Frequent Questions:
Q. What is vermicast?
A. Vermicast, plain & simple, is earthworm manure.
You can read about all the awesome benefits of vermicast here.
Q. What is meant by the statement Healthfoods for your plants, farms & gardens?
A. Contrary to much popular belief, microorganisms, plants and animals are not that different from one another.
All microorganisms, animals and plants have the majority of their GENES in common. The mechanism by which sugars are oxidized to release their energy (respiration) is almost universal. There are dozens of enzymes involved with this process alone. Each enzyme is a protein and each one needs to be coded for in DNA. There are many enzymes involved in the replication of DNA itself. Other processes are almost universal too.
More about this can be read here, here, here, and in numerous other articles & journals.
But numerous natural compounds, like phenols (polyphenols), flavonoids, lignans, tannins, terpenoids, alkaloids, steroids, glycosides and volatile oils (among others) are important secondary metabolites.
Though not directly involved in biological functions, they play extremely important supporting roles.
Microorganisms, plants and animals all have predators and pathogens they constantly have to fight off to survive.
And they all rely on important and necessary biological cellular functions to help accomplish this.
And those cellular functions rely on these secondary metabolites.
Microorganisms, plants and animals all also rely on vitamins, minerals, natural antibiotics, proteins, and other compounds.
NatureSoil Products are superior to most soils and amendments because they utilize the power of these secondary metabolites, in supporting the microorganisms that support the plants that support the animals (humans).
Where recent trends & fads may be focusing on healthfoods only for humans, we start by providing healthfoods for the microbes that support the food chain upwards, from a bottom up approach.
This is the very important message contained & represented in our logo.
Healthy Soils = Healthy Plants = Healthy People = Healthy Planet.
Q. What’s the Difference Between PureSoil and PureCast?
A. Both are most pure vermicast (small amounts of organic matter are left to allow microbes to continue feeding, and thriving).
• PureSoil is recommended for flowers and non-consumables. PureSoil comes from a compost pile that includes cardboard with colored inks. Colored inks do not comply with USDA-NOP regulations.
• PureCast is vegan based, and complies fully with USDA-NOP regulations. It is recommended for produce and consumables.
(Note – we look to USDA-NOP only as a starting point. “Certified Organic” rules & regs. are getting way too lenient and watered-down for our liking, thus we maintain even higher-standards).
Q. What is LiquidHumics, and what is Humic Acid?
A. LiquidHumics is our own liquid based Humic Acid supplement.
• Humic Acid helps chelate micronutrients, increasing the plant uptake.
• Humic Acid also increases ion exchange capacity in the soil, which leads to better retention and utilization of soil nitrogen.
• LiquidHumics is a source of phosphate and carbon, stimulating microflora populations and providing places for microflora to colonize.
The bacteria secrete enzymes. These act as catalysts, freeing up calcium and phosphorous (from insoluble calcium phosphate), and iron and phosphorous (from insoluble iron phosphate).
As these elements are freed, they are absorbed by the Humic Acid, making the elements less available to the bacteria. This cycle continues as bacteria are further stimulated to secrete additional enzymes, freeing up more and more calcium, iron, and phosphorous.
The process continues until both the Humic Acid and bacterial populations are “full.”
Humic Acid holds cations (positive ions) to be absorbed by a plant’s root, improving micronutrient exchange and movement into the plant’s circulation system.
Although this process in not entirely documented, it is thought that as the plant absorbs water, the Humic Acids (carrying absorbed micronutrients) move nearer to the root system (which is negatively charged). The root’s negative charge exceeds the acid’s negative charge and micronutrients are released from the Humic Acid molecule, entering the root.
By supplying the soil with sufficient Humic Acid, we can bind cations (positively charged elements) and increase cation exchange capacity. Humic Acid can chelate positively charged multivalent ions (Mg, Ca, Fe and other trace minerals) which fortifies plant cell wall structure. By chelating these ions, Humic Acid facilitates the uptake of the ions, lessening precipitation (leaching through the soil) and increasing bio-availability.
Liquid Humics is also a great source of natural Polyphenols, which are complex molecules often referred to as “aromatic compounds” and/or “bitters”.
Flavonoids are a class of lesser-complex Polyphenols.
Natural Phenols and the larger polyphenols play important roles in the ecology of most plants. Their effects in plant tissues can be divided into the following categories:
- Release and regulation of growth hormones.
- UV screens to protect against ionizing radiation and to provide coloration (plant pigments).
- Deterrence of herbivores (via “bitter” sensory properties).
- Prevention of microbial infections (phytoalexins).
- Signaling molecules in ripening and other growth processes.
Q. What is LiquidCast?
A. LiquidCast is our own brand of worm tea. Worm tea is simply our PureCast brewed with filtered water, reaching saturation, providing for a liquefied version of vermicast.
Q. What is Blackened Tan?
A. Blackened Tan is another of our creations. It is a mix of half LiquidHumics and half LiquidCast.
Beyond Humic Acid, our LiquidHumics also contains ample amounts of Polyphenols, complex molecules often referred to as aromatic compounds, and bitters. Flavonoids are identified as a class of less-complex Polyphenols.
The bacteria in the worm gut are among the best digesters of Polyphenols.
Some studies have shown that these bacteria breakdown more complex Polyphenols into flavonoids.
Our LiquidCast, being vermicast tea, is full of billions of microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, enzymes). These microorganisms begin to feed on the Humic Acid, and the abundance of nutrients in the LiquidHumics.
Being high in carbon, which is an energy source for these microorganisms, our Blackened Tan acts as an excellent energy source to keep those microorganisms eating & populating.
Q. How do I decide which liquid product to use, LiquidCast, Liquid Humics or Blackened Tan?
A. It depends on the application, and the current state of your garden, farm, plants.
LiquidCast is a great all-purpose liquid feed.
It contains the nutrients, microbes, enzymes, and other necessary components for quick-acting, sustainable plant growth.
• LiquidCast is best used where you already have ample amounts of organic matter mixed in your soils.
Liquid Humics is best used with our vermicast soil products.
Humic Acids are good on their own, but even better when combined with the microbes in vermicast. Those microbes actively work to utilize that Humic Acid, and continue to break down the nutrients, and other components, like Polyphenols.
• Liquid Humics is best used in combination with our PureCast.
Blackened Tan, like LiquidCast, is another great all-purpose liquid feed, but even better.
Being a mix of both LiquidCast and Liquid Humics, it provides the sustained food for the massive microbes in those liquifid castings.
It immediately goes to work, providing a wide-variety of nutrients to your plants, also providing the carbon and organic matter, which the microbes continue to break down, creating & providing healthy new soils, and even more nutrients.
• Blackened Tan is a great all-in-one product, and will help bring your soils back to life.
NatureSoil Products™ - Healthfoods for Your Plants, Farms and Gardens 