter is anionic and, because worm castings are highly vegetative matter, it is strongly anionic. Most trace elements are cationic.

Earth worm castings act like a sponge using their charge to hold trace elements in place increasing bio availability of that nutrient for when plants need it.

Plants have a stronger pull than the worm castings and can therefore draw the trace elements away from the castings and into their roots.

 Pythium  Sphaerotheca fulginae - Copy

There are extensive studies regarding disease attacks on crops.

Results consistently show with small applications of castings, the incidence of disease is significantly suppressed.

(by Pythium on cucumbers, Rhizoctonia on radishes, and by Verticillium on strawberries and Phomopsis and Sphaerotheca fulginae on grapes in the field.)

Earthworm movements act to disperse not only microorganisms important in food production but also root symbiots that form mutualistic  associations between  fungus and the roots of a vascular plant.

In addition microbial antagonists of plant pathogens and pest microorganisms are also dispersed, microbes that eat or destroy other plant pathogens or pest microorganisms.

Phytophthora nicotiniae sclerotinia sclerotium fusarium oxysporum

Researchers have found that instances of fungus can be controlled with the use of worm castings.

Studies showed a generous application of earth worm castings were required but clear improvement showed in less than 30 days.

Worm castings have been found very effective in combating Phytophthora in macadamias.

(Phytophthora nicotiniae, fusarium oxysporum, sclerotinia sclerotium, and sclerotum cepivorum,)

Chitinase-1CNSBathycoelia natalicola

So what about those pesky insects and how do worm castings effect them.

Chitin is a compound that makes up the main component of the exoskeleton of insects.
Chitinase is the naturally occurring enzyme that breaks chitin down into chitosan.

Worm castings contain enzymes known as various forms of chitinase of which insects have a strong aversion.

Worm castings activate multiplication of the chitinase-producing bacteria found naturally in plants.

The natural level of chitinase found in most plants is not sufficient to repel insects.

The level of chitinase is multiplied to a repulsion level with the use of worm castings.

When the chitinase concentration is low, insects are not repelled.

The increase in the chitinase level on small plants to a level sufficient to repel small insects occurs in a few weeks. The increase in the level of chitinase in large plants sufficient to repel the insects takes longer.

To better demonstrate.
The level of the chitinase enzyme for effective repellence is in the range of 1 million cfu/gdw (Colony Forming Units/ gram dry weight).

Worm castings level of the chitinase enzyme production shows concentrations of chitinase in the range of 54 million CFU/gdw.

This is concentration is over 50 times the estimated level for repellence and the likely reason why ants refuse to cross a layer of worm castings.

Castings can effectively repel insects that feed on the internal liquid of various plants.

These include a large array of insect pests including white fly, aphids, spider mites, fruit flies, and other nectar-sucking insects.

Studies with white fly infested hibiscus plants treated with worm castings were free of all white fly residue and cocoons In about two months.

White flies from neighbouring plants, which had not been treated, would fly around the treated leaves but not land on these leaves.

heavy metals

Other issues farmers face with soil degradation is the issues of soil toxicity and chemical imbalance caused by fertiliser and pesticide use in the absence of healthy ongoing soil management.

Earthworms have been found to be a viable method of removing toxins from soils and enhance the remediation of agricultural lands polluted by chemicals the likes of say.. DDT.

 

Earthworms can live in highly contaminated soils.

They are generally  tolerant to many chemical contaminants including heavy metals and organic pollutants in soil and can bio-accumulate them in their tissues.

Earthworms species like Eisenia fetida have been found to through the use of a special detoxifying layer in their gut and specific metal binding proteins,   remove and isolate toxic heavy metals such as (Cu, Cd, Pb, Hg, Zn, etc.) and also lipophilic organic micropollutants from soil.

Chemical contaminants are absorbed through their moist body walls  and  mouth and are either bio-transformed or biodegrade , rendering them harmless in their bodies.

This makes earthworms perfect for soil remediation in both agricultural and industrial settings.

sa agricultureDue to high chemical costs in india, there has been a large move to farming with earth worm castings.

In turn a lot of data has emerged and studies in India have consistently shown water reduced for irrigation as worm castings over successive years improved the ‘moisture holding capacity’ of soil.

PEST attack reduced – by at least 75% in crops applied with castings.

Cauliflowers 95% ‘disease free

Bananas –  Late Blight (fungal disease) reduced by over 95%.

Reduced termite attack

Weeds Reduced

Seed germination occurred at a faster rate with rapid seedlings growth and development.

An increase in yield

Greater numbers of fruits per plant (in vegetable crops)

Greater numbers of seeds per ear (in cereal crops), larger, heavier and better quality .

