Composting - Do you cut up material?

[NoTWHaTiTWaSNT]

Hi Guys,
Do you cut up your compost material like branches, roots, twigs etc and if so what lengths do you cut it to? Or do you put it all in "As is"

I usually cut it all up but have had a load of green waste delivered and I need to clear space and don't have time to cut up as I usually would.

So basically how do you do yours?

TIA

PS Wasn't sure where to post this

[roitelet]

Yes cut it up as small as is practical them you can get more in the bin and it rots quicker. Large amounts of green waste, make a heap and chop it with a spade. what doesn't get chopped will be damaged and that will help the rotting process.

[Nannysally99]

I always cut things up now (learned the hard way) it composts so much quicker

[Bill HH]

The other thing is when you want to turn it long pieces are a pain.

[Alison]

I don't chop mine up that much although do bash big woody stems like the ones from brassicas. I work on the principle that I don't have time to do everything and although as people above have pointed out, it does take longer to decompose, it still does and if you do it all the same way and have enough space for a few heaps I'm not too fussed about it taking longer, I still have a good steady supply so works for me. If I find bits that aren't fully composted when I'm turning it out I just throw them into the next bin and it all works fine.

[4390evans]

I cut up as much of mine as possible, I know some people put theirs through a shredder etc.

Last year I cut down a few bushes and shredded their branches etc but they were still in there 8 months later even after being turned twice, but all my other stuff was good compost.

[Dorothy rouse]

I know I should, but often I just dump it in the compost bin, and it takes ages to rot down ,so do cut it up!

[Bigmallly]

Paper & Cardboard gets shredded first, leaves & stalks go on as is. Branches get shredded for paths. Household activating fluid gets added as and when...............

[Chippy Minton]

Cutting it up definitely speeds up the process, I however am too lazy and when I take it out of the Dalek's bottom if it's still in big bits it goes back in the top for another run through the cycle.... along with the egg shells, and the avocado skins, and stones, not to mention the peach stones.....

[Ananke]

So far, I've been a rubbish composter. I chuck things in, don't chop things up, don't keep it moist, don't turn it etc. I do get compost from my daleks but I know it could be much better and quicker.

I'm going to try and spend a bit more time doing it right.

[Bren In Pots]

I never used to cut things up but like Bill says its does make turning easier.

[Richard Eldritch]

I have a Hotbin composter, I don't bother chopping as the larger pieces help to create air cavitys. Nothing stands up to being slow cooked at 55c for a few months.

[brownfingers]

Everything possible goes through the shredder.

[Two_Sheds]

what lengths do you cut it to?

I keep all my shrub prunings, I don't send them to the council tip. I cut them up into roughly 6" pieces, and leave them all at the back of the border where you can't see them. They provide habitat for bugs & beasties which in turn are food for wild birds

The only thing I burn is holly, because I have a huge one and the leaves really stab me. I let it dry out till it's brown, then burn it in the chiminea

[gardening_gal]

I shred anything woody, so all the branches I prune from bushes etc get shredded.

Any foodstuffs get chopped down into small bits (like the stalk & leaves from caulis etc).

Toilet roll inners get ripped up.

I remember seeing something online that compared the timings between small stuff composting and larger bits composting and there was a vast difference so I always try to go small wherever possible.