Mini+Guide

by Koroxid =** Introduction ** =
 * Vermi-compost mini-guide **

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= I – The six essentials = include component="page" page="Fundamentals" editable="1" wrap="1"

=**7. [|Supplies for Vermicomposting for school and home].**=

= III – Feed the worms = include component="page" page="Feeding the worms" editable="1" wrap="1"

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=** IV – Getting and using tea and compost ** =

Compost tea In the lower tray, the liquid flows is called compost tea is a natural liquid fertilizer. This liquid is water that has percolated into the compost, and was full of active nutriments. The top tray must be removed to get the tea in the bottom tray. Compost Compost is a bit more difficult to collect[2]. First, make sure it is mature, or retrieve the most mature part. Then, to get the worms to restart the bin, compost and the worms inside must be separated. Once harvested, the compost can be stored for about a year before starting loosing its active properties. Mature compost is black, mossy and with small balls. It may look like a chocolate mousse or very dark earth. To separate the worms, just spread a layer of compost to the bottom of a plastic bag and retrieve the surface while the worms will go deeper. Worms too small to be detected can remain in the compost, and continue to enrich it where it will be used. The following illustration explains the procedure:

Use compost and tea The compost must be spread in layers of 1 cm on the ground to enrich. The passage of nutrients will be gradual when watering. To prevent it dry, this layer can be covered with soil. Compost can also be directly mixed with compost (10% mixed), and used for new plants. Compost tea must be diluted in 10x volume of water and poured in plants. IV: Maintaining a compost bin and worms In this section we will only mention the levels compost bin model, probably the most appropriate for domestic or small scale composting, but many other models exist. The bin The compost is a levels model. In this model (see above left), when a level is full, another level can be added, and the worms migrate to fresh food. It currently consists of two stacked tanks (see above right), but may be extended by similar containers (see above center). The lower tray (4), used to recover the liquid compost tea, is covered with a plastic bag to improve its seal. The top and center trays (2) serves to house the worms and compost waste. They have holes at the bottom, allowing the liquid to flow. At the sides holes are pierced for air and covered with a cloth to prevent insects from entering. Covering the bottom container, a plastic bag with holes (3) prevents worms from falling into the liquid. The top level of the bin is closed with a cover. When the top tray is full, a new floor can be added (see above center). Just find the same size of polystyrene box (10kg) for the upper floor: Drill the bottom holes of 0.5 cm every few inches, drill vents on the side and close them with cloth. Then you can stack the new floor and put fresh food inside. Regular maintenance The regular bin maintenance is to monitor the content, e.g. weekly, and correct the system if it is going wrong. Open the bin and prospect the contents to identify: § Presence of Compost tea. § Smell, compost color and moist level in the bin § Living populations and their global spatial distribution, proportion and evolution o Adult worms and if they try to escape the bin o Babies and young worms, signs of well being o Microorganisms, e.g. Mold, Acarids, Collembola, Flyes (see nextsection). Young worms are the best indicator of the good quality of the content of the bin. If everything goes well, they can be found everywhere. Young worms or cocoons resemble to white threads or brown balls of few millimeters. When things go wrong, the worms stop reproducing, and if it's going very bad, they will try to massively leave the bin, for example by taking refuge in the lower tray. Un bébé vers sort du cocon[3] Following table summerize the problems that can be found and theit solutions. **(1) Oxygen low** · Insufficient Air · Compost is too compact || · Presence of bad odor · Compost is a brownish color || · Aerate or mix bin content · Add dry carbon food · Stop the wet food || **(2) Temperature**  · Temperature too high or too low ||  · Micro-activity is much increased or reduced (e.g Acarid, Mold) ||  · Move the bin to a cooler or warmer place || **(3a) Moist high**  · Moisture too high ||  · Significant increase of Collembola population  · Lack of air symptoms, same as (1) ||  · Add dry carbon food  · Stop the wet food  · Aerate or spread bin content ||  · Insufficient Moisture ||  · No or little compost tea produced  · Compost dries out  · Presence of ants ||  · Pour water <span style="margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 7.1pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-indent: -7.1pt;"> · Add wet nitrogen food <span style="margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 7.1pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-indent: -7.1pt;"> · Stop the dry food || **(4a) PH high** <span style="margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 7.1pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-indent: -7.1pt;"> · Too high or basic pH || <span style="margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 7.1pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-indent: -7.1pt;"> · Ammoniac smell <span style="margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 7.1pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-indent: -7.1pt;"> · Worms avoid areas (e.g. around ash pile) || <span style="margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 7.1pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-indent: -7.1pt;"> · Add acid food in small quantity || <span style="margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 7.1pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-indent: -7.1pt;"> · Too low or basic pH || <span style="margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 7.1pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-indent: -7.1pt;"> · Worms avoid areas (e.g. around an orange) || <span style="margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 7.1pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-indent: -7.1pt;"> · Add basic pH food in small quantity || **(5) Light** · Too much light || <span style="margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 7.1pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-indent: -7.1pt;"> · Worms doesn’t consume or visit enlighten areas || <span style="margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 7.1pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-indent: -7.1pt;"> · Cover or shade the waste or the bin || **(6a) Food** <span style="margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 7.1pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-indent: -7.1pt;"> · Excessive amount of wet nitrogen food || <span style="margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 7.1pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-indent: -7.1pt;"> · Filament of mold on the surface of the compost || <span style="margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 7.1pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-indent: -7.1pt;"> · Add dry carbon food <span style="margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 7.1pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-indent: -7.1pt;"> · Remove wet food || <span style="margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 7.1pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-indent: -7.1pt;"> · Insufficient Food || <span style="margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 8.75pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-indent: -7.1pt;"> · All waste get consumed <span style="margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 8.75pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-indent: -7.1pt;"> · Worms migrate to the surface <span style="margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 8.75pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-indent: -7.1pt;"> · No Mold || <span style="margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 7.1pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-indent: -7.1pt;"> · Add dry carbon food <span style="margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 7.1pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-indent: -7.1pt;"> · Add wet nitrogen food ||
 * ** Problem ** || ** Symptom ** || ** Solution ** ||
 * **(3b) Moist low**
 * **(4b) PH low**
 * **(6b) Food**

