VERMICULTURE

Introduction to Vermiculture:
Vermiculture refers to the raising of earthworms under controlled conditions.
Anyone from apartment dwellers who keep a worm bin on the kitchen counter
to students who create an insulated outdoor pit for cafeteria waste can
practice vermiculture. The related term vermicompost refers to the end
product created by the worms: a nutrient-rich humus containing worm manure
(“castings”) and associated organisms.

History:
Earthworms have won praise as brilliant soil excavators and improvers from
Aristotle, Cleopatra and Charles Darwin. But it wasn’t until the 1970s that
Kalamazoo, Michigan, biology teacher Mary Appelhof developed the idea of
using red wiggler worms, Eisenia fetida, in contained indoor or outdoor
systems to convert ordinary kitchen scraps into valuable worm compost. She
produced a simple brochure, “Basement Worm Bins Produce Potting Soil and
Reduce Garbage,” in 1973, and the book “Worms Eat My Garbage” in 1982
(revised in 1997), to bring popular attention to her system.

Considerations:
Compost worms require food, bedding, moisture, temperature, pH and
darkness to thrive. They can typically eat most vegetable scraps, preferring
pumpkin and mango especially, except for dairy and meat. Crushed eggshells
provide them with grit and calcium. Paper, cardboard and moistened
paperboard egg cartons can serve as bedding. Place their food in pockets in
the bedding and cover it up with several inches of bedding. Their bedding
needs to be moist but not sopping wet, with a temperature ideally in the low
70s Fahrenheit, a neutral pH and kept in the dark.

Function:
Successful vermiculture results in a doubling of the worm population in about
three months as adults lay cocoons and juveniles reach sexual maturity. In
this same time frame, the worms create both compost and surplus worms that
you can use to populate additional worm bins or sell.

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Vermicompost:

Vermicomposting is a method of preparing enriched compost with the use of

earthworms. It is one of the easiest methods to recycle agricultural wastes and
to produce quality compost. Earthworms consume biomass and excrete it in
digested form called worm casts. Worm casts are popularly called as Black
gold. The casts are rich in nutrients, growth promoting substances, beneficial
soil micro flora and having properties of inhibiting pathogenic microbes.
Vermicompost is stable, fine granular organic manure, which enriches soil
quality by improving its physicochemical and biological properties. It is highly
useful in raising seedlings and for crop production.

Vermicompost is becoming popular as a major component of organic farming

system. Vermicomposting materials Decomposable organic wastes such as
animal excreta, kitchen waste, farm residues and forest litter are commonly
used as composting materials. In general, animal dung mostly cow dung and
dried chopped crop residues are the key raw materials. Mixture of leguminous
and non-leguminous crop residues enriches the quality of vermicompost.
There are different species of earthworms viz. Eisenia foetida (Red
earthworm), Eudrilus eugeniae (night crawler), Perionyx excavatus etc. Red
earthworm is preferred because of its high multiplication rate and thereby
converts the organic matter into vermicompost within 45-50 days. Since it is a
surface feeder it converts organic materials into vermicompost from top.

Process of vermicomposting

Following steps are followed for vermicompost preparation

• Vermicomposting unit should be in a cool, moist and shady site
• Cow dung and chopped dried leafy materials are mixed in the proportion of
3: 1 and are kept for partial decomposition for 15 – 20 days.
• A layer of 15-20cm of chopped dried leaves/grasses should be kept as
bedding material at the bottom of the bed.
• Beds of partially decomposed material of size 6x2x2 feet should be made .
• Each bed should contain 1.5-2.0q of raw material and the number of beds
can be increased as per raw material availability and requirement.
• Red earthworm (1500-2000) should be released on the upper layer of bed .
• Water should be sprinkled with can immediately after the release of worms.
• Beds should be kept moist by sprinkling of water (daily) and by covering with
gunny bags/polythene .

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• Bed should be turned once after 30 days for maintaining aeration and for
proper decomposition.
• Compost gets ready in 45-50 days .
• The finished product is 3/4th of the raw materials used.

