© Sandrine New
Educational and entertaining, vermicomposting reduces household waste by 25 to 40%, while producing, self, the best natural fertilizer. A small scale, it requires very little space and work, and can even be practiced on his balcony.
History In 1906, Dr. George Sheffield Oliver, inventor of the steel plow, began to raise earthworms in his farm in Texas, and put them in his garden. Soon, he noticed a marked improvement in the quality and health of its trees, flowers, fruits and vegetables.
farming worms took off, the United States in the 30s. In 1947, Hugh Carter, cousin of the former president of the United States, began to raise earthworms in a coffin! 25 years later, he was able to provide 15 million earthworms per year to store hunting and fishing.
Today, issues of ecology is increasingly topical, vermicomposting is a new development.
Why raise worms?
Unlike traditional composting (the heap in the garden), recycle its waste in a Vermicomposter requires no watering or reversal: The worms do all the work.
Fast, easy, vermicomposting is naturally odorless, because, thanks to enzymes in their gut, to remove the smell of decomposition waste.
worms consume half their weight and waste each day. Whereas an individual produces on average 1 kg waste daily, and the worms can eat 40% of the contents of the trash, 500g to 400g can eliminate waste in a day or 12kg in one month, or again, 144kg per year.
Once the waste digested by worms, we get a solid, which has the appearance of a land of good quality vermicompost. 5 times richer in nutrients than the best land, the vermicompost is a better and safer it is fertilizer.
The odorless liquid that flows out of vermicompost, the "tea worms ", is also an excellent fertilizer and insecticide natural odorless. It can get as vermicompost by soaking in water.
How?
* build his farm
It is possible buy his farm to the market (at Full Cycle, Wiggler Magic Worms, Wizzard Worms, Organic Solutions ...). farms have the advantage of trade, in general, have removable panels, which facilitates employment. That said, it is quite possible and easy to make yourself his farm at very little cost.
You will need:
- a plastic container with a lid (one bin storage, wastebasket, etc.).
- a tap inserted in the bottom of the container
- a tray that fits under the container to the flow of "worm tea"
- wire mesh to fine mesh
- chipping
1) drill a series of holes in the walls of the container to allow air to circulate, and holes in the tank for irrigation.
2) Place a layer of pea gravel to the bottom, then a layer of chicken wire, to help irrigation and to prevent them from falling out.
3) Add a layer of wet newspaper, about 5 cm thick.
4) Place the worms with the land in which they were delivered to you.
5) Save your waste as and when they become available.
The worms will gradually eat the waste, and replace them with their releases in the form of vermicompost. Once the container full, remove the waste layer, and a few inches of vermicompost, which contain most of your worms. What is left to the bottom is the best garden fertilizer that you can imagine.
Once harvested fertilizer, add a layer of wet newspaper into the container, then replace them your verses and waste, and repeat the whole operation.
* feed to
Worms can eat
-
paper - cardboard including egg cartons
- coffee grounds (with filter) and tea bags
- scraps and peels of fruits, vegetables and whole plant material (with some exceptions. cf. below)
- leftovers raw or cooked
-
bread - egg shells
- hair and animal hair
- sawdust
- the Straw
- leaves
- animal excrement (no fee), especially horses, but also cows, sheep, pigs
- sludge from septic tanks and treatment plants, sewage
Attention Do not give:
- meat or dairy products
- pineapple, because it contains enzymes that destroy the worms.
- citrus and other plants highly acidic, such as onions (possible, but low dose).
- vraichement grass cut (possible, but low dose), as tends to generate too much heat and produce ammonia, which kills the worms.
careful what food is sufficiently rich in nitrogen (you can not feed your worms exclusively of paper, for example!).
better, also, chop into small pieces or pulped what gives them. Food must also be moist and stored at below 25 ° C.
In principle, do not try to escape, because they do not like light. If they escape, nonetheless, this may be that their food is too acidic. Do not give them tea bag or coffee, citrus fruits or onions for a while. The firm may also be too wet or, conversely, too dry.
The farm will never be overpopulated, as to self-regulate their reproduction: the more food available, the more they reproduce, and vice versa. Do not overfed to your departure, until their populations become established.
Keep your container in the shade and use only worms to compost because earthworms you find in your garden would not be able to do the job properly.
* What to bring?
Three species of worms are generally considered adequate for both small-scale vermicomposting for commercial exploitation. We can buy from other Worm, or on the Internet.
- the "Tiger Worm" (Eisen fetida)
It is located in areas rich in organic matter. It is rarely found in nature. It can survive in gardens watered thoroughly and treated fertilizer. They breed prolifically, producing more than 50 cocoons per year, with up to 30 worms per cocoon (but rather on average between 4 and 10).
- the "Red wriggle" (Lumbricus rubellus)
It accommodates less optimal conditions than the preceding land less rich in organic matter, colder climate. It also reproduces prolifically. It quickly converts organic matter into compost.
- the Blue Worm "(Perionyx excavatus)
Although originating in the tropics, it accepts a variety of conditions and breed prolifically. It can get pretty long. Its color depends on its age and size: blue, red and purple when ripe.
* What products do you get?
- worms
They can be sold, mainly to individuals wishing to try vermicomposting, sometimes fishermen (in the case of Lumbricus rubellus). The verses are rich in protein, and can also be fed to some farm animals or birds.
- eggs or cocoons
They are sometimes sold in place of the worms as they travel well. The worms are quickly becoming active once hatched.
- vermicompost
Very useful for mixing with potting soil or to improve the quality of the land. It can be used as is, but in general, like "th" worms ", mixed with four measures of land or water. It is usually sold in small bags for home gardeners in the nurseries or markets.
-tea to
This excellent liquid fertilizer can also be used to spray the foil and chase the pests.
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