Talk:Vermicompost

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Does anybody want to help me organize this site? It's a great topic but fairly unorganized

-Stefeyboy, August 12, 2005

I tried to do some major editing here. The kitchen waste section seems to be just a lumping of disorganised bits of data. I do plan to try to break it up better, but in the mean time anyone feel free to help. I also intend to creating a section that could group together conditions such as PH, Moisture and Temperature. Any thoughts? --Jake 23:14, August 12, 2005 (UTC)

Contents

[edit] On merging worm ranch

I'm not sure they should be the same article. This article needs cleaning up in any case. Worm ranches, worm bins, worm beds, worm farms, etc. aren't exactly the same thing. I do think that this page might be better with less "how-to" on it, maybe have that sort of thing on the pages I just mentioned. SB Johnny 11:32, 7 January 2006 (UTC)

  • Yeah, it currently sounds like an instruction booklet. --Mr. Dude †@£К ║ Çøת†яĭβü†ĬŎИ 22:42, 7 January 2006 (UTC)
  • Agree. Merge worm ranch into this one, keep worm ranch as a redirect and lose the instruction manual style. Also possibly give more insight into commercial scale operations. Some of the science behind the process is also rather dubious (please see the 'odour' section under the 'problems' headline - patently false).--ChrisJMoor 03:12, 4 February 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Nutrient value of castings

The article says that castings "contain five times more nitrogen, seven times more phosphorus and 11 times more potassium". Can someone provide a reference for that? Barrylb 14:40, 26 February 2006 (UTC)

I've moved this from the article since there has been no response:

"Compared to ordinary soil, the earthworm castings (the material produced from the digestive tracts of worms) contain five times more nitrogen, seven times more phosphorus and 11 times more potassium [citation needed]. They are rich in humic acids and improve the structure of the soil."

-- Barrylb 11:42, 4 March 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Fecal Matter

Article says: "Fecal material of omnivores and carnivores is unsuitable for composting due to the dangerous microorganisms it contains, though thermophilic composting or other applied heat can mitigate this problem."

Is there a reference? I don't think we can absolutely say it is 'unsuitable'. There is even a worm farm product for sale called Pet Poo Converter. People also compost these things in regular compost so is worm composting that different?

"If you are vermicomposting inside your home, you may want to avoid including manure or dairy products in your compost because they may have an unpleasant odor."

I use manure and dairy products in my compost inside my home and the odor isn't noticeable. -- Barrylb 15:29, 26 February 2006 (UTC)


Moved this from the article... I don't believe it is true (as written); needs a reference to back it up:

  • Fecal Matter - Fecal material of omnivores and carnivores is unsuitable for composting due to the dangerous microorganisms it contains, though thermophilic composting or other applied heat can mitigate this problem. People have reported successfully using cow, rabbit, or goat manure to help start up the bin. If done, this should be used in small quantities. If you are vermicomposting inside your home, you may want to avoid including manure or dairy products in your compost because they may have an unpleasant odor.

-- Barrylb 12:29, 16 March 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Move to wikibook?

This article really does read like a how-to book. It would actually make a great foundation for a wikibook how-to, freeing up this article for a more encyclopedic article. Any thoughts? SB Johnny 14:35, 2 March 2006 (UTC)

FWIW, I went ahead and copied it... hoping to find someone with a 'bot for the red links on the book. The book is titled b: Vermicomposting, and is in the how-to category. It needs editing for formatting and "w: " added to the wikilinks. SB Johnny 15:55, 2 March 2006 (UTC)
Yes it would be good to have the book, and clean up the article. Barrylb 11:43, 4 March 2006 (UTC)

The diagram is all wrong, showing feedstock below bedding ! —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 24.105.170.254 (talk • contribs).

You are right! And it is the worst possible type of worm bin anyway; I would not recommend this type to anyone. We should have a picture of a continuous-vertical-flow type. -- Barrylb 14:41, 8 March 2006 (UTC)

I agree - it's not really encyclopedic in nature.67.166.81.82 22:31, 28 May 2006 (UTC)

I started the book stub here... anyone want to chip in? SB Johnny 01:00, 29 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Vermicast

I had created a wikipedia entry for "vermicast," and the entry was deleted and redirected to "vermicompost." While the entire "vermicompost" entry describes the composting process of organic material by earthworms, the end product is called "vermicast." Why was the entry for vermicast deleted? Nothing was redundant as the entry soley described the end product, while the "vermicompost" entry describes in detail the entire process to create the end product called vermicast? --Christian025 02:45, 15 March 2006 (UTC)

The end result of vermicomposting is called vermicompost. "Vermicast" or "worm castings" is an integral part of the that process but those terms refer more specifically to the matter excreted by worms after they digest organic matter. I redirected the vermicast article because it seems you only added it because of what I believe is an incorrect usage. -- Barrylb 03:16, 15 March 2006 (UTC)

"I redirected the vermicast article because it seems you only added it because of what I believe is an incorrect usage. -- Barrylb 03:16, 15 March 2006 (UTC)"

I'm not sure if you actually vermicompost, but that is a verb describing "the process of earthworms composting organic materials." "Vermicast" is not a process. Vermicast, a noun widely used by vermiculturists, is the end product of vermicomposting. The entire entry for "vermicast" was solely focused on this end product, not vermicomposting. Deleting the "vermicast" entry and redirecting it here would be like redirecting any entry to the components of vermicomposting, including "mulch," "earthworms" and "compost bins." It makes no sense.

--Christian025 21:05, 15 March 2006 (UTC)

You are saying 'vermicompost' is a verb. I disagree. Vermicomposting is the process which produces vermicompost. Vermicomposting is a verb, vermicompost is a noun.
Examples/references:
  • "Vermicompost is the product of vermicomposting, a process that relies on earthworms" [1]
  • "Vermicomposting is the process of having redworms and other decomposer organisms process our organic waste and turn it into a great natural fertilizer (called vermicompost)." [2]
  • "The process is called “vermicomposting” and the result is called “vermicompost”." [3]
Your entry for vermicast seems to describe what I call vermicompost, hence the redirect to vermicompost. Yes vermicast is a noun but the term 'vermicast' or 'worm castings' refers purely to the matter excreted by the worms after they digest organic matter, which is the core part of the process of producing vermicompost.
-- Barrylb 00:21, 16 March 2006 (UTC)
Vermicompost and vermicast arte synonymous (I added it on the article), however it is true that this article is mostly about vermicomposting. The vermicast article was a bit more along the lines of what this article should look like... a description of VC, it's properties and uses, etc. SB Johnny 11:09, 16 March 2006 (UTC)
How about we have two articles - vermicompost and vermicomposting? -- Barrylb 12:30, 16 March 2006 (UTC)
Maybe... see Wikipedia:Abundance_and_redundancy. The two articles would be circular references, of course. I really don't know the going policy on that. SB Johnny 13:02, 16 March 2006 (UTC)
I suppose we could stick with the current article. We just need to make sure it is clear what this article is about. We could have a section with the properties of vermicompost (which is quite lacking at the moment) and another section on the process of making it (which seems to be almost the entire focus of the current article). -- Barrylb 13:20, 16 March 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Calcium Oxide Not Good for Worms

The section that recommends calcium oxide for controlling pH in worm beds should be changed. Calcium Oxide is quicklime, which is very, very strongly alkaline and will wipe out a whole bin if used this way. The choice would be Calcium Carbonate, made from limestone and sold as either crushed limestone or garden lime.

I can fix this if no one has an issue with it. Psuliin 02:06, 23 March 2007 (UTC)

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