Flower production (commercial floriculture) was increased by 30-50%

Flower blooms were more colorful and bigger in size.

Better quality and taste of Fruits and vegetables

Longer shelf life over twice that of the control.

 

In the United States.

A 13 year Iowa State University study farming strawberries found:

Healthier berries and soils

Improved pollination success

No need for pesticides to maintain crop yields.

 

In South Africa

A Free State Commercial Apple Farmer found using vermicast and tea in its apple production system

Improved fruit quality

Reduced input costs

Improved the soil and tree health in orchards.

Earthworm activity evolved mineral soil into rich healthy soil with the earthworms managing the environment.

One-third reduction in irrigation water.

Increase in root growth

This increased nutrient uptake has resulted in healthier, stronger apple trees.

Incorporating earthworms has increased yields 15 to 25 t/ha depending on variety.

 

A changing in international export regulations, specifically for chemical residue levels and a shrinking list of usable chemicals drove their search for alternative techniques.

So where to start?

The best way to get started is to arrange a consultation so we can discuss your needs, your infrastructure and appropriate method of application.

Implementing Opti-cast and using it in conjunction with your current chemical regime, unlike using chemical fertilisers alone is a specific process with a specific goal in mind.

Time scale wise we advise planning for 1 to 3 years of worm casting application, twice annually,  depending on your existing soil environment and working towards a regeneration of your soil.

Our  aim if for an ongoing working relationship with our farmers to get their soil to optimum condition and keep it there, we encourage our farmers to include a high quality compost in their feeding schedule, if they would like to take advantage of the added benefit of baby worms and cocoons in Optigrow Opti-cast.

Results are commonly seen very quickly and ongoingly.

In time you will see the levels of chemical fertilisers required reduce until a point where worm casting application can be scaled right back and chemical application can remain greatly reduced.

Thereafter a schedule of composting can be used to maintain your soil with worm castings being applied in problem areas.

This equates to a huge potential cost saving to farmers in the long run.

As with all things, organic soil restoration is a process, but with fantastic benefits.

 

Application

For best results, we advise and application of 2l of Opti-cast to established trees, twice a year.

1L for established small trees and shrubs, twice a year.

100 ml – 250 ml for seedlings on planting, snugly around the root base.

 

We do however advise 2L when planting new trees.
The reason for this being that it is the most opportune time to get earth worm castings at and in contact with the root base of the tree, having the ability to have its maximum benefit.

Young trees are at their most vulnerable and castings at the root base will work towards supporting it and giving it a strong healthy start.

Worm castings is a powder, but can be applied in two ways.

Applied manually in its powdered form or used to produce Opti-feed, a vermileachate or worm tea that can be sprayed or incorporated into a fertigation system.

Manual application is simple enough, applying in the case of a sprayer or dripper between the spray/drip head and the base of the tree.

Vermileachate can easily be percolated in tanks, aerated and delivered through a fertigation system, manual sprayer or crop sprayer.

Foliar feeding is highly beneficial both for nutrient and pest resistance benefits.

 

Opti-cast is supplied by the cubic meter in 40dm bags (40l).

Per cube this equates to 500 trees, 1000 shrubs or 4 000 to 10 000 seedlings.

Using this you can calculate your cost per block or hectare.

As this is a compound that starts the regenerative process immediately, application can start at a farmers earliest convenience, where after it can be incorporated into your existing schedule.

We look forward to working with you towards a healthier and more consistent soil environment.

Reduced stress in your plants with stronger structural growth and root systems.

And of course a longer yield period with larger, healthier, higher grade crops.

 

Call us today to make an apointment.

 

 

Vermicast application guide

28 Thursday Aug 2014

Posted by Nicholas in literature

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Application guide

Davley Organics suggests the following application.

Large trees: 2 litres.scoop
Planting new trees: 2 Litres (in the planting hole)
Small trees, shrubs and bushes: 1 litre.
Seedlings: 250 ml per seedling.

Recommend application: Twice annually.

Vermicast starts working the moment it hits your soil, so the sooner you start the sooner you start the journey to breathing health and life back into your soil.

For best results we suggest a healthy addition of high quality compost into your feeding schedule.

Want to calculate your per tree, per block or per hectare usage and cost, contact us today for a quote or we will be more than happy to send you our price list.

Use the table below to calculate your order based on how many trees you have or seedlings you wish to plant.