Benefits:
Soil
 Improves soil aeration
 Enriches soil with micro-organisms
 Microbial activity in worm castings is 10 to 20 times higher than in the soil
and organic matter that the worm ingests.
 Attracts deep-burrowing earthworms already present in the soil
 Improves water holding capacity.

Plant growth
 Enhances germination, plant growth, and crop yield
 Improves root growth and structure
 Enriches soil with micro-organisms

Economic
 Biowastes conversion reduces waste flow to landfills
 Elimination of biowastes from the waste stream reduces contamination of
other recyclables collected in a single bin (a common problem in
communities practicing Single-stream recycling)
 Creates low-skill jobs at local level
 Low capital investment and relatively simple technologies make
vermicomposting practical for less-developed agricultural regions

Environmental
 Helps to close the "metabolic gap" through recycling waste on-site
 Large systems often use temperature control and mechanized harvesting,
however other equipment is relatively simple and does not wear out
quickly.
 Production reduces greenhouse gas emissions such as methane and nitric
oxide (produced in landfills or incinerators when not composted).

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Advantages of vermicompost:
 Vermicompost is rich in all essential plant nutrients.
 Provides excellent effect on overall plant growth, encourages the growth
of new
 shoots / leaves and improves the quality and shelf life of the produce.
 Vermicompost is free flowing, easy to apply, handle and store and does
not have bad
 odour.
 It improves soil structure, texture, aeration, and waterholding capacity
and prevents
 soil erosion.
 Vermicompost is rich in beneficial micro flora such as a fixers, P-
solubilizers,
 cellulose decomposing micro-flora etc in addition to improve soil
environment.
 Vermicompost contains earthworm cocoons and increases the
population and
 activity of earthworm in the soil.
 It neutralizes the soil protection.
 It prevents nutrient losses and increases the use efficiency of chemical
fertilizers.
 Vermicompost is free from pathogens, toxic elements, weed seeds etc.
 Vermicompost minimizes the incidence of pest and diseases.
 It enhances the decomposition of organic matter in soil.
 It contains valuable vitamins, enzymes and hormones like auxins,
gibberellins etc.

Kind of worms are used for vermicomposting:

Traditionally, worms have been raised for fishing bait as well as a protein and
enzyme source for various products, including animal food and biodegradable
cleansers. Worms have also been used to manage agricultural wastes such
as dairy manure. They convert waste into worm manure (also known as worm
castings), a nutrient-rich, biologically beneficial soil product.
Vermicomposting is the use of worms as a composting method to produce
vermicompost. Vermiculture is worm farming for the production of worms. In
recent years, worm farming has been practiced on both a small and large
scale with three complementary goals in mind: waste diversion,
vermicomposting, and vermiculture.

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Most worm farms raise two main types of earthworm: Eisenia foetida and
Lumbricus rubellis. These worms are commonly used to produce
vermicompost, as well as for fish bait. Both are referred to by a variety of
common names, including red worms, red wigglers, tiger worms, brandling
worms, and manure worms. These two species are often raised together and
are difficult to tell apart, though they are not believed to interbreed. While
several other species have been successfully bred in recent years, this fact
sheet focuses primarily on the use of these species.
The night crawler (Lumbricus terrestrius) is also harvested and sold for fishing
bait. This species does not breed well in captivity and is generally harvested
from wild stock.

African earthworm (Eudrillus euginiae)

Tiger worm or Red wrinkle (Eisenia foetida)

Asian worms (perinonyx ecavatus)

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Foetida worms

Need of worms:

Worms can survive a wide variety of temperatures, but they thrive best at
temperatures between 55 and 77 degrees Fahrenheit (13–25 degrees
Celsius). They need a moist, organic substrate or “bedding” in which to live.
They will eat the bedding and convert it into castings along with other feed.
Moisture and oxygen are vital and bedding should be about as damp as a
wrung-out sponge. A worm’s skin is photosensitive and therefore they need a
dark environment.
Because worms have no teeth, they need some type of grit in their bedding
that they can swallow and use in their gizzard to grind food, much like birds do
with small stones. A little soil or sand will work, but it should be sterile so that
no foreign organisms are introduced. Common additives used include rock
dust or oyster flour (ground up oyster shells).
Since oyster flour is basically calcium carbonate, adding too much will raise
the pH in the worms’ environment. Worms prefer a slightly acidic pH level of
about 6.5. For a typical worm bin, no more than a tablespoon of grit is needed,
which should not significantly alter the pH.

