FERTILIZER
Everything began with the organic fertilizer – now known as Fresh Start Organic Blend Fertilizer® and Vermicastings®. The organic blend fertilizer, created using large-scale bokashi composting, is created exclusively with the use of organic materials and agricultural by products in adherence with the organic standards of NICERT.
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Furthermore it is registered with the Fertilizer and Pesticides Authority (FPA). Fresh Start Organic Blend is rich in humus, beneficial micro-organisms, fungi and plant nutrients; these help improve the efficiency of water and nutrient use in soils. They also promote
VERMICASTINGS
What is Vermicomposting?
• Vermicomposting is the process by which worms are used to convert organic materials (usually wastes)into humus-like material known as vermicompost.
• The goal is to process the material as quickly and efficiently as possible.
• Glenn Munroe-Manual of On-Farm Vermicomposting and Vermiculture (Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada)
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Five Basic Things That Worms Need:
• A hospitable living environment, usually called "bedding".
• Adequate moisture (greater than % water content by weight)
• A food source
• Adequate aeration
• Protection from temperature extremes
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What is Vermicompost?
• Vermicompost appears to be generally superior to conventionally produced compost in a number of important ways
• Vermicompost is superior to most composts as an inoculant in the production of composts tea;
• Worms have a number of other apossible uses on farms, including value as a high-quality animal feed;
• Vermicomposting and vermiculture offer potential to organic farmers as sources of supplemental income.
Facts about Worms / African Night Crawler
• There are 4000 kinds of earthworm known to humanity but nowadays only 10-15 are used as vermicultures in different countries.
• Many species grow to a length of only a few centimeters, but some tropical species attain a length of up to 3.3 m (11 ft).
• They are hermaphrodite and some species live for ten years or longer.
• Produce most cocoons over a period of 20 weeks
• Peak biomass at 10-12 weeks and began to lose wt at 14 weeks
• Peak cocoon production after 10 weeks
• The optimum temperature for growth and survival is 25C but they died at temperatures below 9C and above 30C.
• The moisture content for optimal growth is 80-50% MC, with considerable decreases in growth at 70-90%MC.
• All species are very sensitive to ammonia and cannot survive long in organic wastes containing much ammonia (e.g., fresh poultry manure)
• They are tolerant to pH but given a choice, they prefer more acid material, with an apparent pH of 5.0
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