Catastrophic Compost Problems
Compost Problems – Tips for dealing with catastrophe in your compost.
Although a vast amount of scientific research has been and is being done in the fields of domestic and commercial composting, on a domestic level at least, I do think of it as an art. It’s a bit like cooking really, at least I think so. There are those who would deny it! But, no matter how well you follow the recipe, from time to time something will just simply go wrong. A problem will arise and will have to be dealt with.
In composting, there are only a handful of indications that something is awry and that you need to deal with a problem. They include:
- Bad smells
- A pile that does not heat up
- A pile that attracts pets, flies, rodents and other unwanted animal life
- Wet and soggy compost
The following table outlines common problems and the steps to action.
Problem | Action |
---|---|
Your pile is smelly | |
A bad smell of ammonia | Too much nitrogen. Add some carbon–rich ingredients i.e. paper or cardboard. |
A bad smell of sulphur | Possible anaerobic or meat bones or dairy products in your pile. Remove these items or bury them deep and cover with a layer of dry grass or similar. Maybe add some lime or calcium. |
A generally nasty smell | Compost may be too wet. Add dry ingredients – paper and cardboard. |
Compost may be lacking oxygen (anaerobic). Add air (oxygen) by turning regularly. | |
Your pile will not heat up | |
Not enough moisture | Add water – but make sure it is distributed right through the pile. |
Not enough oxygen | Turn the pile regularly to add oxygen. |
Not enough ‘greens’ (nitrogen) | Add some nitrogen in the form of grass clippings or activator or fertilizer. |
The ingredients are too chunky | Chop up more finely. |
The pile is too small | A pile should be no smaller than 3’x3’x3’. A bin can be a bit smaller. |
The pile is moist and smells sweet but is still cold | Add some nitrogen in the form of grass clippings or fertiliser as above. |
Your pile attracts odd visitors | |
Ants | Compost is probably too dry – make sure compost is kept damp. |
Flies | Compost may contain meat and/or dairy products. Bury offending waste deep into compost. |
Slugs | Probably not really a problem. If you wish remove slugs and slug eggs (like pearls) by hand. Move compost away from vegetable patch or surround with traps. |
Rodents/Pets | Compost probably contains meat or bones – fatty material or manure. Bury waste deep and put a lid on it! |
Fruit Flies | Harmless really but will get eaten in their turn if you partially open the lid on bin for a while allowing access to more predatory creatures! |
Those of you who have major problems with vermin and pets or with various smells – please take note of our list of unsuitable ingredients, and DO NOT ADD MEAT, BONES, DAIRY PRODUCTS, EGGS etc to your compost unless:
- you have a sealed unit
- you know that you can achieve an internal temperature of at least 150 degrees
- you are using a system like Bokashi that can deal with protein waste.