Why Are Shredded Newspapers a Good Bedding for Indoor Worm Bins?

Bedding Basics

• Red wrigglers require a layer of soft, moist bedding 4 to 8 inches thick. If you don't have enough bedding, worms won't have enough materials to move through, and may dry out or try to escape. If the layer of bedding is too thick, it will become compacted, making it difficult for the worms to move. Worms digest the bedding along with food scraps, so you'll need to add more bedding from time to time.

Preparing Bedding

• You should prepare the bedding before you add worms or food scraps to your vermicomposting bin. Rip newspaper into strips by hand or use a shredder. Prepare bedding by soaking the shredded material in water for a few minutes and wringing it out until it has the moisture of a damp sponge. Arrange the bedding loosely in the compost bin; don't pack it down. Place the worms on top of the bedding, and leave the bin uncovered for a few minutes so that the light will force the worms to burrow into the bedding.

Bedding Maintenance

• Bury food wastes in the bedding instead of placing it on top. Check your vermicomposting bin regularly, and sprinkle water on the bedding if it seems dry. If the bin seems too wet or if you notice odors or flies, add more dry bedding and stir the bedding to add oxygen. In addition, add more bedding when you harvest the finished compost. If your worms try to crawl out of the compost bin, your bedding is probably too dry or too wet.

Other Bedding Options

• Shredded newspaper works well for vermicomposting bedding, and it's also easy to obtain. However, you can also use peat moss, shredded corrugated cardboard, shredded computer paper or composted manure as bedding. Adding a shovel of soil to a vermicomposting bin may also improve the digestive capabilities of worms.