VERMICOMPOSTING
Paul H. de Neui, Instructor
Definition of Terms
Vermiculture
Vermicomposting
Worm castings
The production of
earthworms
Composting done by
earthworms
The end product of
vermicomposting
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Introducing the Main Characters:
Gustaf A. Eisen
1847-1940
Eisenia fetida or Red Wigglers
• Genus Eisenia named for Swedish naturalist
• Specie name fetida (foul-smelling) comes from
pungent liquid exuded when handled roughly
• More commonly known as Red Wigglers
• Recognizable by yellow stripes between segments
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Fascinating Facts about Red Wigglers
Epigeic
Hermaphrodites
They naturally feed on
leaf litter on the surface
Have both sexes but
need another to mate
No Lungs
They breathe through
their skin
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Even More Fascinating Facts about Red Wigglers
Hearts
Headless Wonders
Earthworms have 5 hearts
Blind sight
No eyes but above the head
worms have light sensitive tissue
DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME
If you cut off a worm’s head
it will grow a new tail if it has
the clitellum and at least 10
more segments. Severed tails
will not grow new heads.
Earthworm nervous tissue
http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/primer/techniques
/dic/dicgallery/earthwormnervessmall.html
Source: http://www.sas.upenn.edu/~rlenet/Summer2006.html
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Common Questions about Red Wigglers
How Much Can They Eat? How do they Eat?
Red wigglers average
eating one half of their
body weight per day
No teeth but strong mouth
muscles. They need grit in
their gizzards to help digest
What do they Eat?
They actually like to eat the tiny
bacteria and mold growing on the
surface of the food source
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Red Wiggler Life Stages
Red wigglers are mature when they develop their
clitellum where the sex organs are located. When fully
developed the clitellum segment turns orange in color.
Full maturity takes between 40 and 60 days.
Red wigglers mate head to tail, secreting a mucus
that connects them. They exchange sperm which
they store and later lay eggs in cocoons.
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Red Wiggler Life Stages
Red wigglers lay small lemon shaped cocoons which
start off pale yellow and then turn a dark brown
when the baby worms are ready to hatch (three
weeks to five months depending on conditions).
Each cocoon houses between 2 to 7 baby worms.
Mom/Dad and Dad/Mom wiggler do not care for
their young. As soon as baby worms hatch they
start eating. They darken in color as they mature
starting out nearly clear and maturing to deep
burgundy red with yellow stripes.
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Under ideal conditions red wrigglers
live about five to six years
Source: http://www.worm-farming.com/worm-life-cycle.html
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And the best part of all is what
comes out in the end: the castings!
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Benefits of
Vermicomposting
1. Recycles waste in an environmentallyfriendly way
2. Keeps more garbage out of landfills
3. A sustainable way to produce low-cost
nutritionally-valuable organic fertilizer
4. Very little time or labor is required
5. Can be done year ‘round in Chicago
6. It can be done indoors odorlessly!
7. Can be done by all ages who will dig in
8. Income generation through sale of
worms and vermicompost or both!
9. Materials available to everyone
10.The system is easily reproducible by
others once you learn how to do it
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Chemical Comparison Between
Vermicompost and Soil
Source: http://ncwormfarm.com/blog/?p=23
• Vermicompost has between 5 and 11 times the
Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K) of regular
soil – essentials for plant growth
• Vermicompost also adds humic acid to soil that helps
bind minerals and nutrients to soil and protect soil from
UV degradation
• Chemical fertilizers will increase plant growth and
production quickly but will not build up the soil
• Studies show best plant growth in a soil mix with
10 to 40% vermicompost content
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Comparison Between Normal
Compost and Vermicompost
• Heat of regular compost kills many
beneficial microbes
• Vermicompost is aerobic thus may
have up to 1000 times the microbial
activity of normal compost
• Increased microbial activity in the soil
means better disease resistance
• Vermicompost can be generated in
1/3 the time of regular compost
• Trench composting is a good outdoor
compromise
Source: http://ncwormfarm.com/blog/?p=23
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Benefits of Vermicompost:
It Feeds the Soil while it Feeds the Plants
Chemicals fertilizers
actually destroy most
life forms in the soil
Source: http://moonco.wordpress.com/
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How can I use vermicompost?
1. Add it to your potted plants as top dressing – mix in top layer
2.Make your own potting soil or seedling starter mix
(1 part peat,1 part perlite and 1 part vermicompost)
3. Strain it in water and make compost tea to use on all your plants
5-6 tablespoons per
gallon of water
Source: http://www.finegardening.com/how-to/articles/brewing-compost-tea.aspx
4. Add it to your raised planting beds or in your garden
5.Share it with other gardening friends
6. Experiment with other uses and have fun!
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Uninvited Guests
Fungus Gnats and Fruit Flies
Phorid Flies
Humpbacked Flies
Fungas Gnats and Fruit flies are attracted to apple cider vinegar traps
See these sites for ways to deal with fruit flies and fungus gnats:
http://www.naturesfootprint.com/community/articles/fruit-flies-preventioncontrol-worm-bin.
http://www.smallfootprintfamily.com/how-to-get-rid-of-fruit-flies-naturally
Phorid flies attracted to honey water traps
More information about Phorid flies at:
http://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/phorid-flies.htm
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Sources
Commonly asked Questions
http://www.eulesstx.gov/composting/vc_questions.htm
Nutrient analysis of earthworm castings.
http://www.vermiculture.ca/transform/worm_castings.htm
Agrowinn Fertilizers. Wormcast guaranteed analysis
http://www.fertilizeronline.com/wormcast.php
Earthworms
http://www.sas.upenn.edu/~rlenet/Summer2006.html
NC Worm News “The Benefits of Vermicompost
http://ncwormfarm.com/blog/?p=23
Red Wigglers
http://urbanwormwonders.com/red-wiggler-worms.html
Ingram, Bob. “Worms Species and Categories.”
http://mypeoplepc.com/members/arbra/bbb/id17.html
“We Love Worms.”
http://www.biologyjunction.com/earthworm%20facts.htm
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