What is vermicompost?
A. The terms vermicompost and worm castings have been used interchangeably to identify the resulting worm-worked material produced by earthworms. While the term castings identifies the worm’s excreta, or worm manure as it has been called, the term vermicompost allows for the presence of material left undigested by earthworms in the harvested product. This material may include fibrous, woody material from feedstocks as well as earthworm cocoons and inert materials such as rocks, glass, metal, plastic, etc. Castings seems to be the term of choice among industry personnel throughout North America, while vermicompost seems to be the preferred designation within the scientific community. While vermicompost seems to be a term of greater precision, at least two arguments for calling worm-worked material castings have been advanced. First, in the case of feedstocks applied that are nearly entirely digestible to earthworms after complete decomposition has taken place, and where a fine granular