Trees

 

application   Volume   total  
500 2 Litres 1000 Litres 1 Cubes
1000 2 Litres 2000 Litres 2 Cubes
2000 2 Litres 4000 Litres 4 Cubes
5000 2 Litres 10000 Litres 10 Cubes
10000 2 Litres 20000 Litres 20 Cubes
             
Seedlings            
4000 250 ml 1000   1 Cubes
8000 250 ml 2000   2 Cubes
16000 250 ml 4000   4 Cubes
32000 250 ml 8000   8 Cubes

Application in dry environments.

Application of vermicast into the planting hole of young trees is crucial to ensure that the multitude of benefits that vermicast offers to strengthen and provide healthy growth from its early years is readily available right at the roots.
Application is highly advised if you are planting, wet or dry season, with or without installed irrigation.

Application of vermicast can be done year round, vermicast works to stabilise moisture in soil helping to retain moisture in dry soils.

Microbes and worms in vermicast breed and function best in a slightly humid environment.
A bone dry sand will simply encourage worms to migrate and seek out more suitabe environments, not staying where you want them to do their work.
For best results in the dry season on small exposed trees, the instilation of irrigation prior to your application of vermicast is advised, otherwise waiting for the rainy season, so that the worms and microbes have the best environment to get established.
With this said, despite their fragile appearance, worms are supprisingly resiliant.

This is less of an issue in established trees whose branches above provide plenty of shade for the soil beneath.

A farmers guide to the percolation of Opti-feed or “Worm tea”.

27 Wednesday Aug 2014

Posted by Nicholas in literature

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leachate, optifeed, wormtea

Getting started, it is highly beneficial to familiarise yourself  with the differences and benefits of both vermicast in its natural state as an application and brewed Opti-feed as a spray, drip or foliar feed.

  • Worm castings when applied to soil, stays in situ working to regenerate the soil. They have plant available nutrient, an abundance of plant beneficial microbes, micro fungi, micro flora, hormones and enzymes that all work in various ways to support plants, reduce, control or crowd out pest and pathogens.
    In addition it works to rehabilitate the physical structure of soil saving you water and holding applied chemicals in place for easy access by plant root systems.
  • Opti-feed is like rocket fuel, as a liquid it can be used at the roots, working its way through the soil, supplying nutrient right to the root hairs and disseminating soil and plant beneficial microbes into the soil supporting the plant crucial soil food web.
    Used as a foliar feed, Opti-feed will coat the leaves of plants with billions of microbes, all competing for a food source, by this, plant beneficial microbes crowd out or prey on pathogens, microbes and their wastes.  As a result harmful moulds and fungi don’t have enough resources to flourish in the end.Plants also actively absorb nutrient within Opti-feed through the stomata and epidermis of their leaves.

For more information on Opti-cast worm castings, the powdered castings used to produce Opti-feed, please see our literature section here.

Producing Opti-feed is a simple process.

  • It involves the agitation and aeration of a solution of water and worm castings.The agitation works to release the highly plant and soil beneficial microbiology, nutrient and minerals within the castings.Due to Opti-casts highly anionic properties, you will never release 100% of the nutrient, so remember to retain and use the remaining casting silt that remains once the process is complete.The aeration of the worm castings / water solution releases the microbes and supports their aerobic life cycle encouraging them to breed and multiply in exponential numbers.

    Dependent on temperature and level of aeration and agitation, colonies of microbes can double their populations every 20minutes with brewing time advised for approximately 12 to 24 hours. The formation of a scum or froth on top is simply a sign of healthy microbial growth.

Brewing your Opti-feed.

What you need. Components make up:
55 Gallon drum to 10 000l Jojo tank.

Irrigation piping (suggested 15 to 20mm for easy bending).

Irrigation connectors.

Oil-less compressor, with hosing or high delivery air pump.

Hose connectors.

Shade netting and extra piping for your primary heavy sediment filter.

Shade netting drum sleeve.

Agricultural tap.

Secondary, agricultural water filter.

The drum

Aerator module

Compressor and connections

Primary sieve

Tap

Secondary sieve

 

 

 

 

 

Construction

  • Using your irrigation pipe and connectors, cut and connect a base ring, cross pipes and up pipe for the aerator.
  • Using a thick needle, riddle the ring and cross pipes with holes, add a connector to the end of the up pipe so that an air hose can easily be connected.
  • Take the top off your barrel and cut a hole a short distance off the base of the barrel for your tap.
  • Sufficient space must be left that when tapping off the tea, the tap is above sediment height, to prevent clogging.
  • sew or drape a shade netting bag as a primary filter, insert into the barrel, lining it.
  • If adding the vermicast loose into the barrel, fashion a simple shade netting filter to reduce sediment flow through the tap hole.
  • Add all plumbing connections to the outside of the barrel including your secondary agricultural filter.
  • It is widely suggested you use a 400 micron filter, but we advise you test the tea after production to ensure that no sediment is making its way thorough and it will not clog sprayer heads, drippers etc.
    Better to over filter than go through hundreds or thousands of spray heads cleaning pesky particles.
  • To secure the aerator module, you can hold it in place with a weight. The module will fill with air and tend to want to rise to the surface.

