It's lack of a better word, we used the word "bedding" in our worm bins. When starting out a worm bin, something is needed in there so the worms won't be just they way they were when shipped, where they were cuddled close together. We need them to spread around to get the feel there is room for population growth. What better than give them bedding to "stretch their legs" and shed cocoons between it. And it needs to be damp.

I have noticed that if I didn't use enough shredded paper, the compost was sort of pasty rather than crumby. This could caused by something else but when I added more paper, it was crumblier. Of course it doesn't really matter crumbly or pasty I'd think but it's easier to mix with the planting medium when crumbly.

Worms don't really sleep. They have periods of time when they're less active, but it's not "sleep." Come to think of it, they are basically lying down all the time!

The purpose of "bedding" is to hold and distribute moisture and oxygen evenly throughout the bin. It needs to be something dry that will absorb some moisture and that will break down more slowly than most food scraps. If you were to put only food scraps in the bin, usually the scraps would soften and rot and pack down into a soggy messy glob. There wouldn't be enough oxygen inside the glob for the worms to go in there, because they breathe through their skins. The lack of oxygen in the glob would cause anaerobic bacteria to start decomposing the food scraps. That produces gases that smell bad (like rotting garbage) and which are toxic to the worms. So you would eventually wind up with a bin that smells horrible and where the worms are sick and dying.

This is why you always hear that the material in the worm bin - scraps + bedding - should be "moist but not soggy." Generally you sort of mix the scraps into the bedding, it doesn't have to be thoroughly mixed all throughout like you're making a cake, but mixed together enough so that the bedding material is in contact with the food scraps and it will gradually absorb and spread out the water that comes out of the scraps as they break down.

Another weird thing about worms is that they do not mind living in their own poop! The bin material actually becomes more and more comfortable for them the more they've moved through it and "decorated" it the way they like it. They contain bacteria in their guts that alters the chemistry of the environment in a way that's favorable to them, so the more they spread it around, the better.

So...... when i set up my 1st bin i mix some shredded paper with the peat moss and a bit of well composted manure. and on the top just some shredded paper. oh and make sure the main body of the bin is slightly damp!!!

You don't need peat moss or manure. I never used either of those. Just shredded paper and food scraps. Manure is great worm food if you have some, but not required.

This is why i joined this group so i could learn and stand 1/2 a chance of getting it right.

A bit of manure or a handful of soil or just regular compost can be helpful to get a bin started. The idea is to allow the bacteria from compost or manure to spread out through the bedding and make it seem like home. Whether you do this or not, it's really a good idea to set the bin up a week or two before you add the worms.

i am hoping to get some peat moss monday but won't panic if i cant. i intend to get my bin ready monday. But i am starting with a very small bin as i have cocoons coming due to me living in spain they would travel better. so the main bin can have time to mature. have you any suggestions how to care for the cocoons in there very small bin untill they hatch and grow a bit bigger!

I've no idea how to work with cocoons. Probably same basic idea. But if you can find some red worms in a manure pile or a compost pile or similar, that'll be easier. I have also found them on underside of logs, wood, in leaf litter, and other similar damp and dark places.

i did manage to get a few (my husband did) from a friends neglected compost pile But i had already arranged for the cocoons to be sent to me as i was having so much trouble getting worms. the people Colin got the worms from are only here every 3 month and we didn't know they had a compost pile.

Thank you for taking the time to answer all my post i appreciate it.

Here in N. America (I'm in BC, Canada) we have containers for take out food. Not styrofoam but plastic with clear lids. The ideal one is for BBQ chicken where the lid has holes punched trying to keep the chicken skin crispy. I suggest to use a smaller scale bin for cocoons for better observation and "first aid" so they're not scattered through a fast area of a "BIN". Once they've graduated to juvies, you can transfer them to the "real" bin. I'd skip peat moss since I render them "useless" for a worm bin if you have other stuff with lots of MO inhabitants like manure. Many of us city dwellers have limited access to manure so I'll take manure over anything else. I mean horse manure. However, when you do go the take out food container route, just use probably half a horse-apple. Leaf mold is another great thing. Worms prefer these to newspaper but keep in mind that leave mold has no liquid absorption qualities.

Thank you. i have just the container for the job. and now i also know to use paper and H-manure (well rotted) leaf mould not so good for me here it is all olive and lemon and i think feel a bit leathery. i will have to see what i can find out about these leafs.

My brother has a Persimmon tree and he collects the leaves every autumn for me. Is there any fig tree nearby? The leaves look rather juicy. (Just to give you an idea).

Even tough waxy or leathery leaves will break down eventually. You can speed this up by chopping them up a bit or running a lawnmower over them.