Question re Newspaper in Compost Tumbler

17 years ago

I am in the process of changing my use of a compost tumbler, which for years did not "heat up," and instead functioned mainly as a worm bin. I recently decided that the problem stemmed from my having introduced far too few "browns."

I now propose to remedy this by trying to approximate the 30:1 brown/green mix by providing mostly used coffee grounds for the greens, and shredded newspaper for the browns -- both of which I have plenty of. Although small amounts of kitchen scraps, etc. will be added from time to time, by far the largest components will be the coffee grounds and newspaper.

My question is this: how damp (or wet) should the newspaper be? The tumbler is completely enclosed, so rain will not be a factor. I need to dampen the paper shreds enough to facilitate decomposition, but not so much that I get a soggy, anaerobic "sludge." Any guidance would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

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Comments (6)

tumblenes
17 years ago
I can offer you some amount of encouragement, but I havenÂt composted with only grounds & paper, not yet at least. Yes, it is very easy to over water; I would suggest resisting the urge to use a garden hose full blast in the tumbler. Here is what I might do: load the tumbler Â¼ with shredded paper, add a couple of bags of coffee & give it a spin to mix.
At this point take a handful of material and ask does it feel damp? If squeezed does it drip more than a few drops of water? Use a watering can if needed, then add the rest of materials while still turning and checking, Remember that is easy to add more water tomorrow than to contend with a too wet load.
Next is the small question of diversity. Might I suggest a little seaweed from the Presidio, crab shells from FishermanÂs Wharf & a bag of leaves from Golden Gate, plus the usual kitchen scraps.
My money is on that you will have heat in the next 24 hrs! I prefer to think positive whilst starting the tumbler.
Kimmsr
17 years ago
Compost material, the "stuff" to be digested, should be just barely moist. The expression that compost "should only be as wet as a well wrung out sponge" is about as close as I can get. If you feel a well wrung out sponge it will almost feel dry and that is how compost should be.
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I shouldn't split hairs but an anaerobic pile can be hot. Or more precisely, a hot pile can run itself out of air and be hot and stinky. Just make a pile with too many fresh grass clippings and you'll see what I mean. Sort of a special case though, not suggesting a small pile or tumbler that has gone anaerobic will always be hot. Usually not, at least for very long. Just for kicks I will also include here the bizarre case of the Bridgeton Landfill in St. Louis, which has undergone a 'runaway anaerobic thermal decomposition' which the state regulators prefer to call an 'underground smoldering event' and the media likes to call a 'fire'. It is not a fire, but more like a very hot compost pile, without air. Runs about 200-300F and makes the most bizarre God-awful stink. I suspect there are some purely chemical reactions going on down there at those temperatures too. I mention it here only for the wow factor, not to suggest it has anything to do with a home compost pile. It would not really be possible for this type of thing to happen anywhere other than a landfill. It has happened at several landfills though. Ironically they think the root cause is pulling too much of a vacuum on the landfill gas collection system, to control odors, which pulled air from the surface down into the trash, creating essentially a huge hot compost pile, which then went anaerobic. It was able to sustain itself due to the excellent heat insulation provided by the earth, allowing the high temperatures to persist. This nightmare is one reason to minimize our use of landfills. Republic has spent over $100M on it over the last 5 years. Not even exaggerating. Speaking of the thread title...dark liquid? About 200,000 gallons per DAY of leachate.
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Straysod, Like you, and others who replied, I have a small tumbler that never really finishes. I dig it out by the bucketfull and use it rough. the places where I have dug it into the soil, it disappears quickly and though partially unfinished, hasnt hurt any plants. in fact, they seem to like it. I use mostly kitchen scraps and have a lack of browns too. I don't know why we introverts are so silly about this but i also put off asking my neighbors for leaves for almost a year. I was so awkward in avoiding this simple conversation that I once waited until they weren't home and hastily swept up all the leaves in the street in front of their house. I felt like a bandit! How embarrassing! But just last week I finally asked one of my neighbors for her leaves and she was so sweet and happy to oblige! Why had I been putting it off so long?! Now I have access to a neverending supply! ....And yet despite this success I am still avoiding asking my other neighbor for her grass clippings! O.o The worst thing they can say is no and you're right back where you started. Best case you have a new free resource. Maybe offer to blow and sweep the leaves yourself if you think they're likely to say no. Good luck to you with your compost and happy gardening.
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tumblenes
17 years ago
Now possibly everyone thinks what good is newspaper?
The following has some difficulties, but it
defends the use of paper waste, here is an excerpt:

Professor Ralph Noble's latest research appears to add another ecological benefit. Early results from trials with conifers using compost made from paper waste shows that it is providing much the same disease suppressing effect as green compost made from plant waste. This provides an obvious additional commercial use for the vast amount of paper waste generated by offices and homes.

Here is a link that might be useful: the story
tumblenes
17 years ago
Now possibly everyone thinks what good is newspaper?
The following has some difficulties, but it
defends the use of paper waste, here is an excerpt:

Professor Ralph Noble's latest research appears to add another ecological benefit. Early results from trials with conifers using compost made from paper waste shows that it is providing much the same disease suppressing effect as green compost made from plant waste. This provides an obvious additional commercial use for the vast amount of paper waste generated by offices and homes.

Here is a link that might be useful: the story
jeannie7
17 years ago
By depriving the pile of the material that genuinely makes the bacteria want to stay around you are doing your pile a possible injustice.

Its the rotting garbage that makes your pile work its best.
Sure use newspaper....strip it and tear it up good, sure the fertilizer in the clippings can add something....but its the maggots and the grubs and the worms that you want to see in there. The more rotting vegetables and the sopping wet noodles are what is going to make the big difference.
kimpa zone 9b N. Florida.
17 years ago
I also had a tumbler that I never got to work right. Newspaper tends to ball up-when I turned it I'd hear a big thud as it hit the bottom so be careful not to water it too much. I think you need something else like leaves to keep the wet newspaper apart. Just a spray of water on the paper so it doesn't get wet. Grass clippings will get some heat going. The tumblers really need the proper ratio of greens, browns, and moisture to be added all at once. That was another of my problems as I never had enough material all at the same time. You need the volume to get and sustain heat.

Question re Newspaper in Compost Tumbler

Comments (6)

tumblenes

Kimmsr

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jeannie7

kimpa zone 9b N. Florida.

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