Know the Importance & Benefits of Vermicompost and Complete Process of Making It

Many of you may have already heard about the term ‘Vermicompost’ or ‘vermiwash’ but may not be aware of its incredible benefits in farming and agriculture. While India has a rich history in organic farming but manipulation of different chemical fertilizers product in our farming has resulted in a very hazardous situation both for human health and Mother Nature. The Green Revolution which is the entry gate for all the chemical product started in our country in 1966-67 to increase higher productivity in agriculture, which has resulted in today's soil health, its quality, and even on human health. Excessive use of chemicals has led to the deterioration in food quality, poisoning of food items, and especially destroying our whole ecosystem.

Now it’s high time to reduce the use of chemical products and go back to organic farming and fertilizers which surprisingly comes with many benefits.  You can maintain the health of soil and humans by using organic products like compost, vermicompost, vermivash etc. in our farming which surprisingly comes with many benefits. 

What is Vermicompost or Vermiwash? 

Vermicompost is a liquid organic fertilizer similar to the colour of honey, which is produced by earthworm during earthworm compost production or even separately. Earthworms eat their food by making a tunnel in the soil. These tunnels contain micro-organisms. The water passing through this tunnel brings down nutrients from it in soluble form and plants absorb it easily. It contains many nutrients, hormones such as cytokinin, oxytocin, vitamins, amino acids, enzymes, useful microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes (nitrogen fixes and phosphates soluble) etc. All the nutrients in it are present in a soluble form which is easily available to the plants. 

How to prepare a Vermicompost unit? 

The vermicompost unit is prepared in a drum, tank or bucket of about 200 litres capacity of clay, iron or plastic. The top of the drum should be open to make vermicompost. After making a hole in the bottom of the tank, put a hose tube which should be submerged inside the tank half an inch. A portion of the tube is attached to the tape and the other side is tightened with a dummy nut. This entire set is placed in a shady position above a proper outpost. 

Things needed for preparing Vermicompost: 

To prepare the vermicompost, you just need Cow Dung, mud, thick sand, earthworm, straw or dry leaf, clay pot, water, bucket, drum, small pieces of brick or ballast etc. 

How to prepare Vermicompost?  

Although there are many methods this one is the easiest one. 

First method: 

1. Take a unit drum, bucket, or tank of earthworm as needed. 
2. Now lay 5-7 cm of brick or stone ballast on the lowest surface of the drum. 
3. Spread 8-10 cm Morang or sand over it. 
4. Now lay 12-15 cm of loam soil over 
5. Now put earthworms in it. Spread a pile of dung 15-20 days old on them, 30-40 cm. Make a thick layer of 5-10 cm thick straw and dry leaves over the cow dung. After making each fold add water and keep the faucet open. Moisten the surface with thick straw and dry leaves with water in the evening for 15-20 days. In this process, keep the spout of the tap open. After 16-20 days, the wormwash will start in the unit. Now hang a pot of mud on this drum. 
6. Make a hole in the bottom of the pitcher and put a cloth light in it, so that the water keeps dripping. 
7. In the evening, fill 4 litres of water in the pitcher. 
8. Each day we will be able to get 3 litres of vermiwash ready. 

How to Use Vermicompost? 

One litre vermicompost should be mixed with 7-10 litres of water and sprayed on leaves in the evening. 

Mix one litre of vermicompost in one-litre cow urine and add 10 litres of water to it and keep it for the entire night by spraying 50-60 litres of vermiches in one-hectare area to stop various diseases in the crops. 

In summer vegetables, foliar spraying is more useful for quick flowering and function, which increases production. 

Never use fresh cow dung to prepare vermivash, because earthworms die. 

Precautions while preparing Vermiwash: 

While making it, you need to be a little bit careful and keep this point in mind. 

1. Vermicompost unit should always be in a shady position so that earthworms can avoid the direct rays of the sun. 
2. Always use clean water. 
3. Use the appropriate species of earthworm. 
4. Place the vermivash unit at the appropriate height or stand, so that it is easy to collect the vermivash. 
5. Protect earthworms from frogs, snakes, birds, ants and lizards. 

Precautions while spraying vermicompost: 

1. Vermiwash should be sprayed in the evening. 
2.  Slurry should be prepared in the proper ratio of vermivash and water. 
3. Vermiwash with cow urine should be used in appropriate proportions as a pesticide/insecticide. 
4. Always spray in the air direction. 
5. During the rainy season, keep in mind that there is no possibility of rain.

Benefits of vermicompost

There are numerous benefits of Vermicompost.

1. You will notice a good growth of the plant with the use of Vermiwash.
2. Good farming is possible with its use while a reduction in the cost of water and chemical fertilizers.
3. It makes the environment healthy.
4. Increases fertility of land at low cost.
5. Enhances physical, chemical, and biological properties of soil.
6. Plant protection medicines are reduced due to their use. The cost of production also gets reduced.
7. Increases the catchment power of the soil.
8. The product produced from this is delicious.

More of all, it is environment-friendly and you can save Mother Nature as well as your upcoming future generation through the use of Vermicompost.