You are now ready to assemble.

  • Insert the bag liner.
  • Drop in the aerator module and secure in place.
  • Ensure you plumbing is all connected, sealed with tap closed.
  • Fill with water.
  • Connect your air supply with a one way valve if there is any concern for the possibility of liquid making its way back to the pump.
  • Aerate for 30min+ if you are using chlorinated water.
  • Add your bag of vermicast and begin the brewing process.

Congratulations, you are on your way to successful Opti-feed production!

  • For best results, brew out of the rays of direct sunlight.
  • A light irrigation of your orchard before application would be advised.
  • For best results apply within 3 hours of removing the tea from its air source to ensure maximum population retention.
  • If your water source is chlorinated, aerate the water for 30 – 60 minutes prior to brewing to off gas any chlorine that may affect microbial growth.

Application rates, Optigrow would suggest the following application.

  • 1:10 brewing ratio for production of concentrate.
    1:10 application ratio for concentrate to application mix.
  • 1 x 20dm bag of Opti-cast at this ratio will produce 200l of Opti-feed concentrate.
    Applied at a ratio of 1:10 giving a total application volume of 2000 litre per 20dm bag.
Vermicast Concentrate Application mix
20 dm 200 Litres 2000 Litres
1 dm 10 Litres 100 Litres
1 cube (1000 dm) 10 000 litres 100 000 Litres

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New to vermicast, a quick summary to get you started.

07 Monday Apr 2014

Posted by Nicholas in literature

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earth worms, Fertiliser, Mpumalanga, Nelspruit, OptiGrow, Organic Gardening, Vermicast, Vermicast South Africa, Vermiculture, Worm Castings

4845084-3x2-940x627Why use vermicast?

The most basic and most crucial of all questions.

Vermicast has the ability to both fertilize and rehabilitate your soil.

 

DeadTree CropChemical fertilizers provide food for you trees or plants but provide little in the line of maintaining the health of your plants and soil.

Soil imbalances lead to plant stress, disease, pest vulnerability and the need for more chemical pesticides.

Adding microbes to your soil is of great value, but again is only one piece in a larger puzzle.

 

Chemical fertilizer in conjunction with vermicast.

So much more than just a fertilizer, vermicasts multi faceted approach to soil rehabilitation is no wizardry, it is a natural process that supports all the elements plants and trees need for sustained healthy growth.

Healthy soil is a natural biome encompassing..

  • Chemical state.
  • Structural property.
  • Biological activity.

With these three in check, trees and plants have the best environment for healthy growth.

Healthy soil supports trees and plants leading to..

  • Stronger structural growth of the plant and root system.
  • Efficient uptake of available nutrient.
  • The stabilised soil environment leads to reduced stress in plants.
  • A healthier immune system, provides plants with higher pest resistance.
  • All leading to a longer yield period and larger, healthier, higher grade crop.

So how does it work?

  • Vermicast itself is a fertilizer, produced by earthworms, that supports the nutritional requirements of plants.
  • As a living fertilizer, microbial activity makes added chemical fertilizers more plant available, see “Benefits of Vermicast in point form” here for more scientific data on Cationic Exchange Rate etc
  • Microbial activity solubises minerals and micro nutrients in soil making them available to plants.
  • The microbial activity and physical structure of vermicast stabilizes chemicals and minerals within the substrate keeping nutrient available more consistently and for longer.
  • The structural properties of vermicast itself helps stabilize moisture levels in soil leading to reduced drain away.
  • Baby earthworms and earthworm cocoons in Davley Organics vermicast (not necessarily available in other vermicast products) slowly continue to rehabilitate the soil over time.

 

Trees and plants benefit most from a consistent and stress free environment.

Vermicast rehabilitation of soil means consistency in the soil, chemically, structurally and biologically which means health, productivity, quality and longevity of the yield period.

Increased efficiency in chemical fertilizer uptake means chemical input can be reduced over time, a cost saving to you. Increased yield, quality and grade all means greater profits for our farmers.

Davley Organics vermicast works, contact us today to run a trial and see the results for yourself.

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Vermicast explained: what it is and how it works.

