Adding "Worm Water" to orchid watering

[nynighthawk]

Hi folks,

Another quick question about odd additives to orchid watering.

I have an indoor worm compost bin. It's very efficient at converting all kinds of veggie scraps to vermicompost. But, there is also some liquid run-off at the bottom of the bin. I'm wondering about adding just a little of that to the water I use for watering my orchids.

This is not the same as "vermicompost tea" which involves steeping some of the actual compost in a container of water with aeration. This is just the liquid that seeps out of the bottom of the worm bin. I siphon it off, from time to time, to keep the bin from staying too wet.

I'm thinking that this liquid probably has a gazillion enzymes and micronutrients in it. But, it also might be toxic or too acidic, etc. I don't know.

Soooooo, I'm wondering if anyone out there has tried to use this at all? And, if so, if you think it was beneficial, neutral or bad for the plants.

Any info on this would be very helpful.

Not very scientific, I know. But, I thought someone might have given this a try.

At some point, I think I'll try making actual compost tea and see what happens with that. It's supposed to be amazingly nutritious. Has anyone tried doing that?

[Bud]

I use worm tea mix which comes in a bottle that I order online alternated with seaweed mix added to fertilizer weekly weakly....I don't know how they processed it but it is working well with my orchids.

[Fernando]

I use it. But be careful - use it very diluted only.
There are orchids that are VERY sensitive to bacterial rot, mostly at high (summer) temperatures, like Paphiopedilum.

As for most organic fertilizers, keep in mind: never at hot temperatures, never in sunshine.

Luck with your plants!

Fer

[Mervin]

I used this 'worm tea' before and see no difference.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Originally Posted by Fernando

I use it. But be careful - use it very diluted only.
There are orchids that are VERY sensitive to bacterial rot, mostly at high (summer) temperatures, like Paphiopedilum.

As for most organic fertilizers, keep in mind: never at hot temperatures, never in sunshine.

Luck with your plants!

Fer

I'm thinking it's more of an acidity issue than a temperature issue. Most Paphs grow on limestone hills and cliffs in the wild. Limestone is alkaline, with a pH of about 8.4.

---------- Post added at 09:00 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:53 AM ----------

Originally Posted by nynighthawk

Hi folks,

Another quick question about odd additives to orchid watering.

I have an indoor worm compost bin. It's very efficient at converting all kinds of veggie scraps to vermicompost. But, there is also some liquid run-off at the bottom of the bin. I'm wondering about adding just a little of that to the water I use for watering my orchids.

This is not the same as "vermicompost tea" which involves steeping some of the actual compost in a container of water with aeration. This is just the liquid that seeps out of the bottom of the worm bin. I siphon it off, from time to time, to keep the bin from staying too wet.

I'm thinking that this liquid probably has a gazillion enzymes and micronutrients in it. But, it also might be toxic or too acidic, etc. I don't know.

Test for pH with a cheap pH strip at the tropical fish aquarium to get a ballpark result of what the pH of this liquid is.

Originally Posted by nynighthawk

Soooooo, I'm wondering if anyone out there has tried to use this at all? And, if so, if you think it was beneficial, neutral or bad for the plants.

Any info on this would be very helpful.

Not very scientific, I know. But, I thought someone might have given this a try.

Never used it before. Don't know how it'd affect orchids.

Originally Posted by nynighthawk

At some point, I think I'll try making actual compost tea and see what happens with that. It's supposed to be amazingly nutritious. Has anyone tried doing that?

It most likely provides an organic source of the 3 big macronutrients that every plant on this planet uses:

1. Nitrogen
2. Phosphorous
3. Potassium

Aside from that, I don't know what kind of micronutrients it would contain, but I'm assuming the types of micronutrients available in these worm teas are dependent of what kind of soil the worms have been passing through their digestive systems.

[TOMMYMIAMI]

Originally Posted by Bud

I use worm tea mix which comes in a bottle that I order online alternated with seaweed mix added to fertilizer weekly weakly....I don't know how they processed it but it is working well with my orchids.

Question Bud
i am right now using 15-5-15 fertilizer, it was suggested to my by Reid from KAWAMOTO orchids, he sells on ebay, pretty popular here on this board as well, he told me they are using this fertilizer year around. I have also seaweed liquid. I do use them separately. Do you use seaweed TOGETHER with your fertilizer, or do you use one time fertilizer, another time seaweed? just curious, many thanks

[Bud]

I have liquid seaweed mix (Mexicrop) and granule fertilizer(K-Lite from firstrays.com)....I use one capful(plastic cap cover of the bottle) of seaweed mix to a gallon plastic pump sprayer and dissolve half teaspoon(1/4 spoon) of powder fertilizer in the gallon of water with the seaweed mix....then I spray it to my plants.

[TOMMYMIAMI]

Originally Posted by Bud

I have liquid seaweed mix (Mexicrop) and granule fertilizer(K-Lite from firstrays.com)....I use one capful(plastic cap cover of the bottle) of seaweed mix to a gallon plastic pump sprayer and dissolve half teaspoon(1/4 spoon) of powder fertilizer in the gallon of water with the seaweed mix....then I spray it to my plants.

Ok, so all together, cool, will try that:-) many thanks

[nynighthawk]

Thanks for your thoughtful comments, folks,

That's a good idea about doing a pH test, for starters. I think the "compost tea" is probably going to be a better source of nutrients than the liquid that forms in the bottom of the worm bin. I suspect that that will turn out to be pretty acidic. It'll be interesting to find out, though. Thanks for suggesting looking at an aquarium supply place for pH test strips. I'll check it out.

Bud...if I understand your note, you are primarily fertilizing your plants via foliar spray? Are you spraying them enough so that the water drenches the roots in the pots, too, or don't you find that necessary?

[Fernando]

OMG. So do myths appear.
I have meassured it: it is (undiluted) in a range between 6 - 7 pH.
So if I take, as I do, aprox. 100 ml to dilute it in 15 l of water (which is 7.8 pH) it does not turn 'pretty acidic'.
While worm tea can be made from fresh compost (moist compost) and dry (and treated) compost, one big difference between this worm tea and the lixiviated liquid from the worm bin is the huge amount of living 'bacteria' that continue to feed and live once you have watered your orchids with them.
For the nutrients you really cannot tell the amounts unless you make an analysis. The mostly are inferior than 'usual' NPK fertilizers, the reason I like to use it is the 'rest' of organic contents in this liquid, which I hope help to balance the rather artificial 'flora' of the common substrates.
I'm not sure if my Cattleya like it (and related genera) but I definetly can say my Phragmipedium do like it (potted in volcanic/rock wool substrate).