Super fertilizer from a prospector

Many years ago, humans began farming. As the population grew, their needs increased. To survive, humans mercilessly extracted the fertile soil, depleting it to the point of exhaustion.

Over time, humanity realized that such carelessness would lead to environmental disaster. People began to treat nature more carefully and study it. They concluded that the fertility of the soil must be maintained and invented an excellent method for this purpose.

Why do gardeners breed worms?

With the advancement of biology and soil science, it has become clear that the secret to soil fertility lies in the activity of beneficial microorganisms and protozoa. The common earthworm belongs to the protozoan order. It has many varieties, each of which makes an invaluable contribution to the formation of humus. This substrate is the product of the activity of beneficial bacteria and worms. Mixing with the soil, it enriches it, imparts a pleasant aroma, and saturates it with nutrients. These nutrients are essential for the proper nutrition, growth, and development of fruit, vegetable, berry, and plant crops.

Biohumus and vermicay: their benefits for plants

Biohumus Also called vermicompost (from the Latin vermiculus, meaning "worm"), it is the result of recycling organic compounds. These include:

• fallen leaves;
• bird droppings;
• manure;
• sawdust and straw;
• plant tops.

Vermicompost and manure are not the same thing. Unlike manure, vermicompost is free of harmful microbes. "Healthy" humus has no foul odor, and it requires minimal substrate to enrich the soil. This practice improves the health of the soil, disinfects it, improves the flavor of vegetables and fruits, and strengthens the immune system of all garden and vegetable crops.

With regular use of vermicompost, seedlings will accelerate growth, and the soil structure will improve significantly. Plants will become more resilient to harsh climates and weather conditions, such as sudden temperature fluctuations. Humus is ideal if your favorite flowers have stopped blooming and are only producing greenery. It also improves the quality of fruit in garden trees.

Vermicompost can be used to produce a highly concentrated extract called vermicea. It's enriched with alkalis and beneficial microorganisms, stimulating photosynthesis and foliar growth. It helps plants thrive in the soil, and harvested fruit can be stored for much longer. It also contains amino acids, enzymes, vitamins, and natural growth hormones. It's called "tea" because it appears as a liquid concentrate, similar in color to tea.

To obtain vermicelli, the compost is thoroughly washed once every seven days. If the composter is large, the humus layer will be thicker, meaning the tea will be rich and high-quality. Store-bought vermicelli is sold in tightly sealed containers. It's easy to use: cultivate the soil and plants on top.

Methods of breeding worms

There are several methods for breeding worms. The most commonly used are:

• purchased vermicomposters;
• "worm bin" made with your own hands;
• a regular compost pit in the garden or vegetable garden.

Purchased vermicomposters

A worm composter is easy to make, and you can build it yourself. A "worm bin" isn't just a box you periodically add food to your worms. It has certain design features, such as spigots and ventilation. While it's easy for an experienced gardener to set up, a store-bought version is better for an inexperienced gardener.

There are several popular models:

• Worm Cafe is a rectangular box (57x39);
• Can-o-Worms is an original, round model, 51 cm in diameter;
• Worm Factory is a proportional square box 40x40.

Making a vermicomposter yourself

If you decide to build your own worm house, you'll need to purchase plastic boxes like those used for storing meat products. You'll need to start with a work tray—this is where the worms will live. Carefully poke holes in the work tray. There should be plenty of them, as their purpose is to allow for drainage and free air circulation. It's best to space the holes evenly. To do this, prepare a 25-millimeter-thick strip. Mark the strip with 25-millimeter marks. Place the strip against the bottom of the box, and mark the locations of the holes.

The holes are made using a 5-6 mm drill.

The bottom drawer, located under the "living" tray, is used for collecting vermicelli. It differs from the "working area" in that it has only one hole. A faucet should be inserted into it to drain the liquid. A ball valve is typically used, and a teroplast gasket and a durable steel washer serve as seals. The location for the hole is marked with a pencil or marker and carefully drilled.

Now all that's left is to make a sturdy stand for the trays. It's best to use furniture boards and shovel handles (for legs). Cut the board in half, draw a semicircle on it, and round the corners. If you don't have a compass handy, you can always find a plate or a saucepan lid in the kitchen.

The legs are cut with a miter box to form uprights. Each upright is 25 cm high. A hole for the trunnion screws needs to be drilled in their centers. Now assemble the stand, having first marked the locations where the legs should be attached. A hole is also drilled at the bottom of the stand. Since trunnion screws vary, the diameter of each hole may vary. The dimensions should be verified beforehand.

The ventilation system is simple: leave one unsealed area on each side of the house, and seal the rest. This is necessary to maintain the soil's moisture content.

Open holes are protected with insect mesh. Before installing it, the surface of the "wormhole" is treated with a hedgehog mesh. This will ensure a secure fit. It's best to use Moment glue for fixing it, and the tape used to seal the holes should be strong.