worms eat:
Worms will eat a wide variety of organic materials such as paper, manure, fruit
and vegetable waste, grains, coffee grounds, and ground yard wastes. While
worms will eat meat and dairy products, it is best not to feed these materials
or oily foods to worms, due to potential odor and pest problems. Worms will
consume limited amounts of citrus scraps, but limonene, a chemical
compound found in citrus, is toxic to worms, so it is best to limit or avoid
feeding them this material.

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Since worms have no teeth, any food they eat must be small enough to
swallow, or soft enough for them to bite. Some foods may not be soft enough
initially for them to consume, but they quickly degrade so that the worms can
consume them.

Where should we keep worms:

Worms can be raised on a small or large scale, depending on your goals. If
you are trying to manage food scraps for yourself or your family, a small 12-to
20-gallon worm bin should be adequate. The bin should be dark and opaque
and should, have a lid, drainage, and aeration holes in the bottom. Small 1-
inch legs and a tray underneath the bin are also helpful.
If you are trying to manage larger amounts of organic materials or produce
large amounts of worms or vermicompost, worms can be managed in low-
mounded rows called worm beds or “ricks,” or in large in-vessel continuous-
flow systems available from suppliers. Worms burrow into the bedding to
protect themselves, and they will not come out to sunlight unless bedding
conditions are intolerable.

How do we harvest worms and vermicompost:

Large-scale worm farmers using worm beds generally use harvesting

equipment to separate worms and castings. In-vessel “continuous flow”
systems are generally designed to produce vermicompost. They rely on the
surface-feeding tendency of red worms to incorporate a casting harvest
mechanism on the bottom of the system, below the active feeding area. Food
and additional bedding are added to the top, encouraging the worms to
continue feeding upwards.
Smaller scale worm bins are harvested in a variety of ways. In all cases,
harvesting should begin when the bedding and consumed food has turned a
rich dark brown, with a consistency of coffee grounds. Waiting longer can
result in a sludgy material that is difficult to harvest and may become
anaerobic and odorous.
One commonly used method of harvesting is to dump the bin onto a tarp in
bright light, allowing the worms to burrow down to escape the light. Castings
can then be separated by slowly scraping them away, pausing periodically to
let the worms burrow further. Eventually, you are left with a pile of worms.
Some will harvest by placing new bedding in one half of the bin, and feed
exclusively on that side. Eventually (sometimes over a period of several
weeks) most of the worms will move to the side with the new bedding, and the
finished compost can be harvested.
One simple method is to place a large amount of food in one area of the bin.
Within a few days to a week, this should become a writhing mass of feeding
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worms. By turning a plastic bag inside out over your hand, you can then
“reverse harvest” the worms by simply grabbing the mass of worms and
turning the bag right-side out. You then have enough worms to start your bin
again. Some worms and egg cases will be left in the castings. This should be
no problem if the castings are used soon for indoor potted plants. Castings
should be cured before outdoor use.
Harvested castings can be mixed into potting soil soon after harvest for best
effect on indoor plants. If they are to be stored or used for outdoor plants, they
should be cured in an aerobic environment to dry, eliminate the potential to
introduce new species and prevent mold.

The other organisms live with worms:

