vermiculture made easy_ vermiculture and vermicomposting in the philippines

7/7/2014 Vermiculture Made Easy: Vermiculture and Vermicomposting in the Philippines

http://vermiculture2010.blogspot.com/2010/01/vermiculture-and-vermicomposting-in.html 1/22

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Vermiculture and Vermicomposting in thePhilippines

Hi Guys..Let me introduce myself briefly first. My name is William Paul

Palma and my colleagues in Davao call me Popoy. I finished B.S. Agri-

Business major in Management at the Ateneo De Davao University. In

2007, I got interested with Vermiculture for the primary reason that

worms are loyal hard workers. Their produce (manure) is always a

perfect organic fertilizer. And they don't charge anything for their

Facebook Badge

William Paul Palma

Create Your Badge

Followers

4 More Next Blog» Create Blog Sign In

Vermiculture Made Easy

http://www.facebook.com/people/William-Paul-Palma/100000262923746

http://www.facebook.com/facebook-widgets/

http://www.facebook.com/people/William-Paul-Palma/100000262923746

https://www.blogger.com/next-blog?navBar=true&blogID=1942510191319522911

http://www.blogger.com/home#create

http://www.blogger.com/

http://www.blogger.com/

http://vermiculture2010.blogspot.com/



labor. That's amazing. So I begun to study the Industry

comprehensively. In 2008, I started my own vermiculture in our small

farm somewhere in Tanay, Rizal, Philippines. I got some snap shots

while we were working in the farm which I will show you as we go

along, so you could have a better visual understanding about

Vermicuture, Vermicomposting and Organic Farming on a large and

backyard scale. This is my true story "Vermiculture Made Easy" wpp

Lets start small. Those containers are full of worms which I grow in

my condo unit in Cubao, Quezon City, Philippines. My place is so

limited that I don't have a garden area except for a few flower pots.

But this did not stop me from raising earthworms/vermiculture. If

there's a will there's always a way. All the materials I use can be

found in the garbage like the containers and all the food I collect for

the worms are waste materials I got from my kitchen, storage area

and paper scraps. In short I never spend a penny for doing this. I just

turned trash into cash.You see worms eat microbes such as fungi and

Join this sitew ith Google Friend Connect

Members (23) More »

Already a member? Sign in

Blog Archive

▼ 2010 (1)

▼ January (1)

Vermiculture and

Vermicomposting in the

Philippine...

About Me

William Paul

View my complete profile

http://i48.tinypic.com/m2gox.jpg

http://www.blogger.com/profile/12108078281276219016

http://vermiculture2010.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2010-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&updated-max=2011-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&max-results=1

http://vermiculture2010.blogspot.com/2010_01_01_archive.html

http://vermiculture2010.blogspot.com/2010/01/vermiculture-and-vermicomposting-in.html




bacteria that eat almost all rotten things.wpp

Click picture to Zoom in

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Hf5O6GyKLqI/S0S5LrD71tI/AAAAAAAAAA0/7oPu6XLY1YQ/s1600-h/DSC03417.JPG



