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Farmers’ best friend, earthworm has been existent at least since the past 20 million
years. Needless to say, they have been faithfully releasing the organic nutrients from the
dead tissues back into the soil and thus making it available to the living organisms. They
have an important roll in organic farming.

Earthworm Secret
Earthworms feed on the decaying organic matter and survive in soil. During digestion in
the alimentary canal, all the organic waste gets transformed into natural fertilizer. The pH
is neutral and it is an odorless organic matter. After digestion, the undigested food is
excreted. There is a thin oily layer on the excreted material or casting which takes as
much as two months to erode. In other words, the castings that are rich in plant nutrients
are made available gradually since they are released slowly into the soil. Hence they last
longer. These castings also contain microbes and hence the process of decomposition is
continued through microbial action outside the body of the earthworms.

What is Vermicomposting

Vermicomposting
Objective of Vermicompost
The main objective of vermicompost is to produce organic manure of exceptional quality
for the organically starved soil. Agricultural wastes, wastes from dairy and animal farms
are usually dumped into at places.

Types of Earthworm and Classification

Study of earthworms was pioneered by Charles Darwin.

Epigeic
 Thriving on soil surface, they convert the organic waste into humus very quickly.
 They have a high metabolic activity but it lasts only for a limited period.
 They need a huge amount of organic content as a part of their feed.
 Although they have a short life span, their rate of reproduction is very high.

Endogeic
 Species belonging to this category live just below the topsoil surface where mineralized
aluminum oxide, iron oxide and clay occur.
 They burrow into the soil making tunnels horizontally as well as obliquely thus increasing
the aeration.
 They feed on organic matter that are undergoing degradation at different levels.
 They improve the soil texture and structure.

Diageic
 Diageic worms make permanent burrows and are deep dwelling in the soil.
 The organic litter is collected from the soil surface and stored in the burrows which are
fed upon by the earthworms.
 The excrements are disposed on the outside of the burrows.
 Thus these are worms help in mixing the surface organic matter into the sub-terranian
soil.
 They also help loosen the soil.

Vermicompost Production Requirements

The most essential production requirements in vermicomposting are the base material
and the right species of earthworm.

Base Material
The base materials needed for vermicomposting must be organic and biodegradable.
They include:

 Cow dung from dairy farm

 Goat and sheep dung
 Organic sludge
 Tree leaves
 Crop residues
 Saw dust
 Sugarcane trash
 Weeds
 Coir waste
 Slurry from the biogas plant
 Poultry droppings from poultry farming
 Vegetables wastes
Poultry droppings being high in nitrogen must be added in small quantities. Hotel refuse
and organic wastes from agro or food industries can be also included in the compost
material as feed for earthworms.

Earthworm Species
It converts the organic materials from the top, that is, it is a surface feeder. Conversion
of organic matter into compost is done within 45-50 days.

 High Rate of Absorbency: The worms breathe through their skins and they die if the skin
dries. Hence one of the most important requirements of the bedding is that it must absorb and
retain enough water. This ensures a moist environment for the worms.
 Packing: The bedding must not packed too tightly as it would affect the aeration and
temperature. Oxygen is important for the survival of earthworms. Hence texture, shape,
strength, rigidity and size of the structure must be maintained at optimum to ensure good
bulking potential for the earthworms.
 Carbon – Nitrogen Ratio: The breaking down of the bedding and its consumption by the
earthworms must be a slow process. This is because the breakdown of the matter results in
accumulation of protein and nitrogen. This leads to fatal living conditions and an increase in
temperature.
Apart from the bedding, the worms must be protected from rain and sunlight. They must
be sheltered adequately.

Vermicomposting Methods
There are different methods of vermicomposting. However, the bed and pit method are
the most commonly followed among them. In the bed method, a bed of organic mixture
is made on the floor. The dimensions of the bed are 6ft * 2ft * 2ft. It is an easy to practice
and maintain method.
Vermicompost preparation in cemented pits

In the pit method, cemented pits of 5ft * 5ft * 3ft are used for composting. They are
covered with local materials like thatched grass, dry leaves, twigs, etc. However,
aeration and water logging is a major problem in this method. Therefore, most farmers
do not prefer this method of composting.