Worms do not live in isolation. In addition to microscopic organisms like

bacteria and some fungi, you may notice several other creatures, such as
springtails, mites, pot worms (small white worms often mistaken as baby red
worms), and an occasional fungus gnat. These organisms generally stay in
the bin, live in harmony with the worms and cause little problems. Consistently
burying the food in the bedding will minimize the attraction of unwanted
species.
Keeping the bin moist and stirring the castings and bedding periodically will
minimize the growth of fungi and the potential of fungal spores. If the bin is not
stirred, full-sized mushrooms can grow.
If a bin is kept outside, the number of organisms that find their way into a bin
greatly increases. Slugs and snails, ants, spiders, soldier fly larvae, fruit flies,
pill bugs, centipedes, even frogs, salamanders and some small rodents have
found their way into outdoor worm bins. Rarely will more than three or four of
these cohabitants occupy a bin. Most do not hinder the functioning of a bin,
and they are not bothersome. It is best to keep outdoor bins outside to prevent
the introduction of unwanted animals into your house.
The most common “pests” in worm bins are ants and fruit flies. Keeping the
bin moist, stopping feeding for a week or two, and stirring the bin every day
can eliminate ants. Fruit flies can be more problematic, and sometimes can
only be eliminated by starting over. Short of that, stopping feeding for a couple
weeks and using flypaper or other fly traps can work if the population of flies is
not too high.
Worms raised in worm beds can also attract predators such as birds and
moles. Birds can be deterred in traditional ways such as placing scarecrows
near the beds, or the beds can be covered with cardboard or other material.
Moles can breed quickly and can eat a lot of worms. They can be deterred
either by raising the worms in an in-vessel system, on a cement pad, or
placing a wooden or plastic barrier several inches into the soil around the

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beds. The barrier should stick out of the soil an inch or two to prevent the
moles from finding a way over it.

CONDITION REQUIRED FOR VERMICULTURE:

Moisture :
The need for adequate moisture is important. The bedding used must be able
to hold sufficient moisture if the worms are to have a livable environment.
They breathe through their skins and moisture content in the bedding of less
than 50% is dangerous. With the exception of extreme heat or cold, nothing
will kill worms faster than a lack of adequate moisture. The ideal moisture-
content range for materials in conventional composting systems is 45-60%. In
contrast, the ideal moisture-content range for Vermicomposting or
vermiculture processes is 70-90%.

Aeration :
Worms are oxygen breathers and cannot survive anaerobic conditions
(defined as the absence of oxygen). When factors such as high levels of
grease in the feedstock or excessive moisture combined with poor aeration
conspire to cut off oxygen supplies, areas of the worm bed, or even the entire
system, can become anaerobic. This will kill the worms very quickly. Not only
are the worms deprived of oxygen, they are also killed by toxic substances
(e.g., ammonia) created by different sets of microbes that bloom under these
conditions. This is one of the main reasons for not including meat or other
greasy wastes in worm feedstock unless they have been pre- composted to
break down the oils and fats. Although composting worms O2 requirements
are essential, however, they are also relatively modest. Worms survive harsh
winters inside windrows where all surfaces are frozen: they live on the oxygen
available in the water trapped inside the windrow. Worms in commercial
Vermicomposting units can operate quite well in their well insulated homes as
long as there are small cracks or openings for ventilation somewhere in the
system. Nevertheless, they operate best when ventilation is good and the
material they are living in is relatively porous and well aerated. In fact, they
help themselves in this area by aerating their bedding by their movement
through it. This can be one of the major benefits of Vermicomposting: the lack
of a need to turn the material, since the worms do that work for you. The trick

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is to provide them with bedding that is not too densely packed to prevent this
movement.

Temperature Control :
Controlling temperature to within the worms’ tolerance is vital to both
Vermicomposting and vermiculture processes. This does not mean, however,
that heated buildings or cooling systems are required. Worms can be grown
and materials can be vermi composted using low-tech systems, outdoors and
year-round, in the more temperate regions of India. The following points are
general and are intended to provide background for the more system specific
information.

Low temperatures:
Eisenia can survive in temperatures as low as 0oC, but they don’t reproduce
at single-digit temperatures and they don’t consume as much food. It is
generally considered necessary to keep the temperatures above 10oC
(minimum) and preferably 15 oC for Vermicomposting efficiency and above 15
oC (minimum) and preferably 20 oC for productive vermiculture operations.

Effects of freezing:
Eisenia can survive having their bodies partially encased in frozen bedding
and will only die when they are no longer able to consume food. Moreover,
tests have confirmed that their cocoons survive extended periods of deep
freezing and remain viable.

High temperatures:
Compost worms can survive temperatures in the mid-30s but prefer a range
in the 20s (oC). Above 35oC will cause the worms to leave the area. If they
cannot leave, they will quickly die. In general, warmer temperatures (above
20oC) stimulate reproduction.

