Black Gold: Organic, Rich Soil
Ever wonder how to achieve the best soil? I’ll give you a hint: it’s alive.
Worms! The nutrient-rich organic matter called worm compost is best known in the garden community as Black Gold, or, the #1 secret to achieving the richest soil harvest in as little as 90 days, and then again and again until the end of time at little to no cost.
In this post, I’ll share some of the benefits of worm composting that have inspired gardeners to create their own worm projects.
Top 5 Black Gold Benefits:
It’s a fast and convenient
More nutrients than any off-the-shelf soil
Reducing landfill waste at home
Cut costs to gardening
Produce the richest soil 365 days a year
Simple set-up
One of the major perks of worm composting is the set up is fast and easy. You can set up your own worm composting bin in a single afternoon. After collecting all of your tools and supplies needed to create a bin, the assembly of a worm compost bin should take 45 minutes to one hour.
Let the worms do the work
Even if you don’t build your own bin and choose to purchase a worm factory online, worm composting doesn’t take a lot of time and effort to maintain. Unlike traditional composting where you have to physically flip your compost pile every two to seven days, the worms do the mixing for you by cycling the various nutrient components of the bin while they are burrowing. To sustain your worm buddies, feed them kitchen scraps and yard waste once a week, which shouldn’t take more than two minutes. The most time-intensive part of feeding your worms is sorting through your finished plate, which for me has become part of my usual post-meal process - 30 seconds tops!
Highly rich, organic soil
Compost will improve the health and look of any garden because the organic matter improves the existing soil. Worm compost is called ‘Black Gold’ because it has been commonly found to have higher nutrient levels than compost found in traditional garden centers. It contains the “Big 3”(nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) that gardeners commonly seek in fertilizers to give their gardens a boost and also contains trace elements and micronutrients, such as carbon, magnesium, calcium, boron, copper, boron, iodine, and manganese!
Compost 365 days a year and save our planet while you’re at it
While volunteering in the UF/IFAS Master Gardener Plant Clinics, residents often ask me what they can do to garden in Florida year-round. Worm composting is definitely one of those projects that can be done any time of year! As long as the temperature of your worm bin stays between 40 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit, worm composting can be done in any state, any time of year. The better the conditions are kept, the more the worms reproduce, maximizing your worm harvest. Every three months, the compost and castings can be harvested and used throughout the garden. Stay tuned for future blog posts on how to utilize your worm compost and castings!
If we look at the bigger global picture, vermicomposting is being seen more and more as a great project to save the environment and reduce waste. Several progressive cities, such as Oakland, California; Spokhane, Washington; Vancouver, Canada, have implemented and encourage their citizens to recycle their kitchen and yard waste with worm composting bins. Studies have shown households can cut their waste by one third by composting with worms.
Save $$$
If you’re not big on saving the planet, compost with worms for your wallet. Building your own worm bin will save you money on a worm factory that can easily cost $100 or more. Gardeners will also offset the cost of garden soil, synthetic fertilizers, and pesticides with worm composting.
The most important thing to keep in mind with garden projects is to have fun! I’ve found I look forward to checking in on my worm buddies once a week when I’m feeding them our kitchen scraps and garden clippings. Whether you want a simple compost project, healthier garden, or minimize your waste footprint, worm composting is a super fun project that doesn’t take up too much space or time.
Keep it Quirky
Gardening is about experimenting and having fun! As a beginner, you will learn a lot about finding the perfect balance for your worm buddies through experimentation. Every week you’ll find yourself (and others in your household) looking forward to checking in on your worm friends.
When I first announced to my husband I was building a worm composting bin - to say he was against it is an understatement! After a few weeks, hubby came around. Now, anytime we have company over or moment of awkwardness in a social setting, guess who’s bringing up Florida Gardenista’s worms? You guessed it - my husband.
Whether you want a simple compost project, healthier garden, or minimize your waste footprint, worm composting is a super fun project that doesn’t take up too much space or time. If you decide to build your own worm bin, I would love to hear about any new discoveries or fun stories that come from your Black Gold! Please share by emailing me at floridagardenista@gmail.com.