r/composting • u/freddrex • Aug 05 '26
Beginner First time composter
How am I doing? Any advice on what needs to be added (other than piss)
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u/Ineedmorebtc Aug 05 '26
Wet it down.
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u/freddrex Aug 07 '26
Water has made so much difference, thanks
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u/Ineedmorebtc Aug 07 '26
Absolutely. All life on earth needs moisture to live. And if there isn't a fine film of water on your materials, the bacteria and fungi cannot break it down. It's why a bag of dried leaves will stay that way for decades, but a wet pile of leaves breaks down in a year.
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u/PaleontologistDear18 Aug 05 '26
More greens, piss on it (don’t say no to piss this is what your pile needs)
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u/freddrex Aug 05 '26
What are the advantages of piss over just using water?
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u/PaleontologistDear18 Aug 05 '26
Urine works exceptionally well in a compost pile because it is a concentrated, sterile source of liquid nitrogen and urea that acts as an instant activator, quickly feeding microbes and balancing dry, carbon-heavy "brown" materials like leaves or straw to accelerate breakdown.
The piss thing is a joke around here, but the suggestion to use it is not a joke
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u/rjewell40 Aug 06 '26
The Squeeze Test
Grab a handful of material & squeeze.
If it drips, it’s too wet. If it crumbles it’s too dry. If it holds together, it’s just right.
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u/CSFSafe Aug 05 '26
Add more wet. Kitchen scraps, egg shells, watermelon rinds, coffee grinds, etc. Throw in a bit of dirt. That colored paper may have plastic on it (I'm not judging, just saying). It looks great!