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Worm’s response to temperature differentials:

Compost worms will redistribute themselves within piles, beds or windrows

according to temperature gradients. In outdoor composting windrows in winter
time, where internal heat from decomposition is in contrast to frigid external
temperatures, the worms will be found in a relatively narrow band at a depth
where the temperature is close to optimum. They will also be found in much
greater numbers on the south-facing side of windrows in the winter and on
the opposite side in the summer.
The important parameters that are required to be looked into while preparing
feed and managing the Vermicomposting unit are:

pH:
Worms can survive in a pH range of 5 to 9 . Most experts feel that the worms
prefer a pH of 7 or slightly higher. The range of 7.5 to 8.0 was found
optimum). In general, the pH of worm beds tends to drop over time. If the
food sources are alkaline, the effect is a moderating one, tending to neutral or
slightly alkaline. If the food source or bedding is acidic (coffee grounds, peat
moss) then the pH of the beds can drop well below 7. This can be a problem
in terms of the development of pests such as mites. The pH can be adjusted
upwards by adding calcium carbonate. In the rare case where they need to
be adjusted downwards, acidic bedding such as peat moss can be introduced
into the mix.

Salt content :
Worms are very sensitive to salts, preferring salt contents less than 0.5%. If
saltwater seaweed is used as a feed (and worms do like all forms of
seaweed), then it should be rinsed first to wash off the salt left on the surface.
Similarly, many types of manure have high soluble salt contents (up to 8%).
This is not usually a problem when the manure is used as a feed, because
the material is usually applied on top, where the worms can avoid it until the
salts are leached out over time by watering or precipitation. If manures are to
be used as bedding, they can be leached first to reduce the salt content. This
is done by simply running water through the material for a period of time. If
the manures are pre-composted outdoors, salts will not be a problem.

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Urine content :
If the manure is from animals raised or fed off in concrete lots, it will contain
excessive urine because the urine cannot drain off into the ground. This
manure should be leached before use to remove the urine. Excessive urine
will build up dangerous gases in the bedding. The same fact is true of rabbit
manure where the manure is dropped on concrete or in pans below the
cages.”

Other toxic components:

Different feeds can contain a wide variety of potentially toxic components.
Some of the more notable are:
• De-worming medicine in manures: particularly horse manure. Most modern
deworming medicines break down fairly quickly and are not a problem for
worm growers. Nevertheless, if using manure from another farm than your
own, it would be wise to consult your source with regard to the timing of de-
worming activities, just to be sure. Application of fresh manure from recently
de-wormed animals could prove costly.
• Detergent cleansers industrial chemicals, pesticides: These can often be
found in feeds such as sewage or septic sludge, paper-mill sludge, or some
food processing wastes.
• Tannins: Some trees, such as cedar and fir, have high levels of these
naturally occurring substances. They can harm worms and even drive them
from the beds.
• It is to be pointed out that pre-composting of wastes can reduce or even
eliminate most of these threats. However, pre-composting also reduces the
nutrient value of the feed, so this is a definite trade-off.

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Vermibed:

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Vermibed (vermes= earthworms; bed= bedding) is the actual layer of good

moist loamy soil placed at the bottom, about 15 to 20 cm thick above a thin
layer (5 cm) of broken bricks and coarse sand.
Earthworms are introduced into the loamy soil, which the worms will inhabit as
their home. 150 earthworms may be introduced into a compost pit of about 2m
x 1m x 0.75m, with a vermibed of about 15 to 20 cm thick.
Handful‑lumps of fresh cattle dung are then placed at random over the
vermibed. The compost pit is then layered to about 5 cm with dry leaves or
preferably chopped hay/straw or agricultural waste biomass. For the next 30
days the pit is kept moist by watering it whenever necessary.
The bed should neither be dry or soggy. The pit may then be covered with
coconut or Palmyra leaves or an old jute (gunny) bag to discourage birds.
Plastic sheets on the bed are to be avoided as they trap heat. After the first 30
days, wet organic waste of animal and/or plant origin from the kitchen or hotel
or hostel or farm that has been pre-digested is spread over it to a thickness of
about 5 cm. This can be repeated twice a week.

