r/composting • u/SpillyerBeans1 • 7d ago
Cold/Slow Compost Done ?
Do you consider this compost to be complete? The fine wood chips don’t seem to be breaking down anymore. Thanks !
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u/randemthinking 6d ago
Woodchips are very dense browns, they take a while to fully break down. If you want it as top dressing it's fine. If you want to use it for a seed starting mix, you'd want to sift and cure.
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u/Trick-Scheme-3737 6d ago
The compost doesn’t look quite mature yet. Its colour is still a little too light brown rather than dark brown, and you can still see the wood chips.
However, you can use it in this partially decomposed state, especially for squash, which can benefit from organic matter as it continues to break down in the soil.
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u/HolyBonerOfMin 6d ago
If you top dress you don't have to worry. If it smells like freshly turned forest soil, you're good.
I use a lot of wood chips in my pile and I'm a little impatient. The wood chips are rarely fully broken down when I mulch with the mostly-finished compost. Results are amazing.
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u/Historical-Garbage51 6d ago
It’ll be fine as a top layer mulch for perennials. The better choice would be to use it as browns in the next batch of compost.
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u/Datruyugo 6d ago
This I agree with, I’d use that only as top dressing. The colour doesn’t seem quite dark enough. Maybe more browns to soak up some of the moisture.
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u/Acceptable_Agency419 6d ago
If you want it for compost, it’s not done. Looks like a good mulch though
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u/TheOrangeKitty 7d ago
Noooooooo!!!!!!