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Worm casting Vs composting comparison and different uses in USA

Worm casting and compost both are organic methods of gardening or used in lawns. It becomes confusing sometimes how worm casting and compost work differently in the soil and even have many similar properties. Also, questions were raised in mind regarding their role in the soil. Let's understand all the perspectives on compost and worm casting

Worm castings Vs Composting

Fundamentally, there is the only difference between worm casting and composting is that we use to allow natural organisms to decompose biomass to make compost and in worm casting, we use earthworms knowingly in large numbers to decompose the organic material. 

Worm casting Vs compost in USA

Let's understand the basics of these two then we'll understand how they are similar and different from each other in many senses. 

What is worm casting?

Worm casting is nothing different than vermicompost. Earthworms decompose organic materials by digesting and releasing them as their digestion waste. This is highly organic and fertile for crops and plants. 

It turns organic material into black and powdery decomposed form. 

What is compost?

Compost is decomposed form of organic materials, waste, grass clippings, egg shells, dry leaves, wooden scratches, cow dung, chicken manure, etc. We don't use any worms, insects, or any other pest to decompose knowingly for decomposition.

When we mix these materials, they start to get decompose with time. The final product is very different than the mixture. It is quite brown and blackish, powdery, and slightly moist sometimes. 

I know, it confused you all till now to differentiate compost and worm casting. Let's discuss things more precisely. 

Role of worm casting in soil

Worm casting uses to make soil rich, and increases fertility, and overall productivity as well. Even in non-agricultural lands, we can use worm casting to transform the soil texture and fertility. 

If there is a mistake in the formation of worm casting, it will not backfire but remain ineffective with soil.  

Role of compost in soil

The role of Compost is slightly different from worm casting. Where worm casting helps to improve overall soil quality for a long time, compost improves the soil quality for short period. 

Component wise compost and worm casting consist of similar biomass. 

How different are compost and worm casting?

With almost similar biomass, compost and worm casting have some major differences from each other. Following are the main differences between worm casting and compost- 

  • Spacing required

For worm casting, one needs a longer and wider space to make biomass beds. It is not suitable to make things in a single large container. To make vermicompost, you need long and short containers than you need for making compost. Also, you can make compost in a bin. Generally, we can even make compost as a large heap in a very small space in a large amount than vermicompost. 

  • Cost of making

The cost of worm casting is slightly larger than the making of compost. You can understand it as you need particular containers or spacing with extra cost of quality earthworms. Apart from additional cost, both methods cost the same for biomass. 

This cost difference is not huge by the way. For small garden purposes, small agricultural fields, and lawns, the cost difference is not huge but to make things at a large scale(for more than an acre), this cost makes a big difference. 

  • Time to prepare

It depends on the rate of decomposing the biomass. Where earthworms decompose it easier and faster than organic compost and take up to 3 months maximum. 

In my backyard, I followed the process carefully and I found it varies with time to make compost. Sometimes, it gets decomposes faster just in a couple of weeks, and sometimes it takes 6 to 10 months to decompose fully and turn into a brown blackish powdery compost. 

  • Process of making 

For a beginner, compost-making is quite easier than making vermicompost. It is not that they can't do it but they often do mistakes while caring for and choosing the right earthworms. 

Most of the time, we let the composting rest for longer without adding or managing it but in the case of vermicompost/worm casting, you may need some changes and arrangements. 

Like every challenging thing, things become more complex with more information until we don't reach a deciding point. the same principle applies to worm casting and compost. 

Similarities between compost and worm casting 

Despite some fundamental differences, compost and worm casting have some similarities as follows- 

  • The fundamental component biomass is the same for both compost and worm casting. You can start this process with organic waste, dry grass clippings, dry leaves, soil, etc. 
  • Both processes happen with the decomposition of such biomass organic materials. It doesn't matter what factors involve in this process but they follow decomposition. 
  • Both compost and worm casting is easy to practice at home even in a non-agricultural land. It is not a difficult or complex thing that can't be done by beginners. 

Disadvantages of compost and worm casting

Well, with huge organic benefits to soil and crop production, there are some complementary disadvantages of compost and worm casting as well- 

  • If you have an urgent need in a particular season and you don't have left any vermicompost or compost then it is very difficult to prepare these both fast to use in the same season. Both are time-consuming processes even though they are easy to practice. 
  • In a comparison of market organic fertilizers, worm casting and compost are both required in a huge biomass even for a small place. 
  • With huge biomass, you need proper spacing to store and prepare the worm casting and organic compost.
  • Without selecting quality materials and a decomposer, you can't make this decomposition successful.  

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