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All these organic wastes can be turned over or mixed periodically with a
pickaxe or a spade.
Regular watering should be done to keep the right amount of moisture in the
pits. If the weather is very dry it should be dampened periodically.

Vermiculture by vermibed:
This approach (Jambhhekar, 2002) uses the following materials: breeder
worms, a wooden bed and organic wastes. The bed should be of the desired
length and about 75 cm high × 120 cm wide. Worms should be applied for
every part of waste. Other steps in the process are:
• Sieving and shredding – decomposition can be accelerated by shredding raw
materials into small pieces.
• Blending – carbonaceous substances such as sawdust, paper and straw can
be mixed with N-rich materials such as sewage sludge, biogas slurry and fish
scraps to obtain a near optimum C:N ratio. A varied mixture of substances
produces good quality compost, rich in macronutrients and micronutrients.
• Half digestion – the raw materials should be kept in piles and the
temperature allowed to reach 50–55 °C. The piles should remain at this
temperature for seven to ten days.
• Maintaining moisture, temperature and pH – the optimum moisture level for
maintaining aerobic conditions is 40–45 percent. Proper moisture and
aeration can be maintained by mixing fibrous with N-rich materials. The
temperature of the piles should be 28–30 °C. Higher or lower temperatures
reduce the activity of microflora and earthworms. The height of the bed can
help control the rise in temperature. The pH of the raw material should not
exceed 6.5–7. The compost is ready after about one month. It is black,
granular, lightweight and humus- rich. In order to facilitate the separating of
the worms from the compost, watering should cease two to three days before
emptying the beds. This forces about 80 percent of the worms to the bottom
of the bed. The remaining worms can be removed by hand. The vermicompost
is then ready for application. Some entrepreneurs have made modifications,
e.g. making the floor leakproof, and providing a covered shade in order to
ensure temperature regulation and protection against accumulation of
excessive water in the rainy season. Although this adds to the cost, the
improved efficiency of vermicomposting and faster rate of growth of
earthworms more than offsets this additional cost. The excess water, which
may be leached along with the earthworms extracts, is also collected from the

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concrete flooring and recirculated. This ensures high N content in the finished
product and also better quality because of the preserved worm extracts.

The steps in this process are:

• Cattle dung is collected from cow shelters.
• The dung is kept for about 7–10 days to let it cool.
• Beds/rows of dung and crop residues/leaves, etc. are made about 1 m wide,
75 cm high and with a distance of 75 cm between two rows.
• In the beds/rows, crop waste such as leaves, straw etc. is layered
alternatively with the dung to thus make a height of about 75 cm. The beds
are kept as such for 4–5 days to cool.
• Water is sprinkled to let the compostable matter cool down.
• Earthworms are put on the top of the manure row/bed. About 1 kg worms in
a metre-long manure row are inoculated.
• It is left undisturbed for 2–3 days after covering with banana leaves.
Covering with jute bags or sacks is not recommended as it heats the manure
bed.
• The bed is opened after 2–3 days. The upper portion of about 10 cm of
manure is loosened with the help of a suitable hand tool.
• The bed is covered again. The worms feed on an upper bed of about 10 cm.
This portion becomes vermicasted in about 7–10 days.
• This portion (vermicasted manure) is removed and collected near the bed.
Another upper portion of 10 cm is loosened and covered again with the
leaves.
• Moisture is maintained in the bed by regular sprinkling of water.
• The loosened portion of the manure is vermicasted in another 7–10 days and
is removed again.
• Thus, in about 40 days, about 60 cm of the bed is converted into
vermicompost and is collected on 3–4 occasions.
• The remaining bed of about 10 cm in height contains earthworm mixed
manure.
• Fresh manure mixture/organic residues, etc. are again put on the residual
bed containing earthworms of about 10 cm and the composting process is
restarted.

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• The manure collected from the bed is freed of worms through sieving.
Uncomposted or foreign matter is also removed in this way.
• The screened manure is bagged and used or sold as required.

