No. Compost is decomposed plant matter. Castings are that material after it's passed through a worm's digestive system, which concentrates nutrients and adds microbiology compost doesn't carry. They do different jobs and work well together.

No. Fresh castings smell like clean earth, which is the sign of a healthy, aerobic product. Anything that smells like ammonia or waste has gone anaerobic or was made from manure feedstock. Ours is neither.

Yes. No synthetic fertilizers, no pesticides, nothing but castings and biochar.

Both ingredients are permitted in organic growing and neither requires registration under the Fertilizers Act.

Every 4 to 6 weeks for most houseplants. Stretch it toward 6 weeks in winter when growth slows, and pull it in toward 4 during the active growing season. Succulents and cacti need it less often. Twice a year is plenty.

No. Top-dress instead: sprinkle it on the soil surface and water it in. Repotting is only necessary if the plant is already rootbound and due for it, in which case mix the castings into the fresh soil while you're there.

Practically speaking, no. Castings release slowly and won't burn roots the way synthetic fertilizer will. Over-applying wastes product rather than harming the plant.

For most houseplants, castings cover it. Heavy feeders and fruiting plants may want a supplement during active growth.

Sealed and kept slightly moist, they hold their biology for roughly six months to a year. They don't spoil the way a fertilizer expires, since the nutrients stay put regardless, but the living microbiology is what makes castings work and that fades as the material dries out. Store the bag closed, out of direct sun, somewhere that doesn't freeze or bake.

Yes. The living microbiology in castings is highest when fresh and declines as the material dries and ages, and adding water later won't bring it back. But the part that does most of the heavy lifting for plant growth is stable: the humic acids, the slow-release nutrients, the trace minerals, and the natural plant growth compounds are all still in there. Older castings are still a genuinely good soil amendment. Use them, just use your freshest bag when you want maximum biological activity.

Raw biochar is empty and will pull nutrients out of your soil at first. Ours is pre-charged in the castings, so it arrives loaded and ready to work.

Slightly alkaline, yes, but the amounts here are small enough not to matter for typical houseplants. Acid-lovers like blueberries or azaleas are the exception worth watching.