V – Compost bin inhabitants The vermi-compost is a specific ecosystem favorable for many detrivores, beside the worms. Some are necessary or beneficial to composting, such as Acarids and Mold. Others are harmful or just useless. All are annoying when proliferating. Here are the appropriate response to each parasite : <span style="color: black; display: block; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 11pt; text-align: center;">Very low ||  ** Mold **** Filaments ** Overpopulation || Compost is too Wet  || <span style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 15.55pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-indent: -14.15pt;"> · add dry material <span style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 15.55pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-indent: -14.15pt;"> · stop or remove wet food <span style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 15.55pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-indent: -14.15pt;"> · remove mold || ** White or Brown Acarids ** Overpopulation ||^  ||^   ||  ** Collembola ** Overpopulation ||^  ||^   || <span style="margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 15.55pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-indent: -14.15pt;"> · add dry food  || Presence of bread || <span style="margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 15.55pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-indent: -14.15pt;"> · pour water <span style="margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 15.55pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-indent: -14.15pt;"> · add wet food <span style="margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 15.55pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-indent: -14.15pt;"> · remove bread || Presence of potatoes || <span style="margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 15.55pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-indent: -14.15pt;"> · 4 weeks of dry material diet <span style="margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 15.55pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-indent: -14.15pt;"> · Remove fruit <span style="margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 15.55pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-indent: -14.15pt;"> · Fruit Fly “Traps” || Presence of potatoes || <span style="margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 15.55pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-indent: -14.15pt;"> · 4 weeks of dry material diet <span style="margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 15.55pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-indent: -14.15pt;"> · Remove potatoes ||
 * ** Harm-fulness ** ||  ** Microorganism **  ||  ** Problem **  ||  ** Solution **  ||
 * Low ||
 * ^  ||  ** Woodlouse ** Overpopulation   ||  Too many wood  || <span style="margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 15.55pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-indent: -14.15pt;"> · remove wood
 * ^  ||  ** Ants ** Presence   ||  Compost too dry
 * Medium ||  ** Fruit Fly ** Presence   ||  Compost wet
 * ^  ||  ** Fungus Gnat ** Presence   ||  Compost wet

