6. List the steps for preparing vermicompost.

(i) Dig a pit about 30 cm deep or select a wooden box. (ii) Spread a net or chicken mesh at the bottom .of pit or box. You can also spread 1 to 2 cm thick layer of sand. (iii)Spread some vegetable wastes including peels of fruits over the sand layer. You can use green leaves, husk or pieces of newspaper, dried stalks of plants and dried animal dung. (iv) Sprinkle some water to make the layer wet. Do not (a)Use excess of water (b)Press layer of leaves or waste so that it has sufficient air and moisture, (v) Now, buy some redworms and put them in the pit. (vi) Cover them loosely with a gummy bag or an old sheet of cloth or a layer of grass. (vii) Redworms need food. So you can provide them as food—vegetable and fruit peels, coffee and tea remains and weeds from the field or garden. Bury this food about 2-3 cm inside the pit. (viii) Do not put salt, pickles, oil, vinegar, meat and milk preparations. This may cause growth of disease-causing organisms. Redworms do not survive in very hot or very cold surroundings. (ix) After 3-4 weeks, put some waste food in one comer of the pit. Most of the worms will shift towards newly added food. (x) Remove the compost from the vacated part and dry it in the sun for a few hours. The vermicompost becomes ready for use.