The drum or
bucket should be placed on supports a little above the ground. A hole
should be made at the bottom of the container. A pipe should be pushed
through the hole and a tap attached to the outer end.
The bottom of the drum should be covered with a layer of gravel (about
6-8 inches). Over it, a layer of sand (6-8 inches), and then a layer of
soil (6-8 inches) should be spread. The earthworms should then be
introduced and the soil moistened a little. Then a little bit of
cowdung and hay should be mixed together and scattered over it. This
should be left for a few days.
Whenever vermiwash is needed, water should be sprinkled with a shower
or, gradually poured on top of it (5 litres of water for a 150 litres
drum). The water will pass through the earthworm burrows and the
organically rich soil will become liquid manure and can be collected at
the bottom of the container. As the hay and cowdung is eaten up by the
earthworms, this should gradually be replaced.
Conclusion
In nature, litter is decomposed in a way similar to what happens in a
vermicompost pit. Litter (consisting of leaf material, twigs, bark,
dead wood, flowers, fruits and other plant and animal material) that
falls on the ground is constantly moistened by dew or rain.
Decomposition then sets in with the help of microbes, fungi and
microarthropods.
Pages:
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93