Composting is so common today that it’s hard to find a gardener without at least one compost pile. The art of composting has progressed to the point gardeners frequently deploy several methodologies to keep themselves supplied with the rich black humus all year. My favorite method is vermicomposting, or composting with worms. In this process, microorganisms begin to break down the organic mater, and worms consume the microorganism to produce nutrient rich worm castings.
Under normal circumstances (in the soil) a worm produces its own weight in castings everyday. Given an average of 2,700,000 worms per acre, that translates into an annual output of about 102,000 metric tons of worm castings per acre.
Vermiculture refines this process by using a worm uniquely adapted for the process, usually Red Wigglers (Eisenia foetida), and a container (worm composter) in which the composting process takes place. Shredded newspaper is the most common substrate for worm composters. A mature worm composter has the equivalent population density of 6.5 to 8 million worms per acre and these worms are 2 to 4 times more productive than regular earthworms. As a result, vermicomposting is about 8 times faster than a hot compost pile and about 30 times faster than a cold compost pile.
From an environmental perspective, vermicomposting produces about 3,000 times less methane than hot compost piles, and about 1,500 times less carbon dioxide than a cold compost pile, both of which are greenhouse gases.
Many people are attracted to vermicomposting because it is an odorless process that can be done in their basements, back porches, or even on the kitchen counter, frequently replacing the compost container. It is also much less labor intensive, producing a compost of consistent texture at a constant rate throughout the year.
New studies are starting to show that vermicompost can not only nourish plants, it can also help prevent plant diseases. Add a tea- spoon (or small shovelful) to potted plants or transplanted seedlings. Work it into the soil when you’re planting vegetable beds. Add a little to water and use within 24 hours as compost tea. A secret known only to gardeners with vermicomposters is to add a scoop of worm castings under vegetable transplants in the spring for a rapid initial growth spurt. Using wormcastings as a side-dressing to your plants throughout the growing season, keeps them lush and productive!