When I was a kid, in
the Pune Indian Express, some lady called Mrs Usha Coundinya used to write articles
about vermicomposting and I used to be very fascinated by her write- ups.
Though the fascination never transformed into action.
Cut to 2004, I met Mr Prakash Dandekar and the whole fascination got re-ignited. I bought the single unit
vermicomposting unit ‘Kalpataru’ Goldbox from him and started. We kept it in
the West- facing balcony grille. I happily harvested compost after 2- 3 mts but
not a single worm was to be seen. They may have died sometime. In retrospect, I
feel what I harvested may not have been true compost either. I gave off the
wire cage because I had no patience to set it up again. But I met Mr Dandekar
again- and bought another cage from him. This time there was a brief time when
it smelled badly a great deal and I had to consult Dandekar who told me not to
add- cooked food, dairy products, citrus, onion and garlic- and things settled
down. But hubby noticed some white creatures and concluded they must be THE
WHITE ANTS (TERMITES). In a moment the whole unit went to garbage! (Actually
the white dots are mites which are seen when the moisture content is excessive
and can be addressed by adding some dry leaves or cardboard or allowing
aeration and mixing thoroughly later to adjust the mositure) The third time
around, I was able to manage the cage for a few months till it was attacked by
squirrels and rats who seemed to have developed a taste for worms. It was too
much for me to actually witness the squirrel slurping down a worm from the
cage. That was the last Kalpataru unit I bought. Though Mr Dandekar remained a
good friend and I maintained the desire to compost.
MY VERDICT
Vermicomposting-
it is
the ideal home composting method only if you are keen on organic gardening
because no organic compost comes even close to vermicompost in quality.
Considering that vermicompost is difficult to source consistently, it would be
wise to make it yourself to have a steady supply.
But worms need careful
handling which is tricky for beginners especially in an artificial setting like
a bin or cage- which is the only option in Mumbai. Soil- based beds and pits
are a rare luxury here. Worms cannot process all wet waste which is
disappointing if your aim in composting is to have a zero waste home. And worms
being sensitive are prone to die off due to subtle changes in weather or moisture-
one has to really get a hang of it. General recommendation is to add cow dung
to get best results. But if you are a home composter you cannot practically do
it. Cow dung is difficult to get, transport and put in the unit. It gives off a
strong smell for at least 2 days and worst of all it attracts flies...after one
attempt I never went anywhere near cow dung in my life. The Jain community does
not accept vermicomposting due to religious beliefs.
Kalpataru Gold Box-
The
product is quite unique in being easily available and replicable. Materials are
cheap and easily available. So you are better off buying a unit from Mr
Dandekar. It takes some learning to manage and is by no means as easy as
claimed. Firstly, you must keep the unit in a shaded area at waist height in
easily accessible spot. Keeping in sunny balcony grille, under kitchen sink or
on top of AC will not work. It should be kept in a dark, airy accessible spot
where temperature remains more or less stable. My observation is that the home
foyer where we keep footwear is the most ideal place, if available. To the
small, nuclear family sized unit you can add only about two fist-fulls of
material daily. So if you plan to shell kilos of peas in winter, then you will
have to store the peels and add them to the cage at the rate of two fist fulls
daily. Always stir the material lightly- only the top 2-3 inches layer after
adding. And preferably cover with a piece of gunny sac. You will have to add a
layer of fine metal mesh all around to protect from squirrels if that is a
risk. As mentioned above you can add only flowers and vegetable trimmings;
nothing else. Periodically you have to spray water from the sides as it tends
to dry out at the edges. Take care not to empty the whole cage while
harvesting. Just remove from top half and then continue using. This cage will
last about 3-4 years as the metal is prone to rust. In the 2- compartment
variation, a mesh is added in the middle. The idea is to fill one side and
earthworms move in to process it while you add to other side. This is a good
advancement as you can add material without worrying about quantity- and
earthworms can move in when it is partially decomposed and ready for their
consumption. Harvesting can be done without practically encountering any worms
because they have moved to other side. The worm mortality is likely to be lower
in this system. Only it needs slightly bigger place.
HOME VERMICOMPOSTING TODAY
Many methods of
vermicomposting are put on the net. I am not so sure if the 3- bin method works
in Mumbai, because we are never sure which worms we are going to get. For all
we know we might have to do with bottom feeders or local ‘desi’ worms then they
don’t migrate upwards. I do vermicomposting because I need the compost for my
garden and also because I really love rearing worms. I have taken the practical
approach of vermicomposting in two drums (about 40l capacity, used with lids).
I have made the 3- tier bed- brickbats, followed by thick bedding of sugarcane
fibre or coconut husk covered by layer of fine soil and sand. This covers about
lower one third of my drum with drainage holes at the bottom. Plus I have made
many holes at the top for aeration. On top of this I added the vermiculture
which has baby worms. I got the vermiculture from Inora farms at Pune. Parlekars
can get worms from Mr Shrotriya of the water Dept of MCGM (He is a master
vermicomposter- it’s his hobby) or from Devangini society. Then I just went on
adding the green materials. I stir them two times a week. When the drum fills
up, I stop adding and start the second drum. After 45 days the compost from
first drum is ready for harvesting. I have kept my drums in balcomy in the
shade of a huge tamarind tree. I have to cover it with gunny bags for warmth in
winter and wet gunny bags to provide cooling in summer.
I think vermicomposting is one of the good options, provided you realise that worms are living beings and you need to raise them as pets.
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