A soft bed
Use damp shredded cardboard, plain paper, or aged leaves.
Beginner worm-bin guide
A happy bin starts with a comfortable home.
Set up the bedding, add worms, feed slowly, and use a few simple checks to keep everything running smoothly.
Helpful tip
If food is still easy to recognize, wait a little longer before adding the next meal.
Happy-bin basics
Give worms these four things.
The right moisture
Keep bedding damp like a wrung-out sponge, never flooded.
A steady temperature
Aim for 55–77°F (13–25°C) and avoid sudden hot or cold swings.
Small buried meals
Feed one pocket at a time and wait until most food is gone.
Easy feeding calculator
Match your food scraps to your worm population.
Use this as a cautious starting estimate. If food builds up, pause feeding and let your worms catch up.
Worms for that food amount
1.7 lb
Gentle weekly starting amount
1.8 lb
Your first month
Setup day
Moisten the bedding, add worms, and let them settle with only a tiny meal.
Week 1
Bury one small handful of food and check it every few days.
Week 2
Feed again only when most of the first meal is hard to recognize.
Weeks 3–4
Increase food slowly, rotate feeding spots, and keep dry bedding on top.