07 Monday Apr 2014

Posted by Nicholas in literature

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

OptiGrow, research papers, trials, Vermicast, Vermiculture

pecans-700-web

Vermicast is worm-poo produced by the earthworm Eisenia Fetida(found all over the world).There are approximately 2700 species of earthworm and this specific earthworm consumes organic material and extrudes a rich natural fertiliser called vermicast. By the process of going through the worm’s gut the nature of the material is changed in a number of ways. What these changes are and how they make vermicast beneficial for plant growth is outlined below quoting a number of scientific trials and studies that span some 50 odd years.

The trials vary in terms of what crops they were conducted with but the results keep drawing the same basic conclusion. Vermicast is highly beneficial to plant growth, health and yield. At the end of the document is a case study of an apple farmer in the Free State who is using vermiculture extensively and has had immense success. This case study was in the Farmer’s Weekly in 2010 and his contact details are included if you wish to verify his claims.

Vermicast is not a man-made or manufactured product. It is created by earthworms and at Davley Organics we are working with the worms to produce it in high volumes. Considering a worm can process its own weight in a day you can imagine how many worms we work with to produce the cubic volumes we do.

The first thing to understand is that the value of vermicast lies in the plant growth stimulants, the cationic exchange rate and the soil benevolent biota.

Definitions:

Biota – Micro-organisms beneficial to the soil.

Cationic Exchange Rate – Exchange rate at which trace elements (cationic = positive) are attracted to vegetative matter (anionic = negative).

Vermicast is produced from organic materials that have taken up minerals in exactly the ratio in which they were needed to produce and sustain growth. Therefore the minerals are contained in castings in a natural balance such as is required for vigorous, healthy growth. In ordinary soil, plants usually have to seek them out but, in vermicast, they are readily available when they are needed. Significantly in vermicast there is no excess of nitrates and phosphates, which are water soluble and which, when applied in much higher concentrations in manufactured fertilizers, dissolve in run off.

Plant growth stimulants:

During vermicomposting process when organic matter passes through the worm’s gut, it undergoes physico-chemical and biochemical changes by the combined effect of earthworm and microbial activities.

Vermicasts are coated with mucopolysaccharides and enriched with nutrients. The cellulolytic, nitrifying and nitrogen fixing microbes are found established in the worm cast (Kale et al., 1988).

Earthworms directly cycle the nitrogen by excretion in the casts, urine and mucoprotein and through the turnover of earthworm tissues (Lee, 1985).

Earthworms increase the amount of mineralized nitrogen from organic matter in soil. The microbial composition changes qualitatively and quantitatively during passage through the earthworm intestine (Pedersen and Hendriksen, 1993).

Joshi and Kelkar (1952) reported that earthworm casts contained greater percentage of finer fractions like silt and clay than in the surrounding soils. This change in mechanical composition of soil was probably due to the grinding action of earthworm gizzard. The chemical analysis of Vermicasts revealed that they were richer in soluble salts, neutral or alkaline in reaction and had higher percentage of exchangeable Na, K and Mg but a lower exchangeable Ca than in corresponding soil.

Earthworm casts also contained greater amounts of Nitrogen (N), Phosphorous (P) and Potassium (K). The Vermicasts contained higher amounts of nitrate nitrogen and possessed a greater nitrifying power than the corresponding soils.

Vermicompost also contained Mg, Ca, Fe, B, Mo and Zn in addition to some of the plant growth promoters and beneficial microflora.

Several valuable compounds were also produced through the earthworm – microfloral interaction, which included vitamins such as B12 and plant growth hormones such as gibberellins.

This important concept, that Vermicompost includes plant-growth regulators which increase growth and yield, has been cited and is being further investigated by several researchers (Canellas et al, 2002).

Barois et al., (1987) observed an activation of N mineralization, with the casts having 270 percent more ammonia than the bulk soil.

Within a year of application of vermiculture technology to the saline soil, 37 percent more N, 67 percent more P2O5 and 10 percent more K2O were recorded as compared to chemical fertilizer (Phule, 1993).

Atiyeh at al (2002) conducted an extensive review. The authors stated that: “These investigations have demonstrated consistently that vermicomposted organic wastes have beneficial effects on plant growth independent of nutritional transformations and availability. Whether they are used as soil additives or as components of horticultural soil less media, vermicomposts have consistently improved seed germination, enhanced seedling growth and development, and increased plant productivity much more than would be possible from the mere conversion of mineral nutrients into more plant-available forms.”

Cationic exchange rate

An important and often unrecognized feature of vermicast is its cationic exchange rate. This is the rate at which the cat ionic soil trace elements can attach themselves to vermicast.

Everything in nature has an electrical charge. Some charges are positive, cations, and some are negative, anions. Organic vegetative matter is anionic and, because vermicast is highly vegetative matter, it is strongly anionic. Most trace elements are cationic.

