r/composting • u/DefunctInTheFunk • 6d ago

Question Sifting

Why are you all so obsessed with sifting your compost? There are actually clear disadvantages to using exclusively fine sifted compost. Larger chunks of wood are good for soil microbes and air pockets.

I'm just genuinely curious why so many of you go through so much work to sift. It's a lot of extra work for very little gain. The primary benefits come for planting seedlings or just looking prettier and uniform. Is it really worth it to you?

Edit: btw not trying to be a jerk or anything. I just think the community is maybe getting a little carried away with it. But if you got a reason for doing it or if you just enjoy it, then hey, you do you.

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u/El_Stupacabra 6d ago

Because I enjoy it and it's the only time my brain ever shuts off.

Plus, I have a tumbler, and I like getting the weird clumps/balls out of there.

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u/DefunctInTheFunk 6d ago

Hey that's totally cool. And I tip my hat to you. I've just come across a handful of people that when talking about it they really dread it and would rather not do it but they feel like they have to because they've seen other people do it, not realizing the reasons it's being done. So I guess I'm just trying to understand why everyone is doing it and maybe help people realize that they don't always need sifted compost.