Procedure to prepare vermibed :

1. Select a container or bed or bin of appropriate dimensions as mentioned
above wherever Vermicompost is to be prepared.
2. Prepare the following materials or provide at the right time: Carbon- and
nitrogen-rich organic materials, spade, ground space, hollow blocks, stakes,
plastic sheets or used sacks, water and water sprinklers, shading materials,
nylon net or any substitute to cover the beds, and composting earthworms
(e.g. Eisenia ) Nitrogen-rich substrates refer to animal manures, legumes,
and fresh grass clippings, while others, particularly those colored brown and
dry, are generally classified as carbon-rich substrates.
3. Mix carbonaceous with nitrogenous organic materials at the right
proportions to obtain a C: N ratio of about 30:1. For example, rice straw and
fresh manure are mixed at about 25:75 ratio by weight. But for practical
application, a 1:1 or 50:50 ratio by volume can be tried as basis in mixing the
organic waste with cattle dung.
4. Prepare the vermi bed by spreading plastic sheets or used sacks on the
ground to prevent mixing of the soil with the compost during harvesting. Pile
two layers of hollow blocks in square or rectangular pattern. Secure the
blocks by sinking stakes through the holes. Remove completely growing
vegetation surrounding the bed and sweep away plant debris that may serve
as food and induce the earthworms to migrate outside OR Make a bed of 10
cm height using any of the base materials (coir waste, paddy husk, sugar
cane trash etc. collected. Give a layer of soil on it. Sprinkle water on it to get a
moisture level of 40-45%.The bed should appear wet. Provide shade.
5. Fill the vermi bed with the organic materials and water sparingly. The size
of the pile can vary but in general, a volume of at least 1 cubic meter (1 m3) is
desired to allow thermophillic heating. A pile 1 m wide, 2 m long and 0.5 m
high will have this volume. To conserve moisture and heat, the pile is covered
from the top to the sides with plastic sheets or any substitute material.

6. Wait for at least 15 days for the thermophillic process of composting to end.
This process is characterized by a rapid increase in temperature of the pile (it
can be checked manually with an open palm on top of the pile) followed later
by a gradual decrease. During this period give turning to the material 2-3
times at 4-5 days interval. When temperature approaches ambient
temperature (<35°C, the height of the pile also subsides), remove the
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covering. Sprinkle with water if necessary, and then commence
Vermicomposting proper by introducing the right species of earthworm.
Effluent slurry from bio-gas plant can also be best used for this in place of
manure.
7. Stock the partially decomposed organic materials with composting
earthworms, e.g., Eisenia foetida by releasing them on top of the pile. The
earthworms will immediately move downward. A stocking rate of about 500 g
of earthworms is sufficient for an original pile of 1 m3 but it can be lesser or
more, depending on availability. Heavier stocking rate will mean faster rate of
vermicast production.
8. Mulch the pile with coconut coir dust or grasses to prevent excessive loss of
moisture. Then cover with nylon net or any substitute material like coconut
fronds to serve as barrier against birds and other earthworm predators. The
pile can also be covered with gunny cloth. Maintain sufficient moisture and
aeration throughout the composting process. By sprinkling water over the
cloth periodically. Add 5-10 % neem cake in the feed mix. Neem cake in small
quantities has beneficial effect on the growth of worms. The worms feed
actively on organic matter and assimilate only 5-10 % and rest is excreted as
loose granular mounds of vermi castings on the surface away from the feed
source, thus the worms will convert the feed mix into vermi castings in 60
days. The vermicompost once formed completely will give the smell of moist
soil.
9. Take out the vermi compost and make a heap in sunlight on a plastic sheet.
Keep for 1-2 hours .The worms will gather at the bottom of heap. Remove
vermicompost on top and the worms settled down at the bottom can be
carefully collected for use in the next batch of vermi composting.

Preventions:
• The floor of the unit should be compact to prevent earthworms’ migration
into the soil.
• 15-20 days old cow dung should be used to avoid excess heat.
• The organic wastes should be free from plastics, chemicals, pesticides and
metals etc.
• Aeration should be maintained for proper growth and multiplication of
earthworms.
• Optimum moisture level (30-40 %) should be maintained
• 18-25oC temperature should be maintained for proper decomposition.

