Vermiculture

What Is Vermiculture?

Vermiculuture is a process of recycling organic waste, resulting in compost as a resource. It is initiated with vermicastings, eggs of deep burrowing earthworms and aerobic bacteria, which are used to disintegrate waste and make it fully biodegradeable. Since it coexists with plants, it gives the appearance of a garden and not a garbage dump. The vermicompost produced by this process is rich in a mixture of both macro & micro nutrients which are essential for development of healthy plants.

The process, carried out in plant beds, is essentially mirobial break down of organics and the system is managed by earthworms i.e. pH, water and temperature. Hence the proces is aerobic and odourless, due to deep burrows (up to 3 meters) created by deep burrowing earthworms, which help in aeration of the system, allowing more oxygen to circulate. pH is controlled at 7 and temperature is maintained up to 40°C.

Deep burrowing earthworms are light sensitive and hence are found deep in soil. They have vertical mobility. They don't feed on organics. They are soil processing worms and hence consume and breack down rock particles and soil. They are never seen on the ground surface, so are widely acceptable for various users. They have a longer life cycle and can tolerate harsh field conditions.

How Is Vermiculture Accomplished?

The process requires a one time innoculum i.e. vermicastings and cow dung, and has a recurring expenditure of only rockdust for maintaining soil pH level.

Daily routine involves laying of waste, spreading evenly on the previous days waste, covering with rockdust and watering. No turning over is required as earthworms themselves create burrows. Hence, the least labour intensive process.

All non-toxic orgainc waste e.g. vegetable and fruit peels, tea leaves, egg shells, mutton, chicken and fish bones, leftover cooked food, wood pulp, paper, sanitary pads, cocomut shells, leaves and garden waste can be recycled.

Recycling time is 3-4 months and the vermicompost can be retained in the vermiculture bed and harvested yearly or whenever required

What Are The Benefits?

The product is a rich vermicompost containing nutrients and micro-organisms and is beneficial for several applications i.e. agriculture, fruit and vegetable farms, large scale waste processing, general greening - lawns & gardening. As this process co-exists with plants, no extra space is required and can be done in flower beds, pots in office and residential building compounds, terraces and balconies, as no earthworms are seen. The process can be carried out in a dispersed manner, in small or large quantities i.e. 5 ton/day projects down to less than 1 Kg. The most beneficial aspect of vermiculture is its ability to reduce the strain on waste managment systems and landfills. Vermiculture takes a source of problems and pollution, wet waste, and turns it into an amazing agricultural resource, vermicompost