Photo by Lori L. Stalteri

Photo by Lori L. Stalteri

By Aimee Colf, Horticulture Agent, Anson Cooperative Extension

The definition of acceptable “organic” methods may vary greatly between gardeners because no standard definition exists for organic gardening at the homeowner level. Meanwhile, commercial growers must complete an organic certification process and adhere to National Organic Standards. These growers rely on the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) which determines products approved for use on certified organic operations. Compared to conventional gardening, organic options for insect pest, disease, and weed management are fewer in number.

Organic gardening involves practices aimed at building soil health and plant nutrition.

In this article we will address creating a healthy environment for soil microbes, types of organic fertilizers, and specifically, insect pest management.

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By guest blogger, Rhonda Sherman, who will be speaking at the Sustainable Ag Conference during Saturday’s Soil and Seeds Track.

Looking to diversify your farm income? Interested in converting manures and crop residues into value-added products? Vermicomposting may be an option for you. It is a process that relies on earthworms and microorganisms to convert organic materials to a valuable soil amendment and source of plant nutrients. Vermicompost can improve soil quality, increase plant yields, and suppress diseases and pests. You can produce vermicompost for use on your farm or gardens, or you can sell it for $400 to $1,300 per cubic yard. Markets include greenhouses, vineyards, farms, nurseries, golf courses, turf fields, landscapers, and homeowners.

Compost

Numerous published scientific studies have demonstrated positive effects of vermicompost on plants. As little as 2 percent (by volume) vermicompost can significantly accelerate seed germination and increase plant growth, flowering and yields. These increases are usually independent of nutrient availability. There are also documented decreases in attacks by plant pathogens, parasitic nematodes, and insects.

Feedstocks for vermicomposting include animal manures, food preparation residuals and leftovers, scrap paper, agricultural crop residues, organic byproducts from industries, and yard trimmings. During the Sustainable Ag Conference workshop, we’ll discuss feedstock choices, preparation, loading rates, consumption, and output rates.

NCSU Compost Demo

Farmers are choosing to vermicompost manure and crop residuals for several reasons: some need an environmentally-beneficial alternative for manure management; others want to produce vermicompost to increase their crop yields and reduce their use of fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides. And some farmers choose vermicomposting to increase their income from the sales of earthworms or vermicompost.

At the Sustainable Ag Conference workshop, we will also discuss the following topics:

  • Differences between vermicomposting and composting
  • Benefits of vermicompost and its liquid extract
  • Using the correct species of earthworms
  • Earthworm husbandry
  • Equipment options and site requirements
  • Management issues
  • Storing vermicompost
  • Difference between castings and vermicompost
  • Tricks to watering the worm bin

A lot of misinformation about vermicomposting is being passed around, so I will also be discussing the myths and realities of vermicompost production.

I will have lots of photos of vermicomposting facilities so you can see options that vary from low-cost to high-tech. Here is a photo of a vermicompost operation that used to be at a hog farm in North Carolina:

Vermicompost operation

Rhonda Sherman has been contacted by people in 105 countries seeking her expertise in vermicomposting. For 16 years, she has organized the world’s only annual conference on large-scale vermicomposting (the latest had attendees from 6 countries and 25 US states). Rhonda is co-editor of the only scientific book on vermicomposting: Vermiculture Technology: Earthworms, Organic Wastes, & Environmental Management. She’s been an extension specialist at NC State University in the Department of Biological & Agricultural Engineering for 22 years, and is Director of the university’s Compost Training Facility. Rhonda regularly teaches and writes about small-to-large scale vermicomposting and composting, and serves as president of the NC Composting Council. To learn more about vermicomposting and composting, follow the links at http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/people/professionals/sherman.

by Danielle

I’ve always liked the idea of total utilization of natural resources. As a young girl, I marveled at the genius with which the Plains Indians hunted and utilized buffalo – using fur for clothing, meat for food, horns for cups, skulls for ceremonies, hooves for glue, bones for tools and weapons, muscles for thread, and even stomachs for carrying liquids. Early in my life, I latched on to recycling. But now, as a young adult, I am much more aware of the potential to be environmentally conscious that goes beyond recycling. In my quest to do exactly that (by way of an online coupon), I discovered the art of vermicomposting.

Vermi-wha?

Essentially, vermicomposting is the equivalent of creating a small, contained (and much-less-stinky) composting pile in a small space. Proper ventilation and housing of waste eliminate the stench commonly associated with composting. As a result, vermicomposting is ideal for city dwellers looking to take their greening efforts to the next level. Resources needed to create your own mini-compost pile are limited and easy to obtain: a box, the right type of bedding (cardboard, newspaper, or peat moss), some soil, and moisture. Oh yea. And red worms.

Worms?!

Yes, worms. They’re the essential ingredient. They eat the table scraps given to them and produce nutrient-rich “castings” a.k.a. worm poop. Due to the design of the vermicomposting system, the castings can be harvested and used to make household plants extra resilient. You reuse your food scraps, your wormy pets eat like kings, and your flowers are full and brilliant. Everybody wins!

There are a lot of different options for a worm house if you’re considering starting a vermicomposting system. You can buy containers made for exactly that, or you can save a lot of money and make your own. I had the most luck with the design presented in Worms Eat My Garbage wherein the reader is taught to create multiple levels within the same box. The castings fall into a collection receptacle as the worms do their job and work through each level of dirt. NOTE: This method also minimizes hand-to-worm contact, for those who get squirmy at the thought of handling the creepy crawlers.

Once I started my quest for vermicomposting utopia, I quickly realized I generate anywhere between two and three pounds of food scrap waste each week! It was a great feeling to finally have a way to put to use all of the vegetables, grapefruits, orange rinds, apple peels, lettuce and cabbage, celery ends, spoiled food from the refrigerator, coffee grounds, tea bags, and egg shells I was throwing in the trash.