-Compost pit of any convenient dimension can be dug in the backyard or garden.
The most convenient pit of easily manageable size is 2m x 1m x 0.75m. or - A tank may be constructed with brick and mortar with proper water outlets, or - A plastic crate (600 mm x 300 mm x 300 mm) with holes drilled at the bottom or - Empty wooden crates (deal wood boxes/apple cases) or -Well rings made of cement or clay of 750 mm diameter and 300 to 450 mm height. - A 25-litre bucket with holes at the bottom may also be used - The composting unit must be in an area which has shade.
PROCEDURE
Vermitech is carried out by placing
• a basal layer of broken bricks or pebbles mixed with sand to a thickness of at least 6 to 7.5 cms to ensure proper drainage.
• This forms the vermibed
• This is followed by a layer of soil to a height of not less than 15 cms after being moistened.
• About 100 earthworms may be introduced into a compost pit of about 2m x 1m x 0.75m, with a vermibed of about 15 to 20 cm thick.
• The vermibed should always be kept moist, but should never be flooded.
• Small lumps of fresh cattle dung are then placed at random over the vermibed.
• The compost pit is then layered to about 50 mm with dry leaves or preferably chopped hay/straw.
• The next 30 days the pit is kept moist by watering it whenever necessary.
• The bed should neither be dry nor soggy.
• The pit may then be covered with coconut or Palmyra leaves or an old jute (gunny) bag to discourage birds.
• Plastic sheets on the bed are to be avoided as they trap heat.
Kitchen wastes - Peel, rind and unused pulp of fruits and vegetables. • After the first 30 days, wet organic waste of animal and/or plant origin from the kitchen is spread over it to a thickness of about 50 mm. • This can be repeated twice a week. • All these organic wastes can be turned over or mixed periodically with a pickaxe or a spade. • Care should be taken not to disturb the vermibed in which the worms live. • Keep adding garbage till the compost pit is nearly full. • Continue to keep the pit moist for another 30 to 45 days, turning over the material in the pit with care avoiding injury to the worms. • Turning over can be done on every fifth or seventh day with the help of a forked spade. • Regular watering should be done to keep the right amount of moisture in the pits. • In 60 to 90 days the compost should be ready as indicated by the presence of earthworm castings (vermicompost) on the top of the bed. • The compost should be turned occasionally since this allows for aeration • Vermicompost which is granular , brownish black in colour can now be harvested from the bin/pit. • The material should be placed in a heap in the sun so that most of the worms move down to the cool base of the heap. • The compost is then sieved before being packed. . The earthworms and the thicker material, which remains on top of the sieve, goes back in the bin and the process starts again.
-Foliar Sprays are a part of plant growing practices. -Worm worked soils have burrows formed by the earthworms. -Bacteria richly inhabit these burrows, also called as the drilospheres. -Water passing through these passages washes the nutrients from these burrows and forms the vermiwash. -Vermiwash is a very good foliar spray.
- Vermiwash units can be set up either in barrels or in buckets or even in small earthen pots. - The procedure explained here is for setting up of a 250 litre barrel. -An empty barrel with one side open is taken. -On the other side, a hole is made to accommodate the vertical limb of a 'T' jointed tube in a way that about half to one inch of the tube projects into the barrel. - To one end of the horizontal limb is attached a tap. The other end is kept closed. -This serves as an emergency opening to clean the 'T' jointed tube if it gets clogged. - The entire unit is set up on a short pedestal made of few bricks to facilitate easy collection of vermiwash. - Keeping the tap open, a 25 cm layer of broken bricks or pebbles is placed.
- A 25 cm layer of coarse sand then follows the layer of bricks.
-Water is then made to flow through these layers to enable the setting up of the basic filter unit.
- On top of this layer is placed a 30 to 45 cm layer of loamy soil.
- It is moistened and into this are introduced about 50 numbers of earthworms.
- Cattle dung pats and hay is placed on top of the soil layer and gently moistened.
- The tap is kept open for the next 15 days.
- Water is added every day to keep the unit moist.
- On the 16th day, the tap is closed and on top of the unit a metal container perforated at the base as a sprinkler is suspended.
- 5 litres of water (the volume of water taken in this container is one fiftieth of the size of the main container) is poured into this container and allowed to gradually sprinkle on the barrel overnight.
-This water percolates through the compost, the burrows of the earthworms and gets collected at the base.
-The tap of the unit is opened the next day morning and the vermiwash is collected. -The tap is then closed and the suspended pot is refilled with 5 litres of water that evening to be collected again the following morning. ---Dung pats and hay may be replaced periodically based on need.
- The entire set up may be emptied and reset between 10 and 12 months of use. -Vermiwash is diluted with water (10%) before spraying. This has been found to be an excellent foliar spray.
TO BUY EARTHWORMS & BIOPESTICIDES YOU MAY CONTACT :
I guess the picture says it all. It is the garbage dump adjoining Sunrise Avenue. All that we throw out find their way to this dump. The residents of that road have to bear the agony of not only inhaling the stench but also the smoke of plastic and rubbish burning.
Dont you think we should put our hands together to atleast lessen the garbage we throw out?
Its just plastic, plastic all the way. How about reducing the use of plastic bags. ?
Carry your own shopping bag or a jute bag when you go shopping. Insist on the shop-keeper to pack things in paper bags.
There was a time when provisions and vegetables were packed in old newspapers. Oh for those times!
As mentioned earlier Remember your backyard is somebody else’s front side.
If everyone one of us keeps our own front and backyard clean half the battle is won.
Then there is the issue of garden waste. We insist on composting garden waste. All garden waste can be turned into compost . This blogsite will give you from time to time the various methods of composting Please look up the site which shall be uploaded every month.
This month we give you all the inputs regarding the compost drum called the Parivartan drum. Many of the members are using it an finding it so useful. The composted material is so good and it is from your own garden.
You can get in touch with me for the drum. You can also get in touch with me on any issue regarding waste management.
To keep the system alive and going we need co-operation from every single member/resident.
The first few steps we take shall lead to a clean green environment .
RANI ANANTH
PS: Any suggestions welcome . If you know of more techniques to reduce plastic do e-mail to us and we shall put it on the blog
