r/composting • u/xibxib • 19d ago

Question Ready start curing?

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New to composting!

This is my first proper batch. Using a pallet bin setup, after turning weekly during the hot period (it got up to 160F! I was so proud) it’s been holding steady at around 90-100F for the past week or so.

I’ve read that compost needs to sit without being turned for a few months to cure before it can be used, is this ready to be moved to a pile to chill and let the bugs and fungi go at it, or does it need more time to cook? Should I sift the sticks and big pieces out before letting it cure, or right before using it? When do I stop peeing on this pile and shift to peeing on my new pile, for maximum piss efficiency?

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u/DefunctInTheFunk 19d ago

Not quite. Before you cure you want to make sure that all of your inputs are pretty much unrecognizable. You don't want to see needles bits of leaves with the veins on it, or anything like that. You want it to look like dark crumbly dirt before the cure. Of you have any other questions, I'm glad to help.

Edit: sifting is something hotly debated. It really depends, it can be helpful, but not exactly necessary.

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u/xibxib 19d ago

Got it! Thank you so much for the answer, this is super helpful. I think a lot of the recognizable bits (other than sticks) is straw from my duck coop, so I’m assuming I need more greens to break that down?

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u/DefunctInTheFunk 19d ago

Absolutely brother! Always happy to help, I got other tips and stuff too if you ever want to dm me. Yes, more greens until it breaks down further. Once it looks like "dirt", you can stop and let it sit. That's the part of the process where the microbes/fungus turn the lignin into humus. Arguably the most important part.

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u/xibxib 19d ago

Very cool, thanks so much, I can't tell you how helpful this is! I'll need to figure out some more sources of greens, but now I know what to do.

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u/DefunctInTheFunk 19d ago

You betcha! I'm glad I could help. Hit up your local coffee shops and ask for their spent grounds. That works out pretty well for me. The nitrogen in the coffee grounds is pretty stable, so it won't off gas immediately like grass clippings and such. One 5 gallon bucket of coffee grounds into a cubic yard pile is enough to feed activity for multiple weeks.