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Steps to Prepare Compost :

Dead leaves are a good addition to the carbon-rich layers of your pile, and
composting them is much safer than burning them.
Composting is the gardener’s way to use nature’s decay of organic
ingredients. It isn’t hard to do and a pile of compost will yield a rich, dark
substance that improves garden soil and nurtures plants. Composting also
keeps household garbage and yard waste out of landfills. It is the perfect
recycling activity to help you grow fruits, vegetables, flowers and shrubs. Basic
backyard composting is an uncomplicated process.

1
Clear a corner of the backyard by the fence or near the edge of the garden for
your compost pile or bin. It should be close to a water source and easy to
reach, but out of the main traffic flow. Make sure the compost pile out of the
direct summer sun, but away from buildings.

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2
Construct or place your compost bin, if you choose to confine your compost
pile. You can use a variety of materials, such as untreated wood pallets, wire
mesh, snow-fencing or concrete blocks to make a simple structure for your
compost.
3
Add "browns" and the "greens." Browns are fallen leaves, evergreen needles,
woody matter, including bark, twigs and branches, sawdust, wood chips and
other materials that contain carbon, such as shredded cardboard and paper.
Greens are grass clippings, green garden waste, vegetable scraps, coffee
grounds, eggshells, fruits and other kitchen waste. These items release
nitrogen as they break down.
There are different methods of combining the materials. The U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency recommends two approaches. One is to mix
brown and green stuff together, tossing kitchen or yard waste into the bin or
onto the pile as you collect it. The other is to alternate layers of carbon-rich
and nitrogen-rich materials, starting with a 6-inch layer of brown stuff topped
by 3-inch layer of green stuff, which is topped by another 3-inch layer of brown
stuff, and so on.
4
Avoid using meat and dairy products, including meat and fish bones, oils and
grease, carnivorous animal manure. Don’t use grass or plant clippings that
have pesticides on them, or pressure-treated wood. Lastly, don't use diseased
garden plants or weeds.
5
Add safe animal manures to the compost heap, if available. Use manure from
grass, grain and hay eaters, such as horses, rabbits, cows and chickens.
6
Moisten the pile periodically with your garden hose as you add to it. Sprinkle a
shovel or so of finished compost or healthy garden soil over the compost
materials to add live microorganisms that will begin to break down the
trimmings and scraps.
7
Watch for the pile to settle, a sign that the composting is working. Natural
decomposition does the work of transforming the materials, heating up the pile

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to between 120 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit in a few weeks. Speed things up
by turning the pile with a shovel or pitchfork every week or two. Move
materials on the outside of the pile into the center. This allows the material to
decompose more evenly.
8
Check for signs that the compost is finished in one to four months, if you layer
material and regularly turn it, or two months to two years if you don't. Your
compost is ready to use when all the materials turn into a clean-smelling,
crumbly, earth-like brown substance. Use it to enrich your garden soil or
outdoor potted plants.

Other Method
Digging a Composting Trench :

1
Dig a trench. To prepare garden compost without unsightly bins or piles, use a
shovel to dig a trench in your garden approximately 12 inches (approximately
30 cm) deep. The compost will add nutrients and moisture to your soil,

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improving the quality of your plants. Choose an area that will get sunlight but
not interfere with the rest of your garden.
Trenches can be placed between plants, along shrub borders, or virtually
anywhere else in the garden.
2
Fill it with kitchen scraps. Add approximately four to six inches (approximately
10-15 cm)of kitchen scraps to the bottom of the trench. Avoid adding bread
products, meat, bones, dairy, rice, oils, or weeds. Opt to include fruit and
vegetable scraps, and other ingredients such as.
Egg shells, which will add calcium to the soil and deter snails and slugs with
their sharp edges.
Coffee grounds, which are rich in nitrogen and attract worms.
3
Cover the compost materials with soil. Once you've added your composting
materials, use a shovel to fill in the trench with soil. The composting process
will occur without any additional work from you. It should take a period of a
month to a year, depending on the volume and specific compost materials.
4
Move the trenches around each year. Composting trenches should be moved
to different locations in your garden every year. This will allow you to fertilize
the entirety of your garden while continuing to grow new plants or flowers.
Plan to have designated walking areas, plant areas, and trench areas that you
can navigate around comfortably.

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