Some call it the lazy man’s compost while other see it as a
practical place for waste overflow.
However, you look at it, Vermicomposting is a simple way of preparing enriched
composts with the use of earthworms. It is one of the easiest methods to
recycle agricultural waste and to produce qualist compost. Earthworms,
popularly known as “Black Gold” consume biomass and excrete it in the digested
form which is beneficial for soil.
Vermicomposting allows students to learn about the process that
keep the Earth healthy and also create a resource for school or neighborhood.
Vermicomposting is done by various methods, among them; bad
and pit methods are most common. Before preparing the vermicompost, we have to
make sure that the vermicompost, unit is in a cool, moist and shady place. Once
the pit is ready, lay a bed of paddy straw in it. Then at the height of 4
inches spread cow dung and chopped dried leafy materials in the proportion of
3:1. This is kept for partial decomposition for 15-20 days. Take care to see
that the dung is not very lumpy. Once the earthworms have been place, you are
ready to dump the wet waste that you segregated. Make sure that the water is
sprinkled immediately after the introduction of worms. Keep adding to the
garbage until the pile of garbage is at least a foot high. The vermicompost pit
should be covered with old gunny bags and water is to be sprinkled on it to
keep it moist. After thirty days, one will notice that the raw material is
completely decomposed and appears black and granular. Your vermicompost is now
ready. We can now use this vermicompost as fertilizers for plants and trees.
Vermicompost will not only make the school more clean and
less polluted but children will also understand their role in maintaining a healthy
environment. This process is not only economically viable but an
environmentally safe nutrient supplement for organic food production. Moreover,
it is an easily adoptable low cost technology which provides efficient
conversion of organic wastes or crop for animals.
Thus, it is both rewarding and satisfying.
