Question

We should not add wastes containing salts, pickles, oil, vinegar, meat and milk products in the vermicomposting pit to feed the redworms. Why?

Answer 1

Hint: The decomposition of vegetable and food waste, bedding materials and vermicast with the help of various species of worms like red worms, white worms and other earthworms to produce humus-like material known as vermin-compost is called vermicomposting.

Complete Answer:
- The redworms consume the kitchen wastes left for vermicomposting in the vermicomposting pit as food.
- These worms can eat food equal to its own body weight in a day’s time and if proper care is taken, these worms can grow double in number within a month’s time.
- The factors affecting the growth and survival of these worms include very hot and very cold surroundings as well as moisture.
- Addition of wastes containing salts, pickles, oil, vinegar, meat and milk products hinder the ambient conditions of the vermicomposting pit and also lead to the growth of pathogenic bacteria in the pit thereby, not allowing the red worms to do their work as a result disabling the production of good vermicompost.
- Therefore, these wastes should not be added to the vermicomposting pit as feed to the redworms.

Note: Red worms do not have teeth instead, they have a structure called ‘gizzard’ which helps them to grind their food. Addition of powdered egg shells or seashells into the vermicomposting mix allows for efficient grinding of the waste by these worms.