Worm Bedding Demystified

The wonderful world of worm bedding.  What is worm bedding anyway?  Worm bedding is the browns part of the composting equation.  Just because we’re composting with worms doesn’t mean we can skip the browns.

Worm bedding serves a few important functions:

• absorbs excess moisture in the bin
• helps keep the bin from going anaerobic
• feeds fungal growth for a balanced compost

Worm Bedding Absorbs Moisture

If you are feeding mostly or all kitchen scraps to your worm bin, then you are adding a lot of water every time you feed.  A nice, moist, even somewhat wet worm bin is a good thing.  However, if you have standing water, your system can go anaerobic.  Anaerobic means without oxygen and can kill your worms.

Adding bedding every time you feed helps absorb excess water, and keeps it from forming standing pools.  Standing pools is where you might get into trouble.

Worm Bedding Helps Keep the Bin Aerobic

Think of it like drowning.  Too much water in the bin can cut off oxygen, and low oxygen can kill worms.

But don’t overreact if you see standing water in your bin.  You may even see worms happily soaking in water pools.  Water pools can have oxygen and be completely safe.  Or, the pools can turn into a stagnant pond, go anaerobic and stink.

It’s probably best to soak up these pools with bedding if you have a plastic tub type bin.  If you have a stacking tray system, it’s okay to leave the pool at the bottom if your worms aren’t roaming around down there.  Better yet, leave the spigot open with a drain cup underneath.

Worm Bedding is Good for Fungus

Worm bedding provides lots of carbon for fungus to feed on.  Since worm compost is highly bacterial, adding some fungus food yields a more balanced compost.  A compost that has lots of fungal activity is good for fighting fungal problems such as powdery mildew and brown patch.

What Makes Good Worm Bedding?

Paper

Paper is some of the most accessible and best worm bedding.  Everyone should have some newspaper or office paper laying around.  Put it through a shredder, and you’ve got instant worm bedding.  Paper also breaks down quickly in the bin, which makes it very desirable.

Cardboard

Corrugated cardboard and cardboard egg cartons are also excellent worm bedding.  Just tear them up and you’re ready to go.  You can soak them first if they are too hard to tear.

What’s nice about corrugated and egg cartons, is that you can find some that has very little print on it.  I generally don’t worry about print, since most inks are soy based, unless it’s very bright colors.  But, if you have concerns, then go with the brown stuff, like plain cardboard and brown paper bags.

Leaves

Leaves also make a great worm bedding.  Depending on the type of leaf, they can be very slow to break down, so be warned!

Straw and Wood Chips

Straw, same as leaves, very nice bedding but can be slow to break down.  Same goes for wood chips.  Wood chips and straw both make very nice top layers for outdoor worm beds.

Peat and Coco Coir

Peat and coco coir are something you have to buy, and from a cost perspective do not make a great bedding.  Peat is acidic and is so fine it tends to clump.  I’ve had bins with peat heat up because the peat is so fine, it reacts with food very easily and heats up.  There may be times you want this to happen.  But if you don’t, I’d avoid peat.  Put it in your potting soil instead.

So, what’s you’re favorite bedding and why?