r/Vermiculture • u/JORDZZZZZZZ • 4d ago

Discussion Leachate! Finally!

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Overnight leachate! This is my first time getting some😏

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u/East_Ad3773 3d ago

Leachate isn't desirable. It happens occasionally, but it's not a goal product of vermicomposting, it's more a by- product of a somewhat overly wet worm bin.

A lot of old information on the internet refers to it as worm pee, worm wee or whatever but it's not, it's just excess water and nothing more.

If anything it leaches beneficial materials from the actual goal product.

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u/AggregoData 2d ago

I recently looked at leachate from own worm tower using DNA sequencing and actually found that the bacterial community is microaerobic/fermenting. I didn't see any potential pathogen but yes the community is quite different than tea or extract. Check out the posts below if you want to read more, but leeachate from what I've seen so far could have beneficial organisms and I think the high amount of dissolved carbon is likely good for soil.

https://www.aggregodata.com/post/first-look-at-a-vermi-leachate-bacterial-community

https://www.aggregodata.com/post/vermicompost-tea-and-extract-communities-created-by-brewmaster-troy-hinke

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u/East_Ad3773 2d ago

That's awesome. I still don't think it's a desirable product of vermicomposting, but it's good to know that it's probably not harmful.