This are pictures showing the presence of a few healthy resident

worms inside the container. I started growing them on my birthday,

December 13, 2009. It's now January 06, 2010 when I got that snap

shot and I can see some eggs around. That's wonderful!!! I don't

think I can call this a backyard scale perhaps the best term is cabinet

scale because I store the containers inside a shelf. This only show

that in vermiculture, you can start big or small depending on your

preference. All you have to do is to get some worms, the rest could

be for free. If only all filipino families/residents are doing vermiculture

at home, we can drastically reduce 30% of the garbage in our

country. Not all countries are lucky enough to raise worm due to their

unfavorable weather. In tropical counties like the Philippines

earthworms (African Nightcrawlers) thrive excellently. wpp

http://i50.tinypic.com/mr61xy.jpg



Here are some facts and studies made about Earthworm. There are

around 4000 species of Earthworm worldwide and 400 of them can

be found in the Philippines. In 1982 Dr. Otto Graff introduced African

Nightcrawler,( Eisenia euginae or Eudrilus eugeniae) in the Philippines

which originated in West Africa. African Nightcrawler ( ANC ) are

classified as annedila ( segmented worms ) and oligochaeta ( few

bristles). They feed on litter at the surface without borrowing on the

soil ( Epigeic ). Breathe through their skin. That's why any presence

of oil in their feeding ground is discourage to keep the worms from

choking to death when oil stick to their skin. Each worm have both

male and female sex organ ( Hermaphroditic ) but they still have to

mate with other worm at least once in their lifetime to start the

reproduction process. Feed on microbes ( fungi and bacteria )

thought it looks like they are the one's eating the waste materials.

ANC can lay 3-7 eggs a week that will hatch in 2 weeks and mature in

2 months, with a life span of 1-2 years in the wild and up to 10 years

if properly nurtured and cared in a contained area. ANC can grow up

to 12 inches in length and weigh up to 3 grams'. They feed on

kitchen, agriculture, livestock, wet market waste, and almost anything

that is biodegradable. They can also consume up to 100% of their

http://i45.tinypic.com/33y01mh.jpg



body weight and excrete the same amount per day. With proper

nutrition, Earthworm Manure (vermicast) is known to be the best

odorless organic fertilizer in the world.It is the Super Soil of the

Earth. In China the meaning of earthworm is "Angels of the Earth".

They are cold blooded, thrive best in tropical areas like the

Philippines. ANC will die of coldness at temperature below 12oC. ANC

will live and reproduce at temperature between 24-28oC. ANC love

wet area with a moisture of 40-80%. This kind of moisture is just

enough water that the waste material can absurd without any water

drops. Too much water may drown them. Less water may dry and kill

them. There is no known symptoms of disease or sickness of

Earthworms. wpp

These are some of our worm beds located in Tanay, Rizal. We

started in January 2008 by placing two kilos of African

Nightcrawlers(ANC) on each bed overflowing with food for the

microbes because Earthworm eat the microbes. Then we harvest and

collect the vermicast(earthworm manure) on each bed every 45 day.

After harvest, we prepare another bed to distribute the worms into

two separate beds because the worms have already increase in size

and numbers. The same procedure will be repeated on the next

http://i45.tinypic.com/zn6lmp.jpg



harvesting period unless the worms are sold to the market.wpp

The size of the bed is 3 hollow blocks (CHB) by 6 CHB. I'm not so

particular with the size and of the bed but rather the shape, location

and materials available to be use in making a bed. I always consider

the lowest possible cost and the safest area to place my vermiculture.

