COMPETENCY-BASED LEARNING MATERIALS ON PRODUCING ORGANIC FERTILIZER

COMPETENCY-BASED LEARNING MATERIALS
Sector : Agriculture and Fishery
Organic Agriculture Production NC II

Qualification Title :
Unit of Competency : Produce Organic Fertilizer
Module Title : Producing Organic Fertilizer
SURALLAH NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL SCHOOL

Surallah, South Cotabato
SUNAS-TESDA Document No.

Date Developed:
Issued by:
June 2015
Page 1 of 18
Organic Agriculture
Production NC II Developed by:
Producing Organic Fertilizer Hope P. Esparagosa
Ronnie T. Galera Revision # 00
HOW TO USE THIS COMPETENCY BASED LEARNING MATERIAL
Welcome to the module in Organic Agriculture Production NC II. This
module contains training materials and activities for you to complete.
You are required to go through a series of learning activities in order to
complete each learning outcome of the module. In each learning outcome are
Information Sheets, Self-Checks, Operation Sheets and Job Sheets. Follow
these activities on your own. If you have questions, don’t hesitate to ask your
trainer/facilitator for assistance.
The goal of this course is the development of practical skills. To gain
these skills, you must learn basic components and terminology. For the most
part, you’ll get this information from the Information Sheets and TESDA
website www.tesda.gov.ph.
This module was prepared to help you achieve the required competency,
in Organic Agriculture Production NC II. A person who has achieved this
Qualification is competent to be:
 Organic Agriculture Farmer
 Organic Chicken Raiser
 Organic Hogs Raiser
 Organic Small Ruminants Raiser
 Organic Vegetables Farmer
 Organic Concoctions and Extracts Producer
 Organic Fertilizer Producer
This will be the source of information for you to acquire knowledge and
skills in this particular competency independently and at your own pace, with
minimum supervision or help from your instructor.

Date Developed:
Issued by:
June 2015
Page 2 of 18
Organic Agriculture
Remember to:
Work through all the information and complete the activities in each
section.
Read information sheets and complete the self-check. Suggested
references are included to supplement the materials provided in this module.
Most probably your trainer will also be your supervisor or manager.
He/she is there to support you and show you the correct way to do things.
You will be given plenty of opportunity to ask questions and practice on
the job. Make sure you practice your new skills during regular work shifts. This
way you will improve both your speed and memory and also your confidence.
Use the self-check, Operation Sheets or Job Sheets at the end of each
section to test your own progress.
When you feel confident that you have had sufficient practice, ask your
Trainer to evaluate you. The results of your assessment will be recorded in
your Progress Chart and Accomplishment Chart.

Date Developed:
Issued by:
June 2015
Page 3 of 18
Organic Agriculture
LIST OF COMPETENCIES
No. Unit of Competency Module Title Code

Core Competencies
1. Raise organic chicken Raising organic chicken AGR612301
2. Produce organic vegetables Producing organic
AGR611306
vegetables
3. Produce organic fertilizer Producing organic AGR611301
fertilizer
4. Produce organic concoctions Producing organic AGR611302
and extracts concoctions and extracts
Elective Competencies
5. Raise organic hogs Raising organic hogs AGR612302
6. Raise organic small Raising organic small
AGR612303
ruminants ruminants

Date Developed:
Issued by:
June 2015
Page 4 of 18
Organic Agriculture
MODULE CONTENT
UNIT OF COMPETENCY : PRODUCE ORGANIC FERTILIZER
MODULE TITLE : PRODUCING ORGANIC FERTILIZER
UNIT CODE : AGR611301
UNIT DESCRIPTOR : This unit covers the knowledge, skills and attitude required
to produce organic fertilizers which include tasks such as
preparing composting area and raw materials and carrying-
out composting activities and finally, harvesting of
fertilizer.
LEARNING OUTCOMES :
LO1: Prepare composting area and raw materials

LO2: Compost and harvest fertilizer
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
 Site is selected based on compost fertilizer production requirements and

 Site lay-out is prepared based on location.
 Bed is prepared in accordance with production requirements
 Materials are gather based on production requirements and PNS for organic fertilizer
 Prepare raw materials following enterprise procedure and PNS for organic fertilizer
 Appropriate composting methods are applied based on production requirements
 Compost is monitored based PNS indicators of fully decomposed fertilizer
 Quality of harvest is checked based on PNS indicators of fully decomposed fertilizer
 Processing of compost fertilizer are carried- out based on production requirement.
 Record keeping is performed according to enterprise procedure.

