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Provides technical information on vermicompost and also supplies worms and manure
Rains are reducing creating a constant threat of dry spell. Amidst all the water scarcity worries vermicompost provides some relief to the farmers! It has the ability to hold upto nine times its own weight in water. The water is held at an organic level so tends to evaporate slowly while still being available to the plants. This can make a huge difference when there is a drought condition. Mr. Ambareesh, fondly called as Earthworm Consultant is available to provide all necessary help for vermicompost set up.
Mr. Ambareesh
On 6 acres land Bangalore based Mr. Ambareesh has constructed 26 tanks for vermicomposting. He uses a low cost procedure for composting. Tank with a slope of 2 inches having outlet is constructed. It also has a canal of 0.5ft wide and 2ft depth. It is filled with water to avoid rats and ants. In the tank the first layer must be 1 inch cow dung followed by coconut leaves, arecanut leaves, maize stalk, Millettiapinnata leaves, jack fruit leaves, banyan leaves and weeds like parthenium. “Millettiapinnata is used in excess because it accelerates the production of worms. With coconut, arecanut and maize more potash is produced in the manure. Parthenium along with agri waste is added before seeds are formed,” he informs.
Three layers of cow dung and other wastes are added in alternate layers. It is left for decomposing. Natural decomposing is done with cow dung and water for 20 days. Water is sprinkled from time-to-time to retain the moisture. “If green raw waste is added in the tank then the temperature rises due to the production of carbon dioxide and worms die. Hence do not add green raw waste and soil much in the tank. After the tank is full, add another 2inches of cow dung on the top and cover with wet gunny bag. We put 4 pots of water once in 3days for 15days. After 15days the layers are mixed from bottom to top. After mixing thoroughly, we will add water and 5kgs of worms and again covered with 2inches of cow dung,” he explains.
The tank is once again covered with wet gunny bags. It creates darkness inside the tank to facilitate the worms to eat food day and night. The darkness helps in laying eggs too. “One worm lays approximately 60-75eggs per day. Every single egg leads to 2-3 young ones. If we put 5kgs worms, in 3months it multiplies 4 times or even more!” he elaborates the process of vermicompost. Preferably the compost should be sold without filtering. If sold with the worms in it then soil fertility is improved immensely.
Earthworm ‘EudrilusEuginie’ is better than ‘EiseniaFetida. Amongst the two EudrilusEuginie turns the waste into manure in less time and can easily be transported for more than 2 hours journey easily.
Speaking about the time taken to breakdown the organic waste into compost, he says, “In the tank of 20ft long, 4ft wide and 3ft high, with 5kgs of worms, within 1 month, 2tons of compost is prepared. If worms are more in number then composting requires less time. For the first time, it requires 3 months irrespective of worm count because we have to decompose the raw materials. 1acre produces 5tons compost.”
A prior training is recommended for the farmers before practicing vermicompost. If farmer produces and sell vermicompost in his name then income is tax free but if sold under company name the income is taxable. Vermicompost is useful for turning alkaline soil into fertile soil. “Many crops do need pesticide or insecticide however vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower, strawberry and beans are difficult to grow purely through natural farming practices. I have grown tomatoes organically using only vermicompost with bio fertilizers etc. The results attained were phenomenal,” he adds.
When asked on farmers still using inorganic fertilizers he highlights, “Farmers do not use vermicompost wholeheartedly. They are not dedicated! They are provided Rs. 10, 000 for the bricks, cement, labour etc to make tanks. They are even given assistance to construct the tanks and practice vermicomposting. Two years I guided the farmers on the entire process but after the project was over farmers left it! Out of 100 farmers only 10 would continue it!”
In future, Mr. Ambareesh plans to manufacture and supply vermicompost manure under brand name of his company Raitha Mitra Agrotech.
Earthworms gave the name and fame to Mr. R. Ambareesh, 31, that no formal education promises. He is known in different parts of Karnataka for his profound expertise on turning waste into manure through vermicomposting. “It all started with a formal training on vermicompost from the GKVK. They had constructed tanks for me and gave 2 kg earthworms free of cost. I was asked to carry out the process in 10ft long, 4ft wide and 4ft height tank. Then it expanded to training the farmers in the state followed by farmers all over India and also in foreign countries namely Sri Lanka, Thailand and USA,” he adds.
Mr. Ambareesh delivers lectures and provides hands-on training to youth/farmers/learners across agricultural universities within Karnataka, other Indian states and overseas. Apart from vermicompost he is also trained in apiculture.