I secured the top portion of the bed with black fishnet to prevent

predators from eating the worms or destroying the bed like snake,

frog, dog, chicken and even trespassers around the vicinity. Those

green leaves on top are lettuce rejects which we harvested just

recently. In vermiculture nothing goes to waste.wpp

http://i48.tinypic.com/x56mfq.jpg



We collect cow/carabao manure as one of our food recipes for the

worms in the farm. Normally I mix cow/carabao manure with

compose rice hay on a 1:1 ratio. This mixture is perfect because it

contains all the micro-nutrients that will produce an excellent

vermicompost. But there are a lot of mixtures that would also provide

the same result. I just decided to choose this mixture because it is

abundant in the area,and they are free for the taking. Oh I love the

word FREE. It is best to get cow manure from grazing animals than

those being raise in a herd/pen because owners usually treat them

with chemicals that might affect the quality of our organic

fertilizer/vermicompost.wpp

http://i49.tinypic.com/jkd7wm.jpg



After collecting fresh cow/carabao manure in the field, we dry them

for at least three days to make sure that it is completely cool

otherwise it may harm the worms. Most animal manure are excreted

in warm or hot temperature.wpp

http://i47.tinypic.com/2liipgm.jpg



Water is vital in the survival of Earthworms. Too much water will

drown them while too dry will kill them. In a contained area like the

picture shown makes the flow of water very unpredictable. During the

summer heat, regular watering should be administered. However,

during rainy season, the bed must be covered plastic sheild to

prevent the bed from overflowing with rain water. If you decide to

follow the kind of bed I did as shown above, just make sure you

prepare your bed on a higher ground. I had a bad experience on this

during the Typhoon Ondoy in October 2009 that hit our farm in

Tanay, Rizal, Philippines. Ninety percent (90%) of our beds were

washed away because I under estimated the amount of rain Typhoon

Ondoy brought us. I thought that I have placed all the bed high

enough against the flow of the heaviest rain I could think of, but I was

wrong. Because of that tragic experience, I learned a lesson that I

want to share with you, that not only should we take pride on the

beauty of nature but also to pay respect and be more prepared for

http://i50.tinypic.com/2552jk9.jpg



the power of destruction nature possess. Anyways, they said this kind

of disaster never happened before. Now that it has already begun,

we have to take more precautionary measures and put all this things

into consideration. Truly indeed, in the field of Natural Agriculture,

nature can be our best friend and may become our worst enemy.wpp

After harvesting this rice field, I store the hay and leave them to

compost for 3-4 months. Then I mix them with cow/carabao manure

at 1:1 ratio as my recipe which I prepare for the worms during

feeding time. Normally, farmers simply burn the entire haystack after

harvest. This is the fastest way for them to eradicate their garbage

which we all know how much destruction it would contribute to our

long deluded environment. In Vermiculture, we not only contribute to

the reduce, reuse and recycle (Bokashi) of natural waste materials

but also help in proper disposal of unwanted trash in a very

environmentally and friendly manner. wpp

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Hf5O6GyKLqI/S2fxZ0Sv6JI/AAAAAAAAAA8/SDNRpFJ8jJs/s1600-h/resize16.jpg



Sacks of collected vermicast (worm manure) are being stored for

commercial sale. Some of them will go back to our farm to be used

as fertilizer in the next planting sesson. wpp

A bunch of lettuce (mini romaine variety) ready for harvest. Here, we

use 100% vermicast as our soil and fertilizer in preparing our

seedbed. We buy the seeds from a commercial store to ensure best

quality. Two weeks after seedlings are left to grow in a seedbed with

proper care, they become ready for transfer to thier permanent plot

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Hf5O6GyKLqI/S2f1KR4RBvI/AAAAAAAAABc/MCNcoaHyZW8/s1600-h/resize17.jpg



until harvest. wpp

This is how we transfer the seedling into the plot. But before we can

transfer, the plot must be cultivated well and mix with vermicast just

enough to see that the soil becomes loosen and looks dark or loam.

This procedure is repeated for the next four planting cycle then we

resumes the same procedure after two years or when we notice that

production is beginning to decline. However, continuous addition of

fertilizer won’t harm the plant nor the soil since there is no overdose

of vermicast. In fact we use 100% vermicast in our seedbed. No

natural soil added. wpp

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Hf5O6GyKLqI/S2f3cj8yzZI/AAAAAAAAABs/AHjq7gquYlk/s1600-h/resize1.jpg



The left plot is an array of lettuce (mini romaine) about two weeks

old while the other two plots are less than a week old. The size of

each plot is 30 x 1.5 meters which could accommodate up to 1200

seedlings. Each plot can produce up to 50 kilos of good harvest.All

unwanted stems and leaves have already been removed. Right now

the price of lettuce in the commercial market is Php 380.00 to 420.00

kilos. The best time to harvest lettuce is within 20 to 30 days upon

transfer of seedlings to the plot. The older they grow the bitter taste

they become. If left to grow, older lettuce will begin to bare flowers

which then produce seeds after 90 days upon transfer and start to

wither after the flowers mature. wpp

Plants covered under a green house provides so many advantages

specially in the control of sunlight, wind and rain. However, the best

alternative to replace green house is through the use of mulching

method. Mulching is by putting dried/compost legumes around each

seedlings. It retains moisture, serve as shade, absorbs more water,

help loosens the soil and also serves as fertilizer for the next planting

period. wpp

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Hf5O6GyKLqI/S2gs4mqhK8I/AAAAAAAAAB8/c2n87k8FSWk/s1600-h/resize2.jpg



