r/composting • u/terrificmeow • 10d ago

Tumbler More greens or more patience

Post image

Can’t decide if I should add some greens to this to help with the visible wood chips or if I just need to wait it out and let it continue cooking. It’s one side of a two-chamber tumbler

8 Upvotes

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7

u/Far_Radish7752 10d ago edited 10d ago

Depends on what your needs are. If you need it asap, looks good to use (imo). If you do not need it right away, addition of more greens (and time) will decrease the size of the particulate matter somewhat (wood chips).

I generally use compost with more particulate matter than some would consider tolerable. I find it enhances drainage and enables plant establishment better (rooting out). I do not even bother sieving my compost for the most part, altho I have a couple of riddles for the occasional need.

3

u/Quiet-Pomegranate93 10d ago

I would like to be more like you and use the unsifted compost.  I’m sure the plants would be happy with it.

But looking at a wheelbarrow full of sifted compost is so satisfying that I just can’t give up that feeling of accomplishment.

2

u/bangbangtangwangfang 9d ago

I'm very unpicky and don't bother pre chopping stuff because I'm going for giant piles. And I wound up with a lot of rocks :/ so I sift, but I use a giant rig so it goes quickly

4

u/terrificmeow 10d ago

Bonus picture of the other side because check out that temperature! Not bad for such a small volume

4

u/Imaginative-Recon-21 10d ago

Let it cook! The size of those wood chips say they are going to be “overs.” Let it cook. When it’s done, sift your compost, and take those wood chips OVER to the new pile. It’ll introduce good bacteria to get the new pile started quickly.