The Romans used worms to compost over 2,000 years ago and 100 years ago Charles Darwin held composting worms in high esteem. Today vermicomposting is creeping back into mainstream consciousness as more home composters bring red wigglers into their homes, apartments and backyards.

These aren’t just ordinary worms: a redworm can compost its own weight in a day, reproduce every week or so (an egg capsule with 20 offspring) and don’t mind being tossed around.

Seattle, Washington’s Jackie Mansfield began feeding her garbage to redworms 15 years ago and today, their descendants are still creating their “black gold” for her geraniums. In this video, she showed us how she gives her worms their weekly meal and prepares their new bed after harvesting.