In simple terms this means that trace elements are attracted to vermicast and readily bond to it in the same way that opposite poles of a magnet attract each other. Plants have a stronger pull than the vermicast and can therefore draw the trace elements away from the vermicast and into their roots.

Atiyeh et al. (2000) found that compost was higher in ammonium, while Vermicompost tended to be higher in nitrates, which is the more plant-available form of nitrogen.

Vermicasts are excellent media for harbouring N-fixing bacteria (Bhole, 1992).

Earthworms have multiple, interactive effects on rates and patterns of nitrogen mineralization and immobilization in natural and managed ecosystems (Edwards and Lofty, 1977; Lee, 1983; Lavelle and Martin, 1992; Blair et al., 1995b).

 

Soil benevolent biota (microbes)

Earthworms not only disperse microorganisms important in food production but also associated with mycorrhizae and other root symbionts, biocontrol agents and microbial antagonists of plant pathogens as well as microorganisms that act as pests (Edwards and Bohlen, 1996).

Several researchers have demonstrated the ability of earthworms to promote the dispersal of beneficial soil microorganisms through castings, including pseudomonads, rhizobia and mycorrhizal fungi (Edwards and Bohlen, 1996; Buckalew et al., 1982; Doube et al., 1994a; Doube et al., 1994b; Madsen and Alexander, 1982; Reddell and Spain, 1991; Rouelle, 1983; Stephens et al., 1994).

Earthworm casts are enriched in terms of available nutrients and microbial numbers and biomass, relative to the surrounding soil (Shaw and Pawluk, 1986; Lavelle and Martin, 1992)

Earthworms reject significant amounts of nutrients in their casts. In part these losses result from the intense microbial activity in their gut, and from their own metabolic activity. E.g. The elimination of N due to fast turnover of this element in microbial biomass. A significant proportion of C assimilated by earthworms is secreted as intestinal and cutaneous mucus with greater C:N ratios than those of the resource used (Lavelle et al., 1983; Cortez and Bouche, 1987).

Kale (1991) has attributed the improved growth in pastures and in other crops like rye and barley to the chemical exudates of the worms and microbes in association with them.

Tomati et al., (1983) related the beneficial influence of worm cast to the biological factors like gibberellins, cytokinins and auxins released due to metabolic activity of the microbes harboured in the cast.

It has also been indicated that the chemical exudates of worms and those of microbes in the cast, influence the rooting or shoots of layers. In a field trial Kale and Bano (1986) observed that the seedling growth of rice in nursery increased significantly due to Vermicompost application, and transplanting of seedlings could be made one or two days earlier than the usual practice. After transplanting the growth of seedlings in main field was more favourably influenced by worm cast than the chemical fertilizer. This was attributed to higher availability of nitrogen for plant growth. The improved growth was also attributed to the release of plant growth promoting compounds from worm cast, which in their opinion could easily replace the chemical fertilizers at nursery level.

Similarly, work at NSAC by Hammermeister et al. (2004) indicated that “Vermicomposted manure has higher N availability than conventionally composted manure on a weight basis”. The latter study also showed that the supply rate of several nutrients, including P, K, S and Mg, were increased by vermicomposting as compared with conventional composting.

These results are typical of what other researchers have found (e.g., Short et al., 1999; Saradha, 1997, Sudha and Kapoor, 2000). It appears that the process of vermicomposting tends to result in higher levels of plant-availability of most nutrients than does the conventional composting process.

The literature has less information on this subject than on nutrient availability, yet it is widely believed that Vermicompost greatly exceeds conventional compost with respect to levels of beneficial microbial activity.

Much of the work on this subject has been done at Ohio State University, led by Dr. Clive Edwards (Subler et al., 1998). In an interview (Edwards, 1999), he stated that Vermicompost may be as much as 1000 times as microbially active as conventional compost, although that figure is not always achieved.

Moreover, he went on to say that “…these are microbes which are much better at transforming nutrients into forms readily taken up by plants than you find in compost – because we’re talking about thermophillic microbes in compost – so that the microbial spectrum is quite different and also much more beneficial in a Vermicompost.

I mean, I will stick by what I have said a number of times that a Vermicompost is much, much preferable to a compost if you’re going in for a plant-growth medium.”

Many researchers have found that vermicast stimulates further plant growth even when the plants are already receiving optimal nutrition.

Atiyeh et al further speculate that the growth responses observed may be due to hormone-like activity associated with the high levels of humic acids and humates in vermicomposts: “…there seems a strong possibility that …plant-growth regulators which are relatively transient may become adsorbed on to humates and act in conjunction with them to influence plant growth”.