**Beneficial detrivores benefits:** **Mold.** Molds are like bacteria, microorganisms that predigest waste. It is common to see them appear, especially at the start, mold form, in general, white filaments. They do not affect the correct functioning of the vermi-compost and disappear after a few days. Their appearance is often the source of a boost at the start of the vermi-compost. **White and brown Acarids.** They measure less than 2mm. They are necessary but must not proliferate. They thrive when food is too abundant or very wet compost. **Harmless detrivores :** **Collembola.** Near visually white Acarid, can jump. Proliferate when the bin is too wet. **Ants.** Ants may come in the bin when the compost is too dry. They are also attracted by the bread or pasta.

**Harmful detrivores:**

**Fungus Gnat.** Tiny insects with wings that can be found in association with a rich and moist soil. Their larvae feed on decaying organic matter and fine roots of young plants they may damage. Their favorite food is potato peel. **Fruit Fly.** It is distinguished by its brown body, one to two millimeters. They are attracted by fruits, where they lay their eggs and their larvae develop.

**Woodlouse.** Feeding on plants and dead wood. In humid environments, they may attack living plants when exceptionally fragile.

**Avoid, get rid or simply reduce parasites population, several possible techniques:**

**1. Carbon and dryness cure:** give only dry and rich in carbon material, e.g. cardboard, paper, etc., and maintain a low moist level, for at least 4 weeks. **2. Preventing infestation:** you can freeze and defrost food before giving it to the worms, which kill larvae in fruits and vegetables. Keep tightly closed the bin can also restrict access to adult parasites. **3. Avoid food and conditions that attract parasites:** Avoid the potato to fight against gnats, fruit against the fruit fly, humidity with Collombola, Acarids and Molds. Avoid bread and dry compost for ants. **4. Traps and tricks Controls:** You can make traps for fruit flies, with vinegar or juice. **5. Physical Control:** Eliminate physically parasites and infested food. **6. Biological control:** Find the natural predators of pests and place it in the bin. For example, the nematode is an enemy of the Fungus Gnat larvae. **7. Random mix:** Place in the bin of fresh soil and materials that can include natural predators of parasites. **8. Patience:** The contents of the bin and the populations of different organisms may also self-balance themselves after a while. = References =

<span style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: .1pt; text-indent: 36.0pt;">Web
<span style="color: black; line-height: 19pt; margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 18pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0.1pt; text-indent: -18pt;">1. (en) __ Christie, Bentley. X, Mark. "Red worm composting", website: http://www.redwormcomposting.com/ __ <span style="line-height: 19pt; margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 18pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0.1pt; text-indent: -18pt;"> 2. (fr) Wikipedia, [], et [] <span style="line-height: 19pt; margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 18pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0.1pt; text-indent: -18pt;"> 3. Fiche conseil : []

<span style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: .1pt; text-indent: 36.0pt;">Paper
<span style="color: black; line-height: 19pt; margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0.1pt;">2. (en) __ Monroe, Glenn. "Manual of On-Farm Vermicomposting and Vermiculture", Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada. __ 3. (fr) Insitut bruxellois de la gestion de l’environnement. « Guide pratique du vermicompostage » : []

[1] [|http://fr.ekopedia.org/Compost#Le_vermicompostage].

[2] Voir aussi : [] et []

[3] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Idkujx-KjY&NR=1