4-H Vermicomposting
A school enrichment program for
5th grade youth
Lesson 1 - Vermicomposting
• Objectives
– What is vermicomposting?
– How does vermicomposting take place?
– How can vermicompost be used?
– What are the benefits of vermicompost?
– What are the categories of worms?
What is Vermicomposting?
• Use of worms and
microorganisms to
change plant tissue into
vermicompost that is
rich in nutrients
• Plant tissue in the worm
bin is consumed by
worms, making them
consumers
Where Can I Vermicompost?
• Can take place in
classrooms, offices and
homes, wherever food
scraps or other organic
matter is being
generated or delivered
• Being used to help
solve N.C. hog waste
problem
Food scraps that can be used in
worm bins include fruits and
vegetables. Don’t use this as an
excuse to not eat your vegetables!
Organic matter that worms
eat passes through their
digestive tract and is
excreted as castings
Worms and castings
Microorganisms help to
decompose the organic
matter in the worm bin
What Are Worm Castings?
• Castings contain
undigested plant
residues, bacteria,
and soils
• Castings improve soil
and helps plants grow
big and healthy
How Do Castings Help Plants
and Soil?
• They break clumps
of soil into pieces that
allow air and water to
enter into the soil
• They add nutrients
to soil that are needed
by plants to grow
How Can Castings Be Used?
• Castings can be mixed
into soil:
–
–
–
–
–
–
in gardens
on lawns
around trees
in nurseries
on farm fields
for houseplants
Advantages of Vermicomposting
• Reduces garbage disposal costs
• Produces less odor and attracts fewer pests
• Saves electricity and water used for in-sink
garbage disposals
• Produces free, high-quality soil amendment
• Requires little space, labor, or maintenance
• Produces free worms for fishing
Earthworms in History
• Aristotle described them as the
“intestines of the earth”
• Cleopatra declared earthworms
sacred and established laws to
protect them
• Charles Darwin demonstrated
they improved soil and plant
productivity
Marcel Bouche’s
Categories of Worms
• Epigeic – (e-pi-‘jee-ik) types live at soil surface in
decaying plant or animal residues
• Endogeic – (en-doe-jee-ik) types live underground
and eat soil to extract nutrition from degraded
organic residues
• Anecic – (an-ee-sik) types burrow deep in the soil
but come to the surface at night to forage for freshly
decaying organic matter
Worm Facts
This is a 10-foot Giant Gippsland Worm