There has been considerable anecdotal evidence in recent years regarding the ability of Vermicompost to protect plants against various diseases.

The theory behind this claim is that the high levels of beneficial microorganisms in Vermicompost protect plants by out-competing pathogens for available resources (starving them, so to speak), while also blocking their access to plant roots by occupying all the available sites.

This analysis is based on the concept of the “soil foodweb”, a soil-ecology-based approach pioneered by Dr. Elaine Ingham of Corvallis, Oregon (see her website at http://www.soilfoodweb.com for more details). Work on this attribute of Vermicompost is still in its infancy, but research by both Dr. Ingham’s labs and the Ohio State Soil Ecology Laboratory are very promising.

With regard to the latter institution, Edwards and Arancon (2004) report that “…we have researched the effects of relatively small applications of commercially-produced vermicomposts, on attacks by Pythium on cucumbers, Rhizoctonia on radishes in the greenhouse, and by Verticillium on strawberries and Phomopsis and Sphaerotheca fulginae on grapes in the field. In all of these experiments, the Vermicompost applications suppressed the incidence of the disease significantly.”

The authors go on to say that the pathogen suppression disappeared when the Vermicompost was sterilized, indicating that the mechanism involved was microbial antagonism.

In recent research, Edwards and Arancon (2004) report statistically significant

decreases in arthropod (aphid, mealy bug, spider mite) populations, and subsequent reductions in plant damage, in tomato, pepper, and cabbage trials with 20% and 40% Vermicompost additions to Metro Mix 360 (the control).

They also found statistically significant suppression of plant-parasitic nematodes in field trials with peppers, tomatoes, strawberries, and grapes. Much more research is required, however, before Vermicompost can be considered as an alternative to pesticides or alternative, non-toxic methods of pest control.

Moreover, the authors go on to state a finding that others have also reported (e.g., Arancon, 2004), that maximum benefit from Vermicompost is obtained when it constitutes between 10 and 40% of the growing medium.

Case Study

Apple farming at Clan Leslie – take less, waste less, make more

Farmers Weekly 21 October 2010

Hayden Green

By incorporating vermicomposting and worm-casting tea in its apple production system, Clan Leslie Estate has improved its fruit quality, reduced input costs and improved the soil and tree health in its orchards. Hayden Green visited Mike Leslie to find out more. 

Mike Leslie farms in partnership with his father Nick and brother Graham on the Clan Leslie Estate near Harrismith in the Free State. Like’s farming philosophy is to keep things simple, but pay attention to detail. He’s passionate about apple production and about where sustainability is taking the enterprise. He combines technology with applicable management and biological farming techniques to produce fruit that looks good, is healthy and nutritious, and exceeds export quality requirements. To achieve quality and production goals, Mike also partners with nature’s prime recycler – the humble earthworm.

Vermiculture – earthworm farming

To branch out into exports, Clan Leslie established its apple production division in 1996. Five years ago, they decided to integrate vermiculture into the operation because of changing export regulations, specifically for chemical residue levels. “Our list of suitable chemicals was and still is shrinking due to global regulations and the green movement,” Mike says. “Consumers are looking for residue-free fruit, and we had to find a different way of doing things.” Fruit destined for export is batch-tested five days before picking, and Mike felt that moving to natural pest and disease control in the form of “worm tea” would minimise the risk of residue on the fruit, increase its nutritional value, and reduce chemical use and withholding periods. He contacted private consultant Hennie Eksteen for advice on vermiculture, and partnered with vermiculture specialist Poerie Coetzee to manage it. This left Mike himself free to concentrate on orchard management. “I was initially concerned that salmonella and E. coli contamination from feedlot manure and chicken litter we used as compost base came through in the testing,” he admits. “But we tried the worm tea in selected apple blocks and the results were perfect. The earthworms destroyed all pathogens in the manure, giving us the confidence to freely use compost tea.”

Foliar and soil-feed teas
“Foliar-feed tea requires an anaerobic process,” explains Mike. “We mix the earthworm castings with water, molasses, ground Lucerne and fishmeal, and brew the mixture in 1 000â vats for three weeks. When it’s ready, we dilute the tea with water and use it as a foliar feed, sprayed at 80â/ha.” Likewise, converting the solid material in worm castings into a liquid enables a practical, accurate and uniform application of soil-feed tea throughout the orchard. Soil-feed tea is made aerobically by pumping a large volume of air through it for up to 24 hours. Once the correct microbe population is reached (established by microscopic examination), the tea must be applied undiluted at 200â/ha within a few hours before the aerobic bacteria die from a lack of oxygen. Follow-up irrigation further washes the tea into the soil. The total cost of foliar and soil-feed tea production and application is around R12 625/ha per season. This will decline in time as the orchard health improves and less spraying is needed.

