Vermicompost is an ideal amend to add to your plants in pots.
Because it comes from organic materials, it provides all of the nutrition and health your plants need without any harm to the plant!
But how do you apply vermicompost to potted plants?
There are three ways you can use vermicompost in potting plants as a seed mix, topdressing, or improve the texture of potting soil. All of these applications require a different amount of vermicompost and technique to apply.
If you have read this far, you must be interested in improving your potted plants with vermicompost.
This article fully discusses the use of vermicompost based on the potted plant’s application. Continue scrolling to read more.
3 Ways To Use Vermicompost In Potted Plants
Here are three ways to use vermicompost in your potted plants:
- To make a seed mix
- As a topdressing
- To improve potting soil texture
Each of these uses has its own benefits and application method.
Select whichever one is best for your potted plants.
1. Make A Seed Mix
If you’re interested in developing a mixture for seed starting, vermicompost is a great ingredient to begin with.
When mixed with coir (cocopeat), it creates the perfect consistency for seed germinating.
This mixture does not use soil, but will create the right amount of moisture without saturating.
You are able to have seedlings grow in this medium for roughly a month.
From Experience: you should be able to have these seedlings grow for this period in the same tray or container.
2. Topdressing
Using vermicompost as a topdressing is one of the most established ways to use it in potted plants.
In this method, you plant your plants into the potted regular soil. Then, once they are growing already, every 15 days you add some more vermicompost to the top of the soil.
Since vermicompost contains a number of macro and micro-nutrients, applying a little bit of the material on the plants’ soil 2 times a month will help give your plants an uplift.
If you want to apply vermicompost more often, this is fine as well! We won’t have to worry about the vermicompost burning your plants.
This is how I recommend to apply vermicompost as topdressing to your potted plants:
- Take out one inch of potting soil.
- Set the soil aside, but do not toss it out.
- Add in enough vermicompost to cover the soil.
- You may add neem cake powder, cow manure, or other types of fertilizer with their vermicompost for additional nutrition.
- Cover the vermicompost with the soil you removed in step one.
- Water the potted plant again until you see the water run out of the bottom drainage holes.
- Repeat once very fifteen days, or as needed.
- Just keep in mind, you do not have to add a ton of compost to the soil. About 3 tablespoons of vermicompost is plenty for one plant.
By following the steps above, your plants will get the nutrients of vermicompost in a way that is simple and easy.
3. Improve Potting Soil Texture
Bad soil is one of the worst things for plants.
If your soil has too much sand or clay, it will either:
- dry out too fast
- or retain too much water.
Your plants will be in trouble in either case.
Although you can’t use vermicompost as the primary soil in potted plants, you can mix it in to enhance the texture of poor potting soil.
Just mix potting soil and vermicompost together in a 2:1 mix.
This ratio will allow for the potted plants to get the nutrients and support necessary between watering and having enough moisture between waterings.
Some people will even recommend 1:1 potting soil and vermicompost. That’s up to you.
The only risk of having too much vermicompost is not enough support for the plant.
Just be sure that the soil mixture is sturdy enough to hold the plant upright.
To mix the vermicompost and soil:
- Just grab a large bucket or container. Combine the two components together.
- You want ensure the potting soil is fully dried out before adding any vermicompost.
- One final thing to think about is if the soil has a lot of clay in it, you might want to consider adding one part river sand for better drainage.
Can I Use Vermicompost By Itself in Potted Plants?
Vermicompost alone isn’t good to use in pots.
The danger of using only vermicompost, isn’t burning the plants.
Rather, vermicompost does not have the right consistency to hold as supporting the potted plants.
So, it is paramount to mix vermicompost with regular potting soil, in order to not cause the plants to fall over.
Can I Use Too Much Vermicompost in Potted Plants?
Unlike synthetic fertilizer, vermicompost won’t burn or harm your plants no matter how much you add.
It can be very difficult to use too much vermicompost in a potted plant, especially with traditional potting soil that is mixed with vermicompost.
The only time you can use too much vermicompost in potted plants is if it is the only planting material that is used.
Since we learned above that you cannot use vermicompost by itself simply because it does not have a strong enough texture to support the root system.
With that in mind, you can only use too much vermicompost if you create a soil texture that is not strong enough for the plant, but the vermicompost will not burn or damage the plant if it is adequately supported.
Final Thoughts
Vermicompost is an excellent and practical fertilizer for your potted plants to utilize.
Whether you wish to make a seed starter mix to start potted plants or just add a little extra nutrients to your already growing plants, vermicompost is still an excellent option.
As long as you use potting soil as a base support for your potted plants, it is very hard to do any harm to the plant with vermicompost.
In other words, it is all benefits!
Just select any of the methodologies above about using vermicompost based on your potted plant needs.