Compost feeds the soil and fertilizer feeds the plants. Fertilizer adds to the soil’s nutrient supply, but instead of feeding the soil food web, the ingredients in fertilizers are intended to meet the needs of fast-growing plants.
Fertilizer can be natural or synthetic, whereas composts is genereated from a controlled biological decomposition.
Compost is sanitized and stabilized product beneficial to plant growth. Although it contains plant nutrients it is not characterized as a fertilizer.

There are mainly two types.
Organic fertilizers, which are made from natural materials such as manure, compost, and peat moss etc. and the other is Inorganic fertilizers which are made from chemicals such as nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K).

Vermicompost is defined as organic matter of plant and / or animal origin consisting mainly of finely-divided earthworm castings (worms excreta), produced with biooxidation and stabilization of the organic material.
The vermicastings contain nutrients and are rich manure for the plants. Vermicompost improves the soil structure leading to increase in water and nutrient holding capacities of soil.
Fruits, flowers and vegetables and other plant products grown using vermicompost have better keeping quality and are much healthier. More and more number of people are taking interest in the production of vermicompost utilizing earthworm activity.

Soil is a natural body and is the skin of the earth. It contains mineral, organics and live microorganisms.
Soil performs important functions like being a medium for plant growth; means of water storage, supply and purification; habitat for organisms and even as a modifier of earth atmosphere.
To understand the suitability of soil with respect to farming fertility and other aspects and to plan for soil improvement, the first step is to test soil for its intended application.

Soil samples should be analyzed to determine nutrient content, composition, and other characteristics such as the acidity or pH level of the media to make it suitable for the desired crop pattern.
Testing helps optimize crop production, protects the environment from contamination by runoff and leaching of excess fertilizers, helps diagnose plant culture problems, to improve the nutritional balance of the growing media and optimize fertilizer needed.
It also indicates potential nutrient deficiencies, pH imbalance or excess soluble salts. This is particularly important for farmers to decide the media mix. Media testing during the growing season is an important tool for managing crop nutrition and soluble salts levels.