Mulching – retaining a natural balance
“In nature, fruiting trees are part of a complicated ecological system, existing in symbiotic relationships with the fauna and other flora to sustain a healthy fruiting cycle,” says Mike. He’s concerned about the consequences and economic sustainability of a system of constant harvesting, with synthetic chemicals as the only inputs. So, mimicking nature, he scatters tree pruning clippings and other plant residue around the base of the trees to eventually decompose and form mulch. “We use nine 1,5m-diameter round bales of wheat residue to every 200m of tree row,” he explains. “This equates to 104 bales, or 26t of dry plant material, per hectare, and lasts for three to four years. Nothing is wasted.”The mulch, besides retaining moisture, feeds the bacterial processes stimulated by the soil-feed worm tea. Mike points to the contrast between mineral soil and the rich organic matter resulting from earthworm activity. “The earthworms manage the environment for me,” he says. “The soil is moving towards a natural state of balance (homeostasis) without chemical fertiliser.” He estimates that this production system needs one-third less irrigation water. “The savings are significant.” Mike was astonished when he first saw the increase in root growth as a result of the mulch and soil feed. “This increased nutrient uptake has resulted in healthier, stronger apple trees.”

A competitive advantage
“Quality counts. The market is prepared to pay for an apple that tastes better and, more importantly, lasts longer,” says Mike. Mulching with worm tea had precisely this effect, increasing demand for Clan Leslie apples from clients in Africa, where the cold supply chain isn’t as advanced as other export markets. “The local informal market is massive, and is prepared to pay premium prices for quality fruit that will last,” he explains. Although being situated in the south-eastern Free State gives Clan Leslie a three-week harvesting advantage over its Cape competitors, the unseasonal heavy frosts are a problem. Mike warns that worm tea is no silver bullet, and that balancing the soil is a slow process. Over the last five years, he has recorded an average increase from 8 Brix to 12 Brix in his plants, correlating directly to frost resilience. An SMS early warning system notifies him to irrigate when air temperature drops below 5°C. Incorporating earthworms has increased yields from 50t/ha to 75t/ha in Pink Lady apples, and by 15t/ha in other varieties.

The path towards more sustainable production on the 66ha apple orchard constantly challenges Mike. “In the future I would define myself increasingly as a carbon farmer who produces apples,” he says.
Based on the success of the worm tea in the orchards, he aims to produce low-carbon-footprint apples with a superior nutritional value. Worm tea has been so successful in the apple orchards that he intends to expand it to the other Clan Leslie enterprises.
Contact Mike Leslie on 082 770 0306 or e-mail mike@clanleslie.co.za.

In Conclusion:

At Davley Organics we have consistently seen the benefit of vermicast with our own vegetables and trees and the crops of our customers. We have grown vegetables for ourselves and the staff for the last few years applying only a handful of vermicast per seedling every time we plant and have never had to spray against pests or add anything else. We consistently harvest great veggies all year round. We believe in this natural fertiliser because we have consistently seen it work well.

One of the great benefits is that by consistently applying vermicast as you would any other fertiliser you improve and rehabilitate the overall nature of the soil in which your crops are planted. Therefore over time your inputs in terms of fertilisers and water naturally decrease. This translates into saved costs while enjoying greater yields from crops that are healthy and increasingly pest resistant.

We understand that farmers get used to doing things a certain way and none of us like the hassle of change. We also understand that farmers are bombarded with new products that make all sorts of wild and fantastic claims. We would like you to simply consider the following:

  1. Vermicast has been around since Adam, it is not man-made and it occurs naturally in the wild. If you scratch open the forest floor of a natural forest like the Knysna forests, you will find these earthworms processing the organic material. Have a look at the general health and size of those trees that have been there for decades without any fertiliser inputs or irrigation from man.
  2. Vermicomposting centres are numerous in Cuba.  When the Soviet Union fell, it became impossible for them to import commercial fertilizer. Vermicompost has been the largest single replacement for commercial fertilizer by Cuba.
  3. In India, an estimated 200,000 farmers practice vermicomposting and one network of 10,000 farmers produce 50,000 metric tons of Vermicompost every month.

We encourage you to Google vermicast and do further research for yourself, to date we have never been able to find any evidence that vermicast has limited or no effect on commercial crops or any other plant. Please don’t hesitate to contact us to discuss how vermicast can improve your crops.

Kind Regards The Davley Organics Team

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