Composting and vermicomposting

Composting and vermicomposting are techniques by which organic waste is broken down into one of the best plant foods on the planet.

This process involves a large number of microorganisms, the occasional invertebrate, and a legion of fungi that, given the right conditions, transform any organic waste generated in the kitchen or a small garden.

Vermicompost is a type of composting that only involves the Eisenia fetida worm, a spectacular laboratory hybrid capable of devouring a large amount of organic waste and converting it into vermicompost. This type of compost is nothing more than worm castings, a spectacular organic fertilizer that should not be missing from any outdoor or indoor crop due to its extraordinary qualities.

With this article, you can learn how to make them simply and at a cost of €0 or very little. First, you must choose which option best suits your possibilities. Compost is a suitable choice if you have space and time, while in smaller spaces, vermicompost is a good alternative.

If you decide on a compost bin, in this case, I will explain how to make one with pallets, but it can be made with other materials such as cement, metal, etc. Any old crate can serve to set up an experiment.

It should be placed in a spot where the temperature is as stable as possible and sheltered, so that it does not get direct sun in summer and does not get hit by all the winter rain. If possible, it should be placed directly on the ground to facilitate access for the little critters that will be in charge of decomposition. You must mark out a surface area of one square meter with pallets, placing them as walls.

You can make one or more additional crates in case the organic matter mixture becomes compacted and you need to turn it into another crate, or simply to start other piles. It is convenient for the type of construction to help you move around easily. For example, installing movable walls and a lid will facilitate access and the removal of organic matter.

Once the cubicles are assembled, it is time to start filling them with organic matter. You can use pruning remains and garden weeds, vegetable organic waste from the kitchen, eggshells, and even untreated paper and cardboard, but you must NEVER use non-organic materials, paper with ink or treated, pruning material with pesticide and fertilizer residues, medicines, or carnivore animal feces.

First, you must place a layer of about 15 cm of medium-thick branches, which will allow air to enter from below for the oxygenation of the mixture. Continue filling it with a mixture of green and dry material, which provides the ideal conditions of humidity, texture, and nutrients (providing nitrogen and carbon), with a ratio of two parts green to one part dry, making sure to mix it all very well.

From now on, you just have to maintain optimal conditions of oxygenation and humidity.

In case the mixture becomes too compacted and starts to give off a bad smell, it possibly has excess humidity. In such a case, you should turn and aerate the mixture into the next crate. If, on the other hand, the mixture dries out too much, it will be enough to water it a little to prevent the process from stopping. If everything has gone well, the mixture will begin to transform, going through several stages.

At these temperatures, the ground is sterilized of larvae and undesirable seeds. In this second stage, you can see how the pile decreases, and you will be able to incorporate new remains while respecting the green-to-dry ratio. Over time, the temperature drops and the mixture will be decomposed into rich compost thanks to the action of worms, woodlice, and other invertebrates, with the exception of the thicker woody remains.

The organic matter will be completely decomposed when it has a dark brown, almost black color and smells like wet forest. The entire process lasts between 5 and 6 months; the transformation is slow, and it is necessary to be careful to maintain good humidity conditions to prevent the mixture from compacting, rotting, or drying out, thus paralyzing the process; although in the end, you will have in your hands the best food you can give your plants.

Compost has very good qualities, among which the following are worth noting:

• It adds organic matter to the soil.
• It helps the development of healthy and strong root structures.
• It loosens clay soils, improving drainage.
• It adds density to sandy soils, improving moisture retention.
• It attracts and feeds earthworms.
• It improves the pH (acidity/alkalinity) of the soil.
• It reduces the water demand of plants and trees.
• It helps control erosion.
• It reduces plant stress during periods of drought or frost.
• It improves the mineral and vitamin content of food grown in compost-rich soils.
• Applied generously to the soil, it can completely replace petrochemical fertilizers.

If you prefer to try a vermicompost bin instead, you should know that vermicompost or worm castings are classified as one of the best fertilizers that exist. In this case, the decomposition process takes place inside the stomach of the Eisenia fetida worm, a Californian hybrid… heh… that manages to return 70% of the ingested food as rich humus.

It is capable of withstanding extreme temperatures from 3 to 35°C, although its optimal temperature is 20°C. It reproduces quickly, as it lays an egg every week with up to 20 little worms inside, which begin to decompose from the very moment they are born and can live up to 16 years! Anyway, quite a luxury.
Getting good vermicompost or worm castings is relatively easier than obtaining compost, and the size of the vermicompost bin can be much smaller.

At GB, you can find an affordable vermicompost bin with perfect dimensions to put on any small terrace or room, as the process is completely odorless. The vermicompost bin is a system of stacked trays. The bottom tray collects the leachate or “black gold,” which will also serve as fertilizer and can be removed with a built-in tap, and the rest of the trays have small holes through which our guests move from one tray to another without any problem.

In the tray immediately above the bottom one, a bed is placed with the worms, and organic matter remains produced in the kitchen that are not cooked are added. It is discouraged to add remains of meat, fish, or oil, as it favors the rotting of the mixture. At this point, the worms will begin to do their work. Once the first tray is filled, you can place the next one and start filling it with organic remains. When the worms run out of food, they will begin to climb to the top tray in search of food, leaving the bottom tray free for the collection of perfect, impurity-free humus.

In addition to the humus, you get one to two liters of black gold per month, so you will have a large amount of fertilizer available for free for all the family’s plants, and you will only have to recycle.

Some of the benefits of applying vermicompost to your crop are:

• It favors the formation of mycorrhizae
• It increases the resistance of plants to pests and pathogens
• It inhibits the development of bacteria and fungi that affect plants
• Its neutral pH makes it extremely reliable for use with delicate plants
• Due to its neutral pH and other favorable qualities, it contributes to the maintenance, development, and diversification of the soil’s microflora and microfauna
• It favors root absorption
• It regulates the increase and activity of soil nitrites
• It facilitates the absorption of nutrients by the plant. The microbial action of worm castings makes minerals such as phosphorus, calcium, potassium, magnesium, and trace elements assimilable for plants.
• It provides and increases the availability of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, and boron, releases them gradually, and intervenes in the physical fertility of the soil because it increases the active surface area.
• It increases soil porosity, increasing aeration.
• It prevents and combats iron chlorosis.
• Due to its high content of humic and fulvic acids, it improves the chemical characteristics of the soil.
• It increases resistance to frost.

As you can see, it is quite easy to make your own 100% natural and balanced fertilizer. The biggest disadvantage of composting for us urban stoners is space, as you will need a minimum surface area of one square meter and room to turn it if the need arises… which is very likely. If you make a mistake with the compost bin, it will probably rot and give off a bad smell, whereas the vermicompost bin will never smell bad.

In any case, I encourage you to try composting with worms in small spaces; you will be impressed by the efficiency and the little work these ladies cause us, and the great benefit they produce for us. By adding this humus to your crop, you will see that you are not the only one who gets happy!

If you decide to try it and have any questions, you know that with us you will always have personalized help. For queries on the subject, write a message and we will gladly answer it. Good luck and happy growing.