The Effects of Certain Diets on Eisenia fetida and the

Soil They Inhabit

Amelia Bennett

Introduction Materials and Methods Conclusion

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Eisenia fetida (Red Wigglers) Water

The research knowledge gained here shows adds to the body of research to ●
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(6) 10-inch flowerpot
1/3 cup ●
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Coffee grounds
Egg shells ⬜ pH

efficiently use vermiculture to grow crops. Vermiculture offers the potential for ●
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½ cup
Soil ●
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Banana
Strawberry ▪ Pot 1- The pH of pot 1 was most likely caused by the fact that eggshells are acidic and dissolve some of the acids of the soil

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Apples Scale

farmers and lower income communities to utilize natural fertilizer produced by ● ●

Carrots Cups
Pots 3&4- Below the recommended pH of 6.0-7.0
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Cereal pH test strips

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Leaves NPK test kit

earthworms which will be more economical and help the environment. The purpose Teaspoon

of this experiment is to evaluate the effects of varying diets on both the worm’s
Method(s)
1. ⬜ Nitrogen

▪
Place soil in each pot, water soil, pat soil down, fill to ¾ full (919g) Label pots by the diet the worms will eat (grain, fruit, vegetable, eggshell, coffee grounds, leaves)
2. Weigh paper cup in grams on a scale. Write mass of cup. Repeat for three other paper cups

reproduction and the pH, nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium levels in the soil. 3. Add the initial number of worms (50) to each cup
Pots 3&4- Produced the most compost because worm castings naturally contain more nitrogen

4. Weigh cups again with the worms. Write the mass of the cup and the worms. Subtract the mass of the cup from the mass of the cup and the worms. Record worm masses

The quantity of worms tunneling in the soil impacts root growth and the level of 5. Take picture to compare the appearance of the worms at the beginning verses the end of the experiment
6. Add one cup of worms into a pot. Add moist potting soil to the top of the worms. Soil reaches approximately 5 cm (2 inches) from the top edge of the pot. Repeat for the other pots
⬜
7. Phosphorous

▪
Wrap each pot with a dark plastic bag. Poke air holes into the top of the bags
above noted soil nutrients impact the health and growth of plantings. 8.Store pots on drainage trays in a cool spot. Keep all pots in similar conditions
9.Create a data table for each pot and record, observations of food appearance, worm activity, and date of food additions, time of food and water additions, mass of food and water additions, special Pots 3, 4, 5, & 6 contain more phosphorous than pots 1&2

The best pH for composting worms is between 6.0 and 7.0. notes
10.Place food under the newspaper every 2-3 days. Continue using this amount of food until the three-week recount. Add water as needed. Place dark plastic bag back over the pot
They generally can thrive in a variety of temperatures but, the ideal temperature is 11.Continue to record date and mass of food and water added ⬜
12.Analyze soil acidity, relative levels of potassium, nitrogen, and phosphorous from original untreated soil Potassium

between 55-77° Fahrenheit.
Usually, the average weight of a Red Worm/Red Wiggler is 0.5g.
Red Wigglers can eat anything ranging from fruits and vegetables to coffee grounds
13.Check every 2-3 days, add water as needed. Make sure most food has disappeared before adding more. Experiment will be run from when I obtain the worms through to November 30th, 2022
14.Track worm health and activity by moving the food out of the way and seeing if there are any worms directly under it ▪ Pot 5- Dry leaves contain 0.5% potassium
15.Count the number of worms for each pot as they are placed in the cup
16.Record changes in mass of the worms in each pot compared to the beginning of the experiment
17.Take pictures for tri-board ⬜
18.Analyze soil acidity and levels of phosphorous, nitrogen, and potassium. Record acidity and levels Population

and filters! They cannot eat things like dairy, meat, cooked foods (high oil and salt
19.Conclude
Experimental Set Up ▪ Highest to lowest final population- 3, 4, 6, 1, 2, & 5

content), citrus fruits, ‘spicy’ foods, or tomatoes.

⬜ Starting Average Weight Versus Ending Average Weight\

▪ Pot 1- +0.02

▪
Final Results
Pot 2- +0.01

▪ Pot 3- +0.02

▪ Pot 4- +0.24

▪ Pot 5- +0.1

Experimental Design ▪
Average Weight
Initial Population and Weight (g)

Average Weight Per Worm (g)

Pot Number and Food Source
Average Weight Per Worm (g)

Pot 6- +0.12
Population weight (g)

0.6
Phosphorous

Population
Potassium
Nitrogen
pH

0.5

0.4

⬜Hypothesis-The introduction of organic 50

Original

5.0
N/ wo N/ N/ N/
- L L M
A rm A A A
Weight (g)

5.5
s
0.3

vegetable waste will both increase the pH

1- Egg Shells

nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium 0.4

6
23 7.0 L M L 48 23
0.4
8
0.2

content of the soil and accelerate worm 0.1

2- Vegetables

6.0

reproduction.
0.4 0.4
23 - L M L 47 22
6 7
6.5
0
1- Egg Shells 2- Vegetables 3- Fruit 4- Cereal 5- Leaves 6- Coffee
Grounds
Pot and Food Type

⬜IV- Type of food provided Initial Average Weight Per Worm (g) Current Average Weight Per Worm (g)
3- Fruits

4.5
0.3 0.3
18 - M L M 56 21
6 8
5.0

Weight and Population

⬜DV- pH, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, 60
4- Cereal

0.3 0.5 Photo of a worm from pot 2

Potassium, Worm population growth
16 6.5 H L M 54 30
2 6
Taken by Amelia Bennett
50

⬜Controls- Type of soil, amount of soil, • .The population of the worm's fluxgate a minimal amount but, did
5- Leaves

5.5 40
0.2 0.3
Population and Weight (g)

13 - L H M 41 15
6 6
6.0

amount of water added, overall location not really change

•
30
6- Coffee Grounds

The average total weight of the worms across the experiment

and temperature, size of pots 0.2
6
13
6.0
-
6.5
L L M 50 19
0.3
8
20
went from 0.35g to 0.44g
Test Reading
Nitrogen
Test Meaning
L= 40 lb/ A/6”
10 • Considering the fact that red wiggler hatchlings are only ½ inch
M= 160 lb/ A/6”
H= 320 lb/ A/6” long and are no thicker than four human hairs (approx. 0.004
Potassium L= 40 lb/ A/6” 0
1- Egg Shells 2- Vegetables 3- Fruits 4- Cereal 5- Leaves 6- Coffee
M= 80 lb/ A/6”
H= 160 lb/ A/6” Pot and Food Type
Grounds
inches), some of the hatchlings may have not been counted
Phosphorous L= 8 lb/ A/6”
Initial Weight (g) Initial Population Current Weight (g) Current Population
M= 20 lb/ A/6”
H= 64 lb/ A/6”