Earthworm manure, also known as earthworm compost, is the treatment of organic waste by earthworms (Figure 1).

Who this course is for:

• Farmer
• Social Entrepreneur
• Agriculture Enthusiast
• Vermiculturist

Description

Earthworm manure, also known as earthworm compost, is the treatment of organic waste by earthworms (Figure 1). This is a natural, odorless, and aerobic process, which is very different from traditional composting. Earthworms ingest waste and then excrete feces-black, odorless, nutrient-rich and organic-rich soil mud particles are an excellent soil conditioner. Earthworm manure is a ready-to-use fertilizer that can be used at a higher application rate than compost because the nutrients are released at a rate that the growing plants like.

Earthworm manure can be carried out on a small scale by homeowners who own household organic waste, by farmers who own manure, or on a large scale by the food industry that uses organic waste (such as fruit and vegetable removal materials). With proper design, vermicompost is a waste disposal method:

Clean, acceptable to the society, almost no peculiar smell
No need for energy input for aeration
Reduce waste quality by 30%
Produce valuable earthworm by-products
Even produce worms as bait
Important facts about worms
It takes 22-32 days to convert organic waste into castings, depending on waste density and earthworm maturity (conventional composting takes 30-40 days, then solidification for 3-4 months).
Vermicast does not require curing, but fresh castings undergo nitrification for 2 weeks, where ammonium is converted to nitrate, which is a form that plants can absorb.
Use organic materials that meet the preferences of earthworm feed, including materials with a density of 350–650 g/L.
Earthworms should not be crowded, and the ideal stocking density is 150 earthworms/L waste.
Earthworms consume about 75% of their body weight every day; a 0.2-gram worm eats about 0.15 grams a day.
If you find earthworms trying to escape from any system, this is a good sign that there is a problem with their feed or environment
Earthworms should be allowed to migrate from completed earthworms to fresh waste for approximately 1 week.