Benefits of Frass in the Garden

So "FRASS" what is it? Frass is another word for insect poop and it is absolutely fantastic for your plants. Frass is a by product of any insect farming but my favorite frass comes from my mealworm and superworm farms. It is from a substrate that is mostly wheat bran and sifted to 1/30th for super fine frass or 1/20th if I want a little more of the shells in the mix. The shells are where you find your "Chitin". Chitin is found in crustacean and insect shells and helps build up cell walls in plants leading to thicker stalks and stems and jump starts natural defenses to help defend against many forms of pest.

Even though nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium levels are lower in frass then manure or compost worm castings it is highly water soluble and contains all the nutrients needed. It is also a perfect food source for beneficial microbes like fungi and bacteria. This is what makes it work so well as a foliar spray to help fight off things like fungal pathogens and powdery mildew.

Frass will not work to kill off an infestation of pest but helps keep the plant from becoming infested to begin with while at the same time providing beneficial microbes and nutrients for the plant. It can be used as a mix to plant in or a drench. It can even be used in hydroponics as long as you strain the frass before adding the extract or drench to your reservoir. My favorite thing to do with it is add it into my aerated teas. Really no wrong way to use it but before you go out to a grow store or order online look for a local frass supplier. I have seen prices upward to $20 a lb buying from grow stores or online but if you get on social media I bet you can find a local supplier that breeds mealworms, crickets or even black solider fly larva. You will find it for usually a couple dollars a pound from most local producers.

Hope this encourages you to find a cheap local producer for a great product.