| VermiCompost = Composting with RED worms
|
|
|
|---|
| Vermi Compost
|
Vermicompost is a solution for produce a organic fertizer using Kitchen wastes.
This organic material can be converted to a rich humus with the help of redworms.
Most kitchen waste or table scraps, any vegetables, grapefruits, orange
rinds, apple peels, lettuce and cabbage, celery ends, spoiled food from
the refrigerator, coffee grounds, tea bags, egg shells are all suitable worm meals.
|
Vermicompost
Vermicompost (also called Worm Compost, Vermicast, or Worm Manure or VermiCulture) is end product of the breakdown of organic matter by special varieties of earthworms. Vermicompost is a nutrient-rich, natural fertilizer and soil conditioner. The process of producing vermicompost is called vermicomposting .
The earthworm species (or composting worms) most often used are Brandling Worms (Eisenia foetida) or Redworms (Lumbricus rubellus). These species are only rarely found in soil and are adapted to the special conditions in rotting vegetation, compost and manure piles. Composting worms are available from mail-order suppliers, or from angling
Small scale vermicomposting is well
suited to turn kitchen wastes into high quality soil where space is
limited.
In addition to worms, a healthy vermicomposting system hosts many other organisms such as insects, molds, and bacteria. Though these all play a role in the composting process, the earthworm is the major catalyst for the composting process.
|
|
Vermicompost properties
Vermicompost, also known as worm castings and vermicast, is very
different from compost produced in compost piles by bacterial decay,and is much richer in many nutrients[citation needed]. Worm compost is usually too rich for use as a seed compost, but is useful as a top layer of soil or an addition to potting composts. Some types of pitted seeds are reportedly easier to germinate when placed in vermicompost for several months. Vermicompost is beneficial for soil in three ways: Vermicompost can be used to make compost tea, by mixing some vermicompost in water and steeping for a number of hours or days. The resulting liquid is used as a fertilizer.
|
|
Temperature
The worms that are used in composting systems prefer temperatures
between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit (c. 12-21 degrees Celsius), and
temperature of the bedding should not get below freezing or above 85
degrees Fahrenheit (29 degrees Celsius).
|
|
Feeding methods
There are basically two methods of adding more matter to the bin or box.
In the first method, known as top feeding, organic matter is placed
directly on top of the existing layer of bedding in a bin and then
covered with another layer of bedding. This is repeated every time the
bin is fed.
The other method of feeding is known as pocket feeding. In this
method a top layer of bedding is maintained and food is buried beneath.
The location of the food is changed each time and often the bin is fed
in more than one location. As bedding runs low more is added.
Vermicomposters often use a combination of both methods. Sometimes
unburied food can attract fruit flies.
|
|
Problems
Odours - When this occurs it is usually due to the overabundance of "greens" in the bin, which is actually too much nitrogen combining with hydrogen to form ammonia.
To neutralize the odors you want to add a fair amount of carbon to the
mix. The carbon will instead absorb the nitrogen and form a compound
that is not smelly. Paper and dried leaves are good sources of carbon.
Take note - too much carbon added slows the decomposition process
considerably.
Pests - certain types of material, as well as odours from
these, can attract pests such as rodents and flies. This is especially
true if the loading contains lots of kitchen waste, especially meat.
This problem is largely negated if a sealed bin is used where the pests
cannot access the material. Most domestic vermicomposters are advised
by local authorities to avoid the problem of pests by avoiding using
materials that attract them rather than relying on special containers.
Ants can become a problem as well. No-see-um netting can be used.
Regular mosquito window screen is too large and lets fruit flies and
possibly ants in as well.
Note: Red Wiggler worms are not native to North America. They are an invasive species
and have become naturalized in most of the globe. Do not dump
worm-containing compost in natural areas as they can have the effect of
displacing the native worms.
Worm compost or vermicompost
These denominations worm humus, vermicompost and worm composted are used for worm castings, a smooth, crumbly, clean bio organic fertilizer, with a wet ground smell, stable for an extended period of time and without rottenness. The transformation of the coarse humus is made by the grinding and digesting of worms and by micro organisms that produce mass fermentation. But then the last transformation of humus is owed to the fundamental labor for worms attacking the wall cells of vegetals by means of its digest enzimes and altering the structure of the grain of rock and minerals. From all this process worms estract sap, calcium, magnesium and other elements eliminating them in larger proportions of those they were absorbed.
|
| Compost
|
|---|
Physic characteristics -
The compost have "coloidal" properties that besides increasing soil porosity and airy, contribute to the infiltration and retention of water as well as root development.
Chemist characteristics -
Vermicompost powers cultivation incorporating nourishments to the root zone inmediately.
Microbiologic characteristics -
Vermicompost estimulates bioactivity with the same beneficent micro organisms that soil has, but in greater quantities, creating an anthagonic medium for some pathogens ones, neutralizing toxic substances such as herbicide and insecticide remains. Vermicompost turns the nourishments soluble and in available conditions for plants absorption owed to the enzymes prescence incorporated. Without this prescence it wouldn't be possible any biochemist reaction.
Worm humus controls dumping for its pH close 7 and its microbian life activity that does not allow the very best medium to pathological fungus development.
|
See also
Container composting
German mound
Leaf mold
Spent mushroom compost
Sheet composting
High fibre composting
| |
External links
Worm Digest - includes articles on vermicomposting, links to suppliers and a discussion board
Worms Eat My Garbage (ISBN 0942256107), by Mary Appelhof. A "how-to" book on starting and maintaining a vermicomposting bin.
TheGardenForums.org: composting and vermicomposting community and forums
GardenWeb: vermicomposting forum - For discussions of vermicomposting and vermiculture
Klickitat County Site - Contains plans for Continuous Vertical Flow Worm Bin - See OSCR JR. links on this page
Sources Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| |
Español 
Invite a friend 
Add to favorites 
International Dial Codes