Contact Details:
Mr. R. Ambareesh
S/o Ramachandrappa, GKVK, TapassiHalli, Antharahalli Anche, Tubagere Hobli, DoddaballapurTaluk, Bangalore – 561203
Phone: 9242531868
Rains are reducing creating a constant threat of dry spell. Amidst all the water scarcity worries vermicompost provides some relief to the farmers! It has the ability to hold upto nine times its own weight in water. The water is held at an organic level so tends to evaporate slowly while still being available to the plants. This can make a huge difference when there is a drought condition. Mr. Ambareesh, fondly called as Earthworm Consultant is available to provide all necessary help for vermicompost set up.
Mr. Ambareesh
On 6 acres land Bangalore based Mr. Ambareesh has constructed 26 tanks for vermicomposting. He uses a low cost procedure for composting. Tank with a slope of 2 inches having outlet is constructed. It also has a canal of 0.5ft wide and 2ft depth. It is filled with water to avoid rats and ants. In the tank the first layer must be 1 inch cow dung followed by coconut leaves, arecanut leaves, maize stalk, Millettiapinnata leaves, jack fruit leaves, banyan leaves and weeds like parthenium. “Millettiapinnata is used in excess because it accelerates the production of worms. With coconut, arecanut and maize more potash is produced in the manure. Parthenium along with agri waste is added before seeds are formed,” he informs.
Three layers of cow dung and other wastes are added in alternate layers. It is left for decomposing. Natural decomposing is done with cow dung and water for 20 days. Water is sprinkled from time-to-time to retain the moisture. “If green raw waste is added in the tank then the temperature rises due to the production of carbon dioxide and worms die. Hence do not add green raw waste and soil much in the tank. After the tank is full, add another 2inches of cow dung on the top and cover with wet gunny bag. We put 4 pots of water once in 3days for 15days. After 15days the layers are mixed from bottom to top. After mixing thoroughly, we will add water and 5kgs of worms and again covered with 2inches of cow dung,” he explains.
The tank is once again covered with wet gunny bags. It creates darkness inside the tank to facilitate the worms to eat food day and night. The darkness helps in laying eggs too. “One worm lays approximately 60-75eggs per day. Every single egg leads to 2-3 young ones. If we put 5kgs worms, in 3months it multiplies 4 times or even more!” he elaborates the process of vermicompost. Preferably the compost should be sold without filtering. If sold with the worms in it then soil fertility is improved immensely.
Earthworm ‘EudrilusEuginie’ is better than ‘EiseniaFetida. Amongst the two EudrilusEuginie turns the waste into manure in less time and can easily be transported for more than 2 hours journey easily.
Speaking about the time taken to breakdown the organic waste into compost, he says, “In the tank of 20ft long, 4ft wide and 3ft high, with 5kgs of worms, within 1 month, 2tons of compost is prepared. If worms are more in number then composting requires less time. For the first time, it requires 3 months irrespective of worm count because we have to decompose the raw materials. 1acre produces 5tons compost.”
A prior training is recommended for the farmers before practicing vermicompost. If farmer produces and sell vermicompost in his name then income is tax free but if sold under company name the income is taxable. Vermicompost is useful for turning alkaline soil into fertile soil. “Many crops do need pesticide or insecticide however vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower, strawberry and beans are difficult to grow purely through natural farming practices. I have grown tomatoes organically using only vermicompost with bio fertilizers etc. The results attained were phenomenal,” he adds.
When asked on farmers still using inorganic fertilizers he highlights, “Farmers do not use vermicompost wholeheartedly. They are not dedicated! They are provided Rs. 10, 000 for the bricks, cement, labour etc to make tanks. They are even given assistance to construct the tanks and practice vermicomposting. Two years I guided the farmers on the entire process but after the project was over farmers left it! Out of 100 farmers only 10 would continue it!”
In future, Mr. Ambareesh plans to manufacture and supply vermicompost manure under brand name of his company Raitha Mitra Agrotech.
Earthworms gave the name and fame to Mr. R. Ambareesh, 31, that no formal education promises. He is known in different parts of Karnataka for his profound expertise on turning waste into manure through vermicomposting. “It all started with a formal training on vermicompost from the GKVK. They had constructed tanks for me and gave 2 kg earthworms free of cost. I was asked to carry out the process in 10ft long, 4ft wide and 4ft height tank. Then it expanded to training the farmers in the state followed by farmers all over India and also in foreign countries namely Sri Lanka, Thailand and USA,” he adds.
Mr. Ambareesh delivers lectures and provides hands-on training to youth/farmers/learners across agricultural universities within Karnataka, other Indian states and overseas. Apart from vermicompost he is also trained in apiculture.
Contact Details:
Mr. R. Ambareesh
S/o Ramachandrappa, GKVK, TapassiHalli, Antharahalli Anche, Tubagere Hobli, DoddaballapurTaluk, Bangalore – 561203
Phone: 9242531868