Vermiculture

Worms are a key part of most good local food systems. Their main purpose is to convert food waste into compost, which is excellent fertilizer for plants. Vermiculture is the practice of intensively farming worms; these worms then can be scattered around the garden, where they will improve the soil structure and nutrient profile, or they can be fed to small livestock like chickens.

Downstream use of vermicompost. Compost tea being created in a disused stainless steel wine fermentation tank. Before use, the compost tea is aerated to encourage the establishment of a large colony of beneficial bacteria and microflora.

Uses

• Aerating soil
• Making compost and compost tea for fertilizing gardens
• IFWMS: Chicken feed; Fish feed in aquaponics

Complementary use with Black Soldier Flies

Worms and Black Soldier Flies can have complementary uses in an IFWMS. While BSFs are good for putrescent waste, worms may be better for later stages of composting. Both can be used sequentially ("cascading" use). The waste left over from BSFs is not yet finished compost but is a fine input for a vermicomposting system.

DIY wormeries

• Multi-layer vermiculture bin
• 5 dollar, 1/2 hour Worm Composting Bin(s)
• It's a Vermiculture World
• The Worm-A-Rater
• Worm bin bag for indoor vermicomposting and easy separation of worms from compost
• Worm Cafe - Compost with earthworms right in your garden

Supplies For Home and School Projects

• Vermicomposting Supplies

Links

• Wikipedia on Vermicomposting
• cityfarmer.org page on worm composting
• NC University-Directory of Vermiculture Resources
• Australia's New South Wales Goverment: "Best Practice Guideline to Managing On-site Vermiculture Technologies"
• Manual of on-farm vermicomposting and vermiculture

Category:Soil and compost Category:Food and Agriculture