Bedding Density

[Darryl]

In the vermi books I have scanned not too much has ever been mentioned about the density of bedding substances. It seems that bedding can be too loose as well as too compacted for optimal results inside of a bin environment.

I have noticed that leaves work very well for red worms. I have used whole leaves as bedding and it works great. However, I have noticed that while making bedding, if I add more leaves to a bin than normal and slightly compact the whole leaves in the bin then the worms seem to do better both in size and reproduction. This may be one reason why some people elect to grind their leaves before using them to make bedding.

I have noticed a similar situation while using paper newsprint. I have noticed that if I use a confetti shredder and slightly tamp down the bedding, the worms do better in it.

In one of my bins that I currently have going, I have twice as many leaves in it than I normally do (whole leaves). The leaves were slightly tamped down rather than just being placed into the bin. The worms have been doing very well with this desity of bedding.

Anyone else notice similar things with whatever type of bedding substance you are using?

[Jay Blair]

I find strip shredded paper mixed wth equal parts of leaves and kitchen match sized twigs works well for my E.f. worms.

I am growing luffa to go to seed to see if the gourd fiber of the seed luffa may work as well as coir husk bedding.

[Darryl]

I hear ya Jay.... Yes, I too blend my bedding substances as I don't use pure paper or pure leaves in my bins unless I am doing so inside of my experimental bins. I always have several extra bins going that are my experimental bins. At any rate, I was just wanting people to know what I noticed concerning bedding density. Seems as though no matter what type of substance I use for bedding, that too loose is not effecient and too compact is not as effecient either. There seems to be an optimal range at which the worms thrive best in whatever type of bedding is used. Like yourself, I too have discovered that a bedding substance of 50% newsprint and 50% leaves works superb for EF's. That however, will be left for another thread I start concerning bedding substances.