The vermicompost at Sarvathmika’s unit is prepared using only 100% native cow dung. The cow dung is introduced to Eisenia fetida earthworms in a clean, protected and covered shed. The beds are maintained with 50-60% moisture content and at a temperature of 20 – 30 C by sprinkling water over the beds and covering them with rice straw.
The earthworms being voracious eaters consume the biodegradable matter and what is excreted is a part of vermi-castings. The vermicompost contains worm waste, worm eggs and a plethora of nutrients which acts as a rich manure for the plants.
Vermicompost
Vermicompost is abundant in macro, micronutrients coupled with microorganisms. Application of vermicompost to the soil helps in
- improving the soil texture and quality,
- improves aeration thus promoting root growth.
- improves water retention of the soil
- improves the biological, physical and chemical properties of the soil.
The nutrients and minerals in vermicompost is readily available for the plant to uptake unlike in FYM or cow dung manure which takes couple of months to decompose and make itself available in a form which can be absorbed by the plants.
Vermicompost can be used for all horticultural and agricultural crops, plants and trees. The dosage of vermicompost varies and is dependant of factors like type of soil and its current nutritive state, type of crop and stage of crop.
For various plantation and fruit trees like Mango, Guava, Coconut, Banana etc, 10kg / tree every 6months has shown good results.
For Vegetable crops, the dosage is usually split into 2 phases – post first weeding and during flowering has been observed to be beneficial. Vermicompost should be broadcast at approx. 500 kgs / acre to 1 tonne/ acre depending on the above factors mentioned.
For Terrace / home gardeners, the dosage is usually a handful in each grow bag is sufficient to promote growth and improve yields. Vermicompost is an essential component in Sarvathmika’s potting mix and contributes to around 30-40% of the mix for improved aeration, soil texture and it’s richness in nutrient content.