When tanks are prepared, there must be enough holes to aid excess water drainage.
The bedding for the earthworms generally comprise of saw dust, sand, broken pieces of
bricks and soil. The worms are first released into the bedding followed by the feed
material. The depth of the feed material must not be more than 2 feet deep. For the
initial 2 months, the tank must be sprinkled with water from time to time and it should be
well-aerated. The weight, size and cocoon producing capacity of the worms increase
and is at optimal level when the temperature, moisture and organic matter content are at
optimum.

Conversion Ability
It has been observed that a kilogram of worms can convert 25-45 Kg of wet waste on
weekly basis. In other words, there can be a compost recovery of at least 25 Kg per
week with a kilogram of worms that number to about 1000 worms. They can produce
2000-5000 cocoons on weekly basis. The incubation period of the cocoons is 2 weeks
and their rate of survival is 60%. They are sexually mature within 6-8 weeks. In case of
optimal growth conditions, the rate of growth is very high. The mature worms lay eggs at
an interval of 7-10 days. They produce 247 worms annually. It is observed that 1 Kg of
earthworms multiplies to 20 Kg within 4 months!

Precautionary Measures in Vermicomposting

During vermicomposting, there are certain points that must be taken care of. This is
especially because the earthworms are highly sensitive organisms. Any small change in
the thriving conditions would affect their conversion ability. The caution points are as
below:

 Compost Material: The compost material must be purely organic. It must be devoid of

materials like glass pieces, stones, ceramic pieces, plastic, etc.
 Loading: The vermicompost heap must be filled to the right quantity. It should not be
overloaded as overloading causes accumulation of gases and increase in temperature. This
would affect their growth and population.
 Drainage Channel: There should be a provision for drainage around the vermicompost
heap so that there is no water accumulation. This is especially important during the rainy
season.
 Addition of Acidic Substances: Acidic substances like citrus must be avoided. If added
they should be added only in small quantities as these acidic substances affect the pH balance
of the compost.
 Water Stress: Both dry spell as well as too much water can kill the worms. Therefore, the
compost heap must be sprinkled with water daily during summer. The beds must be moisture
every alternate day during winter.
 Covering the Beds: The vermicompost beds must not be covered with plastic sheets or
tarpaulin. This would lead to accumulation of gases and also increase the heat inside the bed
which can be detrimental to the earthworms.
 Protection from Pests: No specific diseases can affect the earthworms. However, they
must be protected from pests like rats, termites, birds, ants, etc. For protection from ants,
termites and rats, the vermicompost site is sprayed with 5% neem based insecticide before the
heap is filled and worms are introduced. The heap ca be covered with a net to protect the
worms from predators like birds and pigs.

Harvesting the Compost

Vermicomposting method

The complete decomposition of the compost takes about 100 days in case of ideal
conditions. On an average, a single tank can be used for composting at least 4 times a
year. Once the compost is ready, the residue is black in color. Few days before
harvesting, stop watering the tank. This helps the worms to migrate to the bottom of the
bed. Then the compost is removed and heaped outside on a plain surface. Worms if any
in the collected heap, gather at the center of the heap. These can be picked and
transferred to the tank. The compost is then sieved through a 3mm mesh and spread for
sun drying. These are later packed. The sieving process helps retrieve unhatched
cocoons that can be transferred to the tank. The worms that are retrieved can be used in
a new tank. Some farmers dry them under the sun and make vermi-protein. On an
average about 1700 Kg of compost can be obtained.

Alternate Income
Vermicomposting is an excellent source of alternate income for farmers. The compost
after drying can be sold. Similarly, the worms can be sold to other farmers who are
looking to start vermicomposting in their farms. It is a good thriving, all-season business
for entrepreneurs that involves minimum investment and labor but maximum benefits.