Date Developed:
Issued by:
June 2015
Page 5 of 18
Organic Agriculture
LEARNING EXPERIENCES
Produce organic fertilizer
Learning Activities Special Instruction

Read Information Sheet 3.1-1 If you have understood Information
Sheet 3.1-1, you may now answer
Self Check 3.1-1. If you have got
100% correct answer in this self-
check, you can now move to
Information Sheet 1.2-1. If not,
review the information sheet and go
over the self check again.
If you have understood Information

Sheet 1.2-1, you may now answer
Read Information Sheet 3.2-1 Self Check 1.2-1. If you have got
100% correct answer in this self-
check, you can now move to UC 4. If
not, review the information sheet and
go over the self check again.

Date Developed:
Issued by:
June 2015
Page 6 of 18
Organic Agriculture
Information Sheet 3.1-1
Prepare composting area and raw materials
Learning Objectives:
At the end of this module, the trainee will be able to:

 Select site is based on compost fertilizer production requirements;
 Prepare site lay-out ;
 Prepare bed in accordance with production requirements;
 Gather raw materials based on production requirements; and,
 Prepare raw materials following enterprise procedure and PNS for organic
fertilizer.
Selecting Site
Worms are livestock and should be cared for in order that they may be put to
best use. As such, select a site that would be well above the flood level,
shaded, airy and where water and raw materials are easily available. The
temperature should be about 26 degrees Celsius.
Worms are living creatures which need to be cared for and protected. They do
not have skin and die when exposed to direct sunlight. The worm
beds/containers should be shaded where it is airy. Water and raw materials
are necessary and it follows that the project, to be successful should also
include cost. If the water and the raw materials will have to be brought in at
considerable expense, the cost of production would increase and impact on the
viability of the project.

Date Developed:
Issued by:
June 2015
Page 7 of 18
Organic Agriculture
In summary, a good composting site has the following characteristics:
 Good drainage system
 Availability of water supply
 Proximity to the source of raw materials
 Accessibility of the composting site
 Area of minimum contamination
 Area with minimal sunlight
Site Lay-out
The method of housing the worms is site specific and person specific.
Conditions obtaining in one place may not be present in another. As such, the
vermiculturist should decide what is best suited for him and his place.
However, a word of caution at this point is that for first-timers, it is better to
use tried and tested methods before modification and combinations are done.
With more experience and confidence, modifications and combinations may be
instituted. The following are the options for the layout and housing type:
 Wormbins/wormbeds may be made of any material available whether
iron bars with plastic lining, old plastic basins, bamboo slats or hollow
blocks. The advantage of wormbins/wormbeds is that they are movable
and can be transferred at will. Care however should be taken that they
are properly protected from direct sunlight, too much water and natural
predators. The substrate is placed in the wormbeds where the worms
feed on them.
 Windrows are piles of substrate that are decomposed before feeding
them to the worms. They are usually about 1 meter wide and and at
least 1 meter high and can be any length desired or practicable. They
have also to be covered either by plastic material or any organic material
that will protect the substrate and ultilmately the worms from the
elements and natural predators.
 Housing structures are the best options but are also the most expensive
so will be considered when finances permit. However, if there are

Date Developed:
Issued by:
June 2015
Page 8 of 18
Organic Agriculture
abandoned structures within the site, these can be used as well for the
purpose.
 In the more developed countries where labor is expensive, some
companies opt for mechanical systems. Again, this can be explored
when the project is big enough and finances warrant this option because
while the manpower is low, the capital expenditure is high and hugely
dependent on electricity.
Bed Preparation
Prepare the bed by selecting the site that is shaded, free from predators and
near to the water source. Arrange the hollow blocks making a bed of 1m x 3m
and put bamboo stakes to strengthen the bed. Used sacks and nylon net could
be used as matting. Other materials that maybe needed in the stocking of the
bed are:
 Water and water sprinklers
 Plastic sheets to cover the bed
Gathering Raw Materials
In preparing the raw materials (substrate), it is helpful to consider the source and quality, the
carbon to nitrogen (C:N) ratio and the size of the materials.
Source and quality
In sourcing raw materials, care should be taken that one is sure of the quality
of raw materials. If using animal manure, be sure that the animals were not
dewormed as this would also deworm your project. On the other hand, the
plant source should also be free of harmful insecticides, fungicides and
herbicides which may also decimate your worm population.

