Vermicompost is vital to good soil. In the previous article on Organic Farming one of the sections dealt with soil and how important having healthy soil is to Organic Farming as a healthy soil equates to healthy vegetables and cattle. One of the main contributors to this process is the lowly earthworm. However, more and more people nowadays are realizing how useful this little animal is. The casts, or the manure that is produced by earthworms, is called vermicompost.
The humble earthworm’s activities result in numerous advantages:
1) If you start your own vermicompost heap you generate an endless supply of cheap compost that is chemically-free, eco friendly and uses up biodegradable matter that before one would dispose of.
2) The vermicompost is friable and improves not only the structure of the soil, but also the rate of water retention.
3) The soil is enriched. The concentrations of nitrogen, calcium, magnesium, and phosphates are all higher in soil that has earthworms.
4) Vermicompost also suppresses certain types of weeds that would have grown if the compost were not present.
5) It promotes better root growth and structure, and is an excellent medium for growing seedlings and seeds as it enhances germination and crop yields.
So now that we know the benefits of worm farming, how do we go about setting up a small worm farm and what sort of bin should you choose?
What Size of Bin and Type of Bin is Best for you?
For each 500 g (1 pound) of food waste produced each week, you will need at least 30 cm squared (1 ft squared) of bin space. Therefore choose the size of bin that is appropriate for your size family. As a benchmark for 2-3 people you should have a bin measuring 60 x 60 x 30 cm stocked with 1 kg of worms.