worm composting and its adequate benefits along replanishing the soil

It is a initiative toward organic farming and replanishing our soil that is degrades by chemicals and

1. Worm Composting

2. Vermicomposting
WHAT –Process of using worms to recycle
organic material and food scraps into castings
(waste) or compost (vermicompost)
(vermiculture)

3. Vermicomposting
WHY
Advantages
Easy to do year-round
SEVENtimes richer in nutrients than regular compost
No turning, no odor, & little watering –worms do the work
Benefits
Environmental
Economic
Soil health
Plant growth and vigor
Fun and educational

4. Vermicomposting
WHERE–Almost anywhere
Indoors, Outdoors
Dark, Warm, Moist, Ventilated

5. Vermicomposting
HOW
Container (can be aerated)
Bedding such as
shredded newspaper
Moisture and proper
temperature
Redworms & food waste

6. Vermicomposting
Home Made

7. Can-O-Worms

8. Worm Friendly Bin

9. Vermicomposting
Mid-Scale

10. EPM Worm Wigwam

11. EPM Flow Through System

12. Vermitech Food/paper
Digester

13. Worm Composting -Hog
Waste Lagoon

14. Worm Composting
Windrows

15. Worm Composting –
Casting Production

16. Large Worm Screen

17. Vermicomposting in Action
Bedding

18. Vermicomposting in Action
Moisture & Temperature

19. Vermicomposting in Action
Redworms

20. Vermicomposting in Action
Redworms (Eisenia foetidaie& Lumbricus rubellus)
Live in the top 12 inches of soil
Feed on organic decaying matter
Caneat their body weight in food every day
Generate 75% of body weight in worm
poop (castings) each day
Lay one cocoon every week or so
Each cocoon produces 3 to 4 baby worms
Begin breeding at 4 to 6 weeks of age
Worms can double population every 90 days
Live up to 2 years

21. Vermicomposting in Action
Food Waste
YES
Most fruits and veggies
Coffee grounds and filters
Tea leaves and bags
Egg shells
Most cereals and grains (oatmeal, pasta,
rice, cornmeal, pancakes, breads)
MAYBE
Onions
Garlic
Ginger

22. Vermicomposting in Action
Food Waste
NO
Meat, fish, dairy, oil, or bones
Potato chips, candy, oils
Citrus
NO-NO's
Plastic
Rubber bands
Sponges
Aluminum foil
Glass

23. Vermicomposting in Action
Harvesting Vermicompost

24. Vermicomposting in Action
How to Use Vermicompost
Excellent fertilizer; will not burn plants
Use as mulch or soil conditioner in home
garden
Use in potting soil mixes for houseplants
Use as top dressing for lawns
Combine with potting soil mixes and use
as medium for starting young seedlings

25. Vermicomposting in Action
Compost Tea
Liquid produced from vermicomposting
Protects plants from disease
Improves nutrient retention
Decomposes harmful chemicals
Transforms compacted soil into
healthy soil
Reduces water usage
Decreases run-off and leaching

26. Composting vs. Landfilling
Some Numbers to Consider
Food and yard waste account for at least 25% of landfill
materials
AA dining halls generate 700 pounds food waste each week
12% of total greenhouse gas emissions generated from growing,
preparing, and shipping food
Eating 1 pound of food daily generates 1.5 tons of carbon
dioxide (CO
2) annually
CO
2impact from edible food waste per person equates to taking
1 to 4 cars off the road
CO
2, methane(CH
4), and nitrous oxide (N
2O) generated as
organic waste decays in landfills
CH
421 times worseand N
2O 300 times worsethan CO
2
Proper composting minimizes greenhouse gas emissions and
extends life of landfills by saving space

27. Q & A Prize Patrol
TRUE or FALSE
Redworms consume almost all
types of waste, including bones,
glass, and plastic

28. Q & A Prize Patrol
TRUE or FALSE
If you can’t find redworms, use
earthworms in your worm bin

29. Why won’t night crawlers
work…
Not a composter.
~ Garden variety worm are soil-dwelling
species that tunnel & borrow.
~ Do not consume large volumes of organic
material.
~ Will not reproduce well while being
confined.
~ Live several feet below surface.
~ Feed on the surface at night.

30. Q & A Prize Patrol
TRUE or FALSE
Besides being beneficial to
plants and the soil, compost tea
can be applied to the scalp to
reverse male pattern baldness