Date Developed:
Issued by:
June 2015
Page 9 of 18
Organic Agriculture
The worms eat all organic waste and produce vermicast. However, the quality
of the vermicast and the speed of production is dependent on several factors.
Carbon to Nitrogen Ratio (C:N)
As previously mentioned, the desired C:N ratio is 70:30. To achieve this, more
than two (2) parts of carbon source with 1 part of nitrogen source. In the rural
setting, one may have the luxury of choosing and formulating the raw materials
for the substrate in which case, the resultant vermicast is of fertilizer quality.
At a higher ratio, the carbon and nitrogen will be locked and not easily
available to the plants. A low ratio will not be able to hold the nitrogen well
and it will volatilize easily.
Size of the materials
The smaller the materials being composted, the faster the process. While
shredding is not absolutely necessary, it is a vital factor in speeding up the
process. After gathering the raw materials, mix well and shred. Wet the mixture
so it feels like a damp sponge.

Date Developed:
Issued by:
June 2015 Page 10 of
Organic Agriculture 18
Information Sheet 3.2-1
Compost and harvest fertilizer
Learning Objectives:
 Apply appropriate composting methods;

 Monitor compost;
 Check harvest quality;
 Carry-out processing of compost fertilizer; and
 Perform record keeping.
Vermicomposting as the Appropriate Composting Method
Earthworms can be classified as real earthworms or compost worms. The real

earthworms are those which burrow deeply and are almost near impossible to culture in
captivity. They eat the soil. They do not eat compost. They are responsible for mixing the
different layers of the soil. So, when you see that the soil in your flowerpots are in mounds and
are disappearing, that is the action of the real earthworm. Their poo is in mounds or middens.
The other kind, the compost worms are those that live on the upper surface of the earth and they
eat the compost, not the earth. Their poo are granular but finer and are not in mounds. They can
be cultured and thus can be put to good use to produce vermicast. Compost worm has the
following characteristics:
 It is a true hermaphrodite. It has both the male and the female

organs but most species cannot impregnate itself. It needs a partner to become
pregnant.
 When two worms come together, they both get pregnant.
 It is perfectly evolved so that if you put several species together in a

wormbin, they do not cross breed.
 The African night crawlers when sexually mature breed every week
and the resultant cocoon/egg/capsule can produce from 2-10 worms. It was
observed that in six months, 1,000 sexually mature worms could produce
30,000 on the low side. On the high side, it can go up to 120,000.
Date Developed:
Issued by:
 One worm divided by 2 equals 1. Only the part where the vital organs
are found will regenerate. The other half will die.
 Worms are hard working, unpaid, silent and efficient workers. They
do not demand pay increases nor to form unions. There is no learning curve
for them because they work as soon as they are born. All they ask for are good
working, living and eating conditions. They eat their weight per day.
Farmers use fertilizers to make crops grow and the usual choice is
between organic or inorganic fertilizers. Inorganic fertilizers are factory
produced and store-bought while organic fertilizers are produced through
composting. The use of organic fertilizers is on the rise because people are
becoming aware that organic fertilizers are environment friendly, are safe to
handle, increase the fertility of the land, and produce better tasting fruits and
vegetables. While it is true that organic fertilizers have low amounts of major
plant nutrients, namely nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, they also have
high organic matter content and trace elements that become included as a by-
product in the process.
Vermicomposting is the production of compost with the use of

earthworms. This lowly creature which has remained unchanged since its
creation is now attracting attention worldwide. The process involved in this
vermicomposting technology is constant in that it utilizes organic waste,
whether plant and/or animal manure. The main objective however, may vary
depending upon the need at the moment. If the objective is fast production of
earthworms, this can be considered as vermiculture. If the desired product is
fertilizer, the process is called vermicomposting.
In a nutshell, we go into vermicomposting to produce fertilizer. To do