Posted by William Paul at 2:46 AM Labels: african nightcrawler, compost, earthworm, naturalfarming, organic farming, soil, vermicompost, vermicuture,worms

27 COMMENTS:

Cianoy October 19, 2010 at 3:08 AM

Hi there! Interesting to compost in gallon containers. I might

try that. But how did you get all that material in when the

container opening is so small? Can you talk about how you

maintained those containers (moisture, air, feeding, etc)?

Thanks!

Check out my worm adventures too.

Reply

Datu Piang January 10, 2011 at 8:48 AM

how do you make sure there are no (or get rid of) cocoons in

your harvested castings? in your experience, have you been

required of making sure there are no cocoons present in your

packaged product?


http://vermiculture2010.blogspot.com/2010/01/vermiculture-and-vermicomposting-in.html

http://vermiculture2010.blogspot.com/search/label/african%20nightcrawler

http://vermiculture2010.blogspot.com/search/label/compost

http://vermiculture2010.blogspot.com/search/label/earthworm

http://vermiculture2010.blogspot.com/search/label/natural%20farming

http://vermiculture2010.blogspot.com/search/label/organic%20farming

http://vermiculture2010.blogspot.com/search/label/soil

http://vermiculture2010.blogspot.com/search/label/vermicompost

http://vermiculture2010.blogspot.com/search/label/vermicuture

http://vermiculture2010.blogspot.com/search/label/worms


http://vermiculture2010.blogspot.com/2010/01/vermiculture-and-vermicomposting-in.html?showComment=1287482933521#c7519356911892366339

http://cianoy.blogspot.com/2010/10/will-worms-eat-moss.html





Replies

btw, are you related to Jay Palma (Maa DC/GSC)? dabaw pud

ko.

Reply

jerald April 22, 2011 at 5:08 AM

nagpaseminar si binay sa makati nyan...marami na kaming

mag ganito sa makati...malakaing tulong talaga kasi bawas

kaalat at kikita kapa sa compost..

Reply

Nik April 24, 2011 at 1:02 AM

Hi there Sir,

You said paper scrap. Do you mean that we can feed paper

to the worms? What kind of paper? I have many office scrap

papers that have been printed with regular ink. Is that ok?

In our place in Batangas, animal manure is hard to come by.

What is abundant are grasses, leaves,woods and others

plant byproducts. Are those ok?

Reply

Benjamin March 2, 2012 at 4:38 AM

Those are okay -they are called browns as

compared to greens w/c are vegetable wastes

and fruit peelings. By all means compost them!

The key is to maintain moisture and good air flow

(aerobic). I also share my own experience with

vermicompost in http://www.kalantasgardens.com









Reply

carl September 8, 2011 at 2:33 AM

Sir Palma, do you mix soil in the beddings of the worm?

if yes how much soil do you mix? how do you seperate the

vermicast from the soil beddings?

thank you

Reply

carl September 8, 2011 at 2:48 AM

sir palma;

can I visit your vermiculture farm in tanay? for me to get

some ideas. my phone number is

0915- 2006675 thank you very much!!

Reply

elcidcp April 8, 2012 at 6:41 PM

I am interested in setting up my own vermi farm. Where can

I buy ANCs?

Salamat.

Reply

islandhopes.com May 9, 2012 at 12:20 AM

Thank you so much for this very scientific and detailed article

on vermiculture and vermicomposting. I just want you to

know that this will go a long way in helping the agricultural







http://islandhopes.com/




Replies

communities we are training to do this.

Reply

farmvermi July 22, 2012 at 6:45 AM

I started vermi farming few years ago but I don't have

regular buyers. I still continue for believe this would our

farmers.

