What is the difference between vermicompost and regular compost?

While both vermicompost and regular compost have their own merits and limitations, it is a general belief that vermicompost is better than regular compost. Some of these merits and limitations are listed below:

• The enzymatic response is greater in vermicompost compared to regular compost.
• Vermicomposting has a higher rate of microbial activity compared to regular compost.
• Size of vermicompost is less than 20 microns.
• Compared to regular compost, vermicompost contains more nutrients. It is concentrated with high levels of phosphorous and nitrogen.
• Compost Tea is formed when the liquid beneath vermicompost bin is diluted with water. This provides a nutrient rich drink for established plants. Regular composting does not form any such liquid.

Other differences between vermicompost and regular composts are listed as follows:
Differences in Chemical and Physical Properties

	MC	MV	BV
pH	9.2	8.7	7.7
EC	0.8	0.51	1.2
Moisture (%)	44	51	52
Organic Matter	20	24	21
Total Nutrients (g Kg-1)
N	8.6	10.8	8.5
P	4.8	7.0	6.2
K	5.3	5.6	8.2
Available Nutrients
NH4+-N	7.3	25.2	7.1
NH3--N	90	203	527
Extractable P	127	207	247
Maturity Indexes
Total C / Total N	11.7	11.1	12.4
WSC (g Kg-1	3	1.9	2.5
WSC / Total N	0.35	0.17	0.29
Fecal Coliform (MPN g (g Kg-1)	28	80	80

MC = Municipal Compost
MV = Municipal Vermicompost
BV = Backyard Vermicompost
EC = Electrical Conductivity
WSC = Water Soluble Carbon
MPN = Most Probable Number Differences in Biological and Biochemical Properties

	MC	MV	BV
Urease (μmol NH4+g-1h-1)	3.54	3.90	6.11
BAA - Protease (μmol NH4+g-1h-1)	0.31	0.96	1.83
Phosohatase (μmol PNP g-1h-1)	237	398	676
Dehyrdrogenase (μg INTFg-1)	193	123	77
Microbial Biomass C (μg C g-1)	1147	703	335

* Data for tables taken from : Composting vs Vermicomposting: A Comparison of End Product Quality [Composting Science & Utilization, (2005), Vol. 13, No.1, 6-13]