Mixing wood chips and shredded paper has worked pretty well for me, too. Here’s what I’ve noticed:
- The combo seems to balance out moisture. Paper alone gets soggy fast, but wood chips help keep things aerated.
- Breakdown is definitely faster with both, especially if you toss in a handful of finished compost to kickstart the microbes.
- I’ve never had mice go after plain paper either, but I did have a raccoon dig through a pile once when I accidentally tossed in a greasy pizza box. Lesson learned—no food residue, ever.
Cedar mulch is solid for pest control, but I’ve found it slows decomposition if you use too much. I usually stick to hardwood chips for the bulk and just sprinkle cedar around the edges where critters might sneak in. Not sure if that’s overkill, but it seems to help.
Curious—do you ever get weird smells when you mix paper and chips? I had one batch go a bit sour, probably too wet, but I’m not totally sure. Maybe it’s just the ratio or the weather. Also, what’s your take on using cardboard in the mix? I’ve heard mixed things about how fast it breaks down, especially the thicker stuff.
Curious—do you ever get weird smells when you mix paper and chips? I had one batch go a bit sour, probably too wet, but I’m not totally sure. Maybe it’s just the ratio or the weather.
I’ve definitely noticed that “sour” smell when things get too damp, especially in spring when rain sneaks in under the tarp. I wonder if layering more chips on top would help wick off some of that moisture, or if it just traps it in? About cardboard—does anyone else find that the glossy stuff never really breaks down? I try to stick to plain brown, but sometimes even that takes ages. Maybe it’s a temperature thing or just the thickness?
I’ve had that exact issue with the glossy cardboard—just sits there, looking the same months later. The plain brown stuff does break down, but it’s slow if the pile’s not heating up enough. I’ve tried ripping it up into smaller pieces, which helps a bit, but honestly, some of those thicker boxes are stubborn. As for the chips, I’ve found that mixing them in really well (not just layering) helps avoid that soggy, sour thing. If it smells off, I’ll toss in a bit of old straw or even some dry leaves to balance it out. Weather definitely plays a part... spring is always trickier.
DIGGING UP THE BACKYARD: FOUND MORE THAN JUST DIRT
That glossy cardboard is a pain, right? I’ve run into the same thing—found a chunk of cereal box in my compost after a whole year, barely changed. I’ve started avoiding anything with that shiny coating, even if it’s technically “recyclable.” For the brown stuff, I’ve had better luck when I run it through a paper shredder first. It’s tedious, but the smaller pieces seem to disappear way faster, especially if I layer them with kitchen scraps and turn the pile every week or so.
On the wood chips—totally agree, mixing is key. I made the mistake of dumping a thick layer on top once and ended up with this weird, compacted mat that just held water. Not great. Now I try to alternate chips with green stuff and fluff it up with a pitchfork. If things get too wet or smelly, I’ll even toss in some sawdust from untreated wood. Spring’s always unpredictable here too... sometimes the pile just sits there until we get a good warm spell.
DIGGING UP THE BACKYARD: FOUND MORE THAN JUST DIRT
I hear you on the glossy cardboard—tried composting some old packaging last year and it just sat there, looking exactly the same months later. Not worth the hassle, honestly. But about shredding the brown stuff: do you think it’s really necessary to invest in a shredder? I’ve just been tearing things up by hand, but it takes forever and I’m not sure it makes a huge difference. Is there a budget-friendly way to speed things up without buying more gear?
Also, with wood chips, I’ve been tempted to grab the free stuff from the city mulch pile, but I worry about what’s actually in it. Anyone had issues with weird chemicals or pests from that? I’m trying to keep costs down but don’t want to mess up my compost or garden.