Breeding worms in a compost pit

To breed worms in a compost pit, place a box in the ground or dig a hole. Line the sides of the pit with wood. The pit should be 80-130 cm deep and 100 x 100 cm wide. Compact the bottom, and line the walls with thick roofing felt or other material to prevent the worms from quickly dispersing. Compost should be prepared in advance. Once the pit is ready, pour it in. Don't compact it, as the worms need room to move. Before releasing the entire "worm family" into the pit, place a few individuals on top and observe how they respond to their new habitat. If all goes well, add the rest.

The following are ideal for compost:

• potato tops;
• peels from carrots, beets and zucchini;
• rotted cow dung;
• overripe fruits and vegetables.

Peels, citrus zest and animal protein should not be given to worms.

The first compost layer should be 10 to 15 cm thick. This way, the pets will create the area they desire. Over time, they will process the compost. Monitor this process and add new portions promptly. The thickness of each subsequent compost layer should be 5 to 10 cm.

Types of worms suitable for breeding

There are several types of worms that gardeners have been successfully breeding for many years.

The "classic" earthworm

Earthworms are familiar to us from childhood. They are invertebrates with a smooth, slippery body. Their bodies are divided into ring-shaped segments. Their abdomen is flat, their back is convex, and their color is dark. They live for three to four years and lack sensory organs, but their sensitive nervous system allows them to perceive all external stimuli with sensitivity.

California Red

A subtype of earthworm, the Californian worm begins reproducing at three months and is very prolific. With proper care, each Californian worm can produce 500 to 1,500 offspring per year. This worm can be considered long-lived: it can live up to 16 years, but is completely devoid of any self-preservation instinct. When cold weather sets in, it cannot crawl deep into the earth.

Worm Prospector

It was developed by breeders in the 1980s. The first Staratel worm's parents were southern and northern dung worms. Unlike the Californian variety, it has a well-developed survival instinct. When cold weather sets in, it quickly crawls deep into the soil and remains safe there. Staratel is many times more productive than earthworms. It is characterized by its unpretentiousness, frost resistance, and "phlegmatic nature." Staratel can remain quietly in the soil for hours without attempting to crawl away. It lives as long as the Californian worm: up to 16 years.

Humidity and temperature

The temperature in the vermicompost container or compost bin should not exceed 35°C (95°F). Fresh manure should not be used for composting, as it will quickly kill the worms if heated. Well-rotted cow manure is ideal. Humidity should be maintained between 65-80%. It's best to breed worms in the shade, as they do not tolerate bright sunlight well.

Feeding times for pets

There's no need to feed the worms frequently. Feeding them once every seven days is sufficient to ensure they thrive. Food scraps are ground up and left on the soil surface. You can create a thick layer of food—up to 10 cm.

What to feed your vermicompost container to keep it odor-free

Sometimes an unpleasant odor appears in the worm container. This is often caused by improper feeding. Avoid feeding them fish or meat scraps frequently, or giving them foods high in salt. Some owners make the mistake of giving worms pickled tomatoes and cucumbers. It's better to stick to a fruit and vegetable "diet." You can occasionally add tea leaves and coffee grounds to the food. You can also include eggshells, a little flour, leaves and fresh grass.

How to get rid of gnats in a vermicompost container

Fruit flies are frequent visitors to home vermicompost containers. They feed on fruit scraps and reproduce in large numbers. If a cloud of flies emerges when you open the container, it's likely that too much fruit peelings have accumulated in the container. It's recommended to change the food more frequently and promptly remove any scraps the flies haven't been able to digest. An effective method is to use a regular vacuum cleaner. When the owner opens the container, the flies fly out. At this point, turn on the vacuum cleaner and suck up the horde of insects. This is an effective way to control flies and help reduce their numbers.

Experienced gardeners who regularly breed worms recommend using rock dust. This is a byproduct of processing large stones. It is added to the container twice a year. One glass is enough for effective results. Rock dust not only provides the soil with nutrients but also creates unfavorable conditions for fruit flies to thrive.

Vermicelli harvesting times

Vermicelli needs to be drained regularly through the vent. It should be drained at least once every seven days. Before use, the concentrated liquid is diluted with water. The tea is ready to use when it takes on a slightly saturated yellowish hue. Store it in tightly sealed containers.

Collection and storage of vermicompost

Once the worms have completely processed the soil, they should be removed from the substrate, and the vermicompost collected for further use and storage. Before this procedure, the worms should not be fed for several days. After this, a small amount of food is added to a limited area. This way, the worms can be concentrated in one spot. The food layer should be 3 to 5 cm thick. After 2-3 days, the layer containing the worms should be removed. This process is repeated three times, once a week, to ensure that no worms are missed.

Vermicompost appears as a pliable black mass. It should be scooped up with a shovel, dried, sifted, and packaged. Humus should be stored at temperatures between -20°C and +30°C. Its shelf life is two years. High-quality vermicompost has a uniform consistency, a dark brown color, and is completely odorless.

Worm farming is an interesting and educational process, and using the products they produce will ensure soil fertility and a bountiful harvest every year.