this, we have to formulate our substrate so that we get the desired carbon to
nitrogen (C:N) ratio of 70:30. We get the carbon from more than two (2) parts
grass or banana bracts and the nitrogen from 1 part animal manure or plant
source. Plant sources may be kakawate, ipil-ipil, azolla, peanut, kudzu, baging
ilog, rensoni, flamingia, mongo, etc. To increase our worm population fast, we
use animal manure, banana bracts, ipil-ipil, kakawate on a ratio mentioned
above. This is vermiculture. Either procedure produces both fertilizer and the
worm biomass however, the formulation of the substrate has to be adjusted
accordingly. Also, in most cases, the C:N ratio from vermiculture is higher and
thus may just be soil amendment albeit very good organic source.

Date Developed:
Issued by:
Decomposition Process
Stage 1: Anaerobic Decomposition
Place the substrate in containers as airtight as possible or cover it with plastic sheet. This is the
anaerobic process which is to hasten the decomposition. This is composting without air, hence
the name. This stage may last from 1 week depending upon the quantity being processed and the
size of the particles. The substrate is ready for use when the temperature has dropped to ambient
levels and you can see the appearance of white mushrooms.
Stage 2: Aerobic Decomposition
When the substrate has cooled down, place the substrate in appropriate containers or remove the
plastic sheet in the bed. This next phase is called the aerobic stage or composting with air.
Stocking Earthworms
The rate of producing vermicast is dependent on the stocking density vis-à-vis the amount of
substrate. We have observed that the worms can eat faster if the substrate is not too thick
perhaps because of easier mobility. A depth of about 4-6 inches of substrate at this stage appears
to be ideal. It has been observed that 100 kilos of substrate can be consumed within 30 days by 1
kilo of worms.
Monitoring Compost
Maintain a humidity of 80%. Protect the worms from natural predators. Birds, chickens, frogs,
mice, snakes and even pigs love to eat worms. While ants do not eat worms, they can kill your
population if left unattended. Shade the worms from direct sunlight. Worms have no skin and
can not withstand direct sunlight. Loosen the substrate gently and do not allow it to get
compacted. The constant watering of the beds will compact the substrate. Loosen the beds very
gently when needed taking care not to disturb the worms too much.
Practical Tip for Humidity: Test by squeezing a fistful of substrate. Five to seven drops of water
indicate about 80% humidity. Care should be taken that the substrate is taken from the lower
portion of the bed because the upper portion might already by dry but the lower portion is still
wet.

Date Developed:
Issued by:
Harvesting Compost
The earthworms are well mannered and polite. They do not like to live with their poo. They eat
the substrate and deposit their castings on the top. In about 6-8 weeks, the substrate that was
formerly identifiable as grass and leaves becomes transformed into granular earthy material. The
decision to harvest depends on one’s needs.
Practical tip: Compost is ready to use when it is dark brown, crumbly and has an earthy smell.
OPTIONS:
a. Pick the worms by hand and transfer them to a new wormbed. The
vermicompost may be allowed to dry in the shade for a few days and
then sifted if a finer compost is desired.
b. In the shade, pile the vermicompost in such a manner that it looks
like a pyramid. After a day, you can harvest the top part easily
because the worms have gone to the bottom of the pile. When you
reach the bottom of the pile, you can extract the worms manually.
c. Move the contents of the whole bed to one side. Fill the empty half
with new substrate. Allow the worms to move freely to the new food.
Harvest the castings left by the worms.
d. Fill an onion bag with fresh food and bury it in the middle of the
bed. After a week or so, the bag will be filled with worms which you
can empty to a new wormbed. This facilitates the gathering of most
worms.
e. If you are not ready to harvest your vermicompost which is fully
eaten by the worms, place a net on top of the bed and place a 5 cm
layer of fresh substrate on top. You can delay harvesting for about a
week (depending on the volume of worms in the bed) because the
worms will transfer to the new food. At the same time, when you are
ready to harvest, you can first remove the net with the food and you
will see that the worms have mostly transferred here.
If you are in a hurry and need the castings, scrape the top of the bed of the castings
deposited there. You run the danger though of losing the eggs which may be there
and have not yet hatched

