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11. PRACTICAL IMPLEMENTATION ON SMALL FARMS

In this section, bed and pit methods for vermicomposting production on small-scale farms are

presented step by step.

11.1. Bed/Pile method

Composting is done on the pucca / kachcha floor by making a bed (dimension: 6 x 2 x 2 feet)
of organic mixture. This method is easy to maintain and to practice.

Procedure:

➢ Processing involves collection of wastes, shredding, mechanical separation of the metal,

glass and ceramics and storage of organic wastes.

➢ Pre-digestion of organic waste for twenty days by heaping or dumping the material
along with cattle dung slurry. This process partially digests the material and fit for

earthworm consumption.
➢ Preparation of earthworm bed. A concrete base is required to put the waste for

vermicompost preparation. Loose soil will allow the worms to go into the soil and also
while watering; all the dissolvable nutrients go into the soil along with water.

➢ A layer of 15-20 cm of chopped dried leaves/grasses should be kept as bedding material

at the bottom of the bed.
➢ Beds of partially decomposed material of size 6x2x2 feet should be made. Each bed

should contain 1.5-2.0 q of raw material and the number of beds can be increased as per
raw material availability and requirement.

➢ Red earthworm (15-20 worms per kg of bed material) should be released in the upper

layer of the bed.
➢ Water should be sprinkled with can immediately after the release of worms.

➢ Beds should be kept moist by sprinkling of water (daily) and by covering with gunny
bags/polythene.

➢ Bed should be turned once after 30 days for maintaining aeration and for proper

decomposition.
➢ Compost gets ready in 75-90 days.

➢ The weight of the finished product is about 75% of the raw materials used [9].

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