Reply

Arline Payabyab August 2, 2012 at 11:16 PM

hello! we are looking for earth worm supplier, for fish

feeding. please email me. thanks

Reply

Darwin Cordero January 16, 2013 at 12:44

AM

contact us at nos. 09104149992


AM

we are selling ANC & vermi cast..Pls contact us

Nos. 09104149992 or 09106448271


PM

taga North Cotabato po kmi, those who are

interested to buy vermi cast(waste worm) or ANC

http://farmvermi.blogspot.com/












Reply

Replies

Reply

you may contact us at 09106448271 or

09104149992... thanks ..recent customer from

zamboanga of 85 kilos vermi worm...

Kabubi's Kitchen August 25, 2012 at 4:31 AM

Hi, we have a small garden where I planted a few veggies. I

have started making vermi tea and am looking for a

"credible" source of vermicompost/vermi castings. Do you

sell? For now, I'm looking at about 20 kg.

Reply


PM

meron po mam. wer po location nyo? nasa north

cotabato po kasi ang farm namin...

carlo January 22, 2013 at 3:33 PM

sir darwin, san po sa north cotabato ang sa inyo?

ano pong farm?

lawyerdin September 8, 2012 at 3:10 PM

I'm also starting a vermicomposting project at a farm in

Tanay near Sta. Maria, Laguna. Can I visit your farm? You

can send a private message to [email protected] or text











Replies

Reply

to 09178134301. Thanks.

Reply

carlo January 19, 2013 at 12:12 AM

My father and I started vermi composting 4 years ago. DA

provide us assistance in putting up this venture but now, we

have problem in marketing and selling our product every

month. Our ANC are almost 2tons and they can produce upto

50,000Kg of vermicast. If you're LGU, farm or company has

project related to this, you can text or call me. 09209643728.

Carlo of Davao City

Reply

jenny boton March 31, 2013 at 8:54 PM

hi! im selling ANC for 250/kilo for pick up and vermicompost

for 500/50 kilo. pls contact jenny 0927-

9864829/09166252598 thanx.....

Reply

fernando manlaran April 20, 2014 at 6:54

PM

wer is your location madam,,,we buy vermi worm

jhey July 3, 2013 at 8:01 PM

HI THERE! thank you sir for the info. this really help us in our

recent DEVELOPMENT PLAN about organic farming. I will try











it in our rice production. Can you give me some tips?

Reply

RPRIMICI September 9, 2013 at 3:00 AM

Hello! I'm curious if you have problems with cockroaches

entering the compost. Also do you have problems with flies.

The decomposing material will attract bugs won't they? If

not, how do you avoid bugs/insects??

Reply

Eduardo Braga September 10, 2013 at 2:11 AM

hi there! we are selling vermiworms and vermicompost here

in Davao Oriental. any interested please contact us at

09498676676. thank you

Reply

thenextmillionairemaker September 30, 2013 at 2:44

PM

I'm Erick I am interested with vermi culture and willing to

start as soon as possible but I don't have anc can anyone sell

to me a 1 kilo anc here in Davao City? Please contact me @

this # 09328893137. Thank you so much.

Reply

JEFF October 2, 2013 at 12:37 AM

Any interested on Vermicast/ Vermicompost/ Vermi Worm

You may Contact us at [email protected].. My contact

no. is 09301539888/09193473365. We are located in Labo,

Ozamiz City, Province of Misamis Occidental. Thanks







https://me.yahoo.com/a/jUIBpwcdnu6FfOmQseRq8SbPHdR.




Enter your comment...

Comment as: Google Account

Publish

Preview

Home

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

Reply

Jen De Luna April 3, 2014 at 2:43 PM

I wish to buy worms to start this project. Our barangay trash

problem could be resolved with vermiculture. I with to try

and show people here that if I can do it, so can they. If

anyone here sells worms, please message me. I'm from

Pampanga. (0947 893 2726)

Reply

http://vermiculture2010.blogspot.com/

http://vermiculture2010.blogspot.com/feeds/4784336803108513687/comments/default



vermiculture made easy_ vermiculture and vermicomposting in the philippines

Documents