Crop advice is only as good as its source. This guide gives the figures from ICAR, TNAU, KAU and the National Centre of Organic and Natural Farming where they exist, and says plainly where none was found.
Crop by crop
| Crop | What the published guidance says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tomato, chilli, brinjal | Base: 25 t/ha FYM or compost. Top-dress: 1 t/ha vermicompost (100 g per square metre). Option: vermiwash, 500 L/ha at 8 times dilution | KAU, in the NCONF package |
| Mango | Planting pit: 20 kg FYM and 5 kg vermicompost, with Azospirillum and phosphobacteria. Bearing trees: 10 to 20 kg of organic manure, vermicompost included | NCONF, from IIHR |
| Banana | Per pit: 2 kg vermicompost and 10 kg FYM or compost, with lime and cake as listed in the schedule | NCONF |
| Roses (field) | FYM, 10 kg per plant after pruning, with NPK. No vermicompost figure is given | TNAU |
| Citrus | Organic citrus rests mainly on compost. Apply 2 to 4 weeks before flowering. No vermicompost dose is given | NCONF |
| Lawns | No Indian figure. Oregon State suggests a compost top-dressing of 6 to 13 mm | OSU Extension |
Tomatoes and chillies
These are the best documented. The base of FYM or compost builds the soil, and the vermicompost goes on top at about 100 g per square metre. In a pot, the same idea becomes a mix with 10 to 20 percent vermicompost and a handful every month.
Roses
TNAU's rule for roses grown in the field is 10 kg of FYM per plant after pruning, with fertiliser. It gives no vermicompost figure. Vermicompost generally carries more nitrogen than FYM by weight, so a smaller amount may do the same job, but that is reasoning and not a published rate. For a rose in a pot, start from the pot rate and watch the plant.
Mango, banana and citrus
Fruit trees take their organic matter in the pit and again as a yearly feed. NCONF gives pit figures for mango and banana. For citrus it advises compost applied two to four weeks before flowering, because the nitrogen in compost is released slowly, and says that where the crop needs more than about 50 kg of nitrogen per hectare, compost alone is not enough.
Lawns
A thin layer works down through the grass. Oregon State's compost guidance is a top-dressing of 6 to 13 mm. We found no Indian rate for vermicompost on lawns, so use that as a limit and water it in.
Common questions
Is vermicompost good for tomato plants?
Yes. KAU's schedule for tomato, chilli and brinjal uses it as a top-dressing at 1 tonne per hectare on top of a base of FYM or compost.
Can I use vermicompost on roses every month?
For potted roses a handful every 30 to 45 days follows the standard pot rate. No Indian source gives a rose-specific vermicompost figure, so adjust by how the plant looks.
How much vermicompost for a lemon or citrus tree?
No citrus-specific vermicompost dose was found in Indian university sources. NCONF advises compost two to four weeks before flowering for organic citrus.
Can I put vermicompost on my lawn?
Yes, as a thin top-dressing worked in with water. Oregon State's compost guidance is 6 to 13 mm. No Indian vermicompost rate for lawns was found.
When should I apply vermicompost to a mango tree?
NCONF's schedule puts 5 kg in the planting pit with FYM, and gives 10 to 20 kg of organic manure, vermicompost included, to bearing trees.
Terms in this guide
Sources
- National Centre of Organic and Natural Farming: organic package of practices for horticultural crops (2022)
- Kerala Agricultural University: package of practices, vermicompost
- Tamil Nadu Agricultural University: vermicompost
- Tamil Nadu Agricultural University: rose
- Tamil Nadu Agricultural University: mango
- Oregon State University Extension: using compost
- ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region: vermicompost production and practices