Compost vs Worm Castings
Today we compare compost vs worm castings. Many people are confused when presented with the idea of worm castings and how they differ from everyday compost.
In today’s blog, we will define what compost is and its benefits and compare that with what worm castings are and their benefits. I will then share which may be of the greatest benefit to you, your goals, and your lifestyle.
Let’s jump in!
What is compost?
Compost is decomposed organic matter.
Composting, even without worms, is the process of decomposing organic materials using oxygen and microbes, which break down plant materials to create humus. Composting can be done at home with an outdoor compost bin, or at the commercial and municipal levels in large-scale facilities that include a tumbler and windrow systems.
What are the benefits of compost?
Composting is an excellent way to reuse organic waste and reduce your household’s environmental impact. Composting can also be done on a large scale to help with food production, habitat restoration, and land management. Compost has many benefits for the environment, humans, and animals.
The benefits of compost:
- Reducing greenhouse gases by returning carbon dioxide into the earth’s atmosphere
- Improving soil quality for plants
- Reducing water usage by retaining water in the soil from rain or irrigation
What are worm castings?
Worm castings are a type of soil amendment that is made from worm excrement and other organic material.
It is important to note that worm castings are not the same as compost or manure. Worm castings have a higher concentration of nutrients than compost or manure because worms eat the food and then excrete it, which makes it more potent.
What are the benefits of worm castings?
The benefits of vermicomposting are that it can help improve soil quality by adding valuable nutrients to the soil. Worms also aerate the soil and make it easier for water to penetrate into the ground.
Worm castings are great for gardeners and those who want to grow their own food, but they can also be used in agriculture to help crops grow more efficiently.
Should I use compost or worm castings?
Composting requires more time than vermicomposting because it needs a lot more time for the microorganisms to break down the organic matter into compost.
However, you don’t need to be as careful with a general compost bin. As time will often break down almost anything. Another benefit of compost over worm castings is that you can use compost as a mulch to suppress weeds and provide nutrients in the garden.
On the other hand vermicomposting takes less time because there are no external forces involved in breaking down the organic matter.
It is possible to have a vermicomposting system indoors, but it’s best to use an outdoor system that includes a bin, worm bedding, and drainage holes.
If you want to start vermicomposting here is where to buy compost worms.
Summary compost vs worm castings
Overall, there are a lot of similarities between compost vs worm castings. Compost is the breakdown of organic matter over time through the use of microbes and bacteria. Worm castings are the excrement of the worm, which is nutrient-dense. Compost can help you cover a large area with nutrients, and worm castings can give you a powerful punch of nutrients in a small area.