Date Developed:
Issued by:
Dry your vermicompost in the shade only. Exposing organic fertilizer to the sun will cause it to
lose its nitrogen content. Vermicompost can be stored at 30% humidity in plastic bags. Store in
a cool place away from direct sunlight.
Practical tip: To check if it is 30% humidity, place some vermicompost in your hand and
squeeze to form a ball. Open you palm and apply some pressure with the index finger of the
other hand. If the ball breaks easily into two to three parts, that is about 30% humidity. If the
ball crumbles easily, that is less than 30%. If your finger leaves and imprint on the ball and the
ball breaks, that is more than 30%.
Characteristics of Vermicompost
Physical
Physically, the gross appearance of the vermicast is granular. It has been
observed that the bigger worms produce bigger granules. In the intestines of
the worms, the nutrients are ground and mixed. The worm excretes mucus
which coats and binds all these elements together.
This granular character will allow the plants to extract the elements they need,
as they need. It is believed that the vermicast can stay for as long as five years
in the soil. It also will not leach out because of its granular nature. Plants
respond fast to applications of vermicast and within a few days, new shoots
are observed and the leaves turn green.
Vermicompost is cool to the touch and holds three times its weight in water.
As such, the plants need less watering and can withstand longer periods
without water.
Chemical
The pH of vermicast is almost neutral and as such, it also acts to buffer the pH
of the soil to neutral.
Vermicast can be used directly on the plants at any point because it does not
burn the plant. Compost produced traditionally can not be used directly but
has to be aged properly. Vermicast is ready for use as soon as it is produced.
It is virtually impossible to overdose with vermicast.

Date Developed:
Issued by:
Vermicast has auxin, a naturally occurring hormone. This hormone is present
in the tips of plants and is responsible for the fast growth of plants. It has
been observed that especially when vermicompost is used in the soil and then
vermitea is sprayed as foliar, the growth is lush and robust.
The worms clean up whatever they eat. They also do not pass on whatever
poisons are contained in their food because they die when ingesting poison. As
such, they clean the soil and even “capture” toxins in the soil, especially heavy
metals.
Microbiological
It is living soil, full of friendly and beneficial microorganisms. These organisms
increase the fertility of the soil and protect the plants. They also awaken the
dormant microorganisms in the soil.
Some studies claim that even where there were pathogens in the substrate, the
resultant vermicast did not produce growth when cultured in the laboratory.
Some studies also claim that the vermicast also has fungicidal action.
Application of the Vermicompost
Basal
Vermicompost can also be used for basal application. Line the trenches with
vermicompost before you put in the plants. The amount put in depends on the
amount available for use. You can also put this into the pot after you have put
in some soil but before you put in the plant.
Top Dressing
You can use vermicast as top dressing. You can place about 50 gms on top of
the soil in a small 15 cm pot and work in the vermicast into the soil. This
should keep the plants happy for about half the year.
Potting Mix
Vermicompost can also be incorporated into the potting medium. One part
vermicompost plus one part good garden soil and one part carbonized rice

Date Developed:
Issued by:
hulls is a very good potting medium for most plants, generally. This potting
medium can also be used for seedling trays or to germinate seeds. If a lighter
medium is desired, add more carbonized rice hulls.
Basal and Foliar Fertilizer

Basal fertilizer is applied on the soil before planting while foliar fertilizer is
applied on and underneath the leaves. Both types contain macro and
micronutrients and have microorganisms. Plants can absorb foliar fertilizer
than basal fertilizer.
Organic Fertilizer vs. Chemical-based Fertilizer

Properties of Organic Fertilizer Chemical-based Fertilizer
Soil
Improves structure by Destroy soil structure
adjusting the (massive)
arrangement of soil
particles
Physical Soil become porous Soil become compact and hard
Property due to fillers present in the
material
For light textured soil, it No contribution on the
increases water holding improvement of the water
capacity while for heavy holding capacity of the soil
textured soil, easy to
drain
Adds organic macro and No organic matter addition
micronutrients
Provides both macro and Contains 1-4 elements and
micronutirents mostly macronutrients only
Chemical
Property Improves soil pH Contributes to the acidity of
the soil
Lowers toxicity level of
micronutrients
Increases population Kills most of beneficial

