Aug 2019 - Lowveld

KEPT SECRET
Earthworms are astonishing beings - they were created to compost organic waste,
and that is exactly what they do.
Earthworms have been put on earth to turn
organic waste into compost
46 Get It Lowveld August 2019
Nature’s best
These simple little creatures fascinated Charles Darwin and
after 40 years of research he published Earthworms, one of
his most influential works. He describes them as natural little
ploughs tilling the soil. “It may be doubted whether there are
many other animals which have played so important a part
in the history of the world, as have these lowly organised
creatures,” he said.
Darwin was ahead of his time and ordinary humans have
only started to realise the benefits of vermiculture, or
worm farming, over the past few years. These hard-working
organisms are capable of devouring half their own weight in
a single day and a worm farm is the quickest way to recycle
kitchen and garden waste. It is a valuable acquisition to any
household and easy enough to maintain.
Starting a worm farm is fairly straightforward and the rewards
keep on streaming in as long as the worms are happy. When
they are content, they work, and keeping them so is not
difficult at all. They love waste, and it is something all humans
produce in abundance. Think fruit, vegetable and garden
waste, eggshells as well as cartons and newspaper. All of these
usually land in the rubbish bin, but how cool is it to rather
play a part in conserving the environment than adding to the
problem?
Once you have established a worm farm, you will find that
these fat little creatures have become part of the family. You
may even go so far as to call them friends with benefits! And
the benefits are legion.
Once the organic matter is ingested by the worms, it goes
through a process which produces the most wonderful,
nutritious compost (worm castings) that could be used as it
is. The worm castings contain large amounts of enzymes and
beneficial microbes, five times more nitrogen than the original
organic matter, 10 times more potassium, seven times as much
phosphate and lots of calcium and magnesium.
Worm tea can also be brewed from the compost itself. It is
the really good stuff and is brewed by soaking the worm
castings in water to produce potent liquid compost. Apart
from improving soil health and being an excellent fertiliser,
worm tea is also a natural insect repellent.
Leachate is the fluid which drains to the bottom bin and many
experts warn against using it on plants, as it contains many
bacteria that could be harmful.
Text: LIEZEL LÜNEBURG. Photographer: TANYA ERASMUS
We also have a few ideas to share
• Meat trays with lids are the ideal containers and readily available at
shops selling plastic or catering ware.
• A basic unit consists of three containers, but layers could be
added as necessary. Two of the containers must have quite a few
holes drilled in the bottom. The holes must be big enough for a
worm to migrate from one container to the next.
• First start with two containers. The one without holes catching the
leachate must be placed at the bottom.
• All organic matter goes in the top container. Once it is full, a
second one is started with a bit of organic matter, palm peat and
shredded newspaper. Clusters of worms are moved to the new
container.
• The new bin is put on top of the full one. Worms will migrate from
the bottom one when food gets scarce.
• There is stuff that must not be fed to the worms, like citrus, dairy
and meat. Acceptable organic waste includes any plant matter,
coffee grounds and tea bags. It is wise to search the Internet for a
list of acceptable and unacceptable waste.
• The smaller the bits you add, the better.
• You may think that larger things like mango pips should be
avoided, but that is not necessarily so. The worms love to eat all the
juicy bits, including the inside. They also love watermelon and large
pieces of peel could be added to the bin and removed later.
• You can certainly keep your bin in the kitchen. As long as it does
not smell bad, it means that the bin is healthy.
It is fairly easy to establish
and maintain a worm farm
Worm tea can be brewed from
the compost
Worms love organic waste and shredded paper
Tips for starting your own
worm farm
Some farmers produce worm
castings on a large scale in beds,
but worm farms are also ideal for
household use. Worm units of
different sizes can be purchased
online. These are usually shipped
countrywide and include worms and
good instructions. Global Worming,
to name but one, sells sturdy units
of many different sizes ranging from
mini to huge 600-litre units ideal for
restaurants. Their after-sales care is
also good and they are more than
willing to answer questions. You
could also build your own unit. There
are many websites providing precise
building instructions as well as lots
of info and it is valuable to do good
research before starting the project.
August 2019 Get It Lowveld 47