Date Developed:
Issued by:
Biological density of beneficial microorganisms in the soil
Property microorganism
Promotes biodiversity
Organic fertilizers contribute to the environment by improving soil and water

conditions and promoting to the health aspects of nature and human.
Fertilizers become organic when the material is free of chemical substances,

there is presence of high organic matter content and the raw materials used
are indigenous in the locality.
To preserve the potency of organic fertilizer, the following must be observed:

-store in dry, dark and cool place
-packaging material should be lined with plastic bag
-for foliar, when aging add molasses to prolong shelf-life
Recordkeeping
To effectively monitor the production of organic fertilizer, the following

information must be recorded:
-manufacturing date
-expiry date
-quantity
-moisture content
-nutritional composition
Processing Organic Foliar Fertilizer

1. Prepare a 60-liter capacity container with aeration facility.
2. Put 50 liters of clean water in the container.
3. Aerate the water in 30 minutes.
4. Put 3 kgs. Of vermicast inside the tea bag and place inside the container.

Date Developed:
Issued by:
5. Pour 500 ml of molasses in the aerated container.
6. Add IMO (50 ml) after 30 minutes then cover.
7. Harvest after 24 hours of continuous aeration and use the prepared
foliar fertilizer within 24 hours.

Date Developed:
Issued by:

COMPETENCY-BASED LEARNING MATERIALS ON PRODUCING ORGANIC FERTILIZER

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

COMPETENCY-BASED LEARNING MATERIALS ON PRODUCING ORGANIC FERTILIZER

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

COMPETENCY-BASED LEARNING MATERIALS

Sector : Agriculture and Fishery

Organic Agriculture Production NC II

Unit of Competency : Produce Organic Fertilizer

Module Title : Producing Organic Fertilizer

SURALLAH NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL SCHOOL

SUNAS-TESDA Document No.

SUNAS-TESDA Document No.

SUNAS-TESDA Document No.

No. Unit of Competency Module Title Code

SUNAS-TESDA Document No.

UNIT OF COMPETENCY : PRODUCE ORGANIC FERTILIZER

MODULE TITLE : PRODUCING ORGANIC FERTILIZER

UNIT CODE : AGR611301

LO1: Prepare composting area and raw materials

 Site is selected based on compost fertilizer production requirements and

SUNAS-TESDA Document No.

Produce organic fertilizer

Learning Activities Special Instruction

If you have understood Information

SUNAS-TESDA Document No.

At the end of this module, the trainee will be able to:

SUNAS-TESDA Document No.

SUNAS-TESDA Document No.

Gathering Raw Materials

Source and quality

SUNAS-TESDA Document No.

Carbon to Nitrogen Ratio (C:N)

Size of the materials

SUNAS-TESDA Document No.

 Apply appropriate composting methods;

Vermicomposting as the Appropriate Composting Method

Earthworms can be classified as real earthworms or compost worms. The real

 It is a true hermaphrodite. It has both the male and the female

 When two worms come together, they both get pregnant.

 It is perfectly evolved so that if you put several species together in a

Vermicomposting is the production of compost with the use of

In a nutshell, we go into vermicomposting to produce fertilizer. To do

SUNAS-TESDA Document No.

Stage 1: Anaerobic Decomposition

Stage 2: Aerobic Decomposition

SUNAS-TESDA Document No.

SUNAS-TESDA Document No.

SUNAS-TESDA Document No.

Application of the Vermicompost

SUNAS-TESDA Document No.

Basal and Foliar Fertilizer

Organic Fertilizer vs. Chemical-based Fertilizer

SUNAS-TESDA Document No.

Organic fertilizers contribute to the environment by improving soil and water

Fertilizers become organic when the material is free of chemical substances,

To preserve the potency of organic fertilizer, the following must be observed:

To effectively monitor the production of organic fertilizer, the following

Processing Organic Foliar Fertilizer

SUNAS-TESDA Document No.

SUNAS-TESDA Document No.

You might also like