compost S T I N K S

[Bryce Thomas]

I turn it every 3 days gently and lightly mist it once a week, it has fruit flies all over it i have only 5 fruit peels in it with live added leaves as green matter and the rest are sticks and brown matter. The amount of stuff in it has been lowering so aka getting smaller so that's good, it has airholes all over it bottom and top as well, with an inch layer of sticks at the bottom

When I dunk my hand in its always cold or room temperature, yes I am working on getting a bigger and black bin instead of a 16 gallon transparent plastic bin from Lowes.

So it stinks, not as bad as my previous composting before that failed, but this one still stinks. The last one smelled like thousands of rotting aloe Vera and being a gardener for the past 10 years rotting aloe is so bad you would not wish the odor of rotting aloe on ur worst enemy. Can someone please tell me why my compost smells, this time it smells like sticking your nose in dog poop and taking a good whiff of it. Its really gross

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Its compost, which is rotting plant and animal matter, sometimes even fecal matter. It's going to smell

 

[CHlCKEN]

You should expect it to stink.

Its compost, which is rotting plant and animal matter, sometimes even fecal matter. It's going to smell

 

[21hens-incharge]

Is there a reason it's in a tote and not on the ground?

Microbes and earthworms really help with composting.

If it stinks it is to wet.

 

[Sally PB]

Its compost, which is rotting plant and animal matter, sometimes even fecal matter. It's going to smell

Hmmmm. I can't smell mine. If I do, it smells like good dirt.

@Bryce Thomas, I think you need a bunch more "brown" stuff. Dried leaves, dead grass. Let it dry out a bit. Did you put any dirt in the pile to add the microbes, etc., that do the composting work?

Any of the following could make it smell: Meat, chicken, fish, bones, milk products, excessive manure or dog/cat manure.

Some shredded paper can help as a "brown" ingredient too. Paper will also soak up some excess moisture or "sliminess" that may have developed. Sawdust from untreated wood is good for that too.

 

[neo71665]

I wouldn't mist it, sounds like it's too wet

 

[21hens-incharge]

I did learn that grass clippings should be allowed to dry before being added. In large compost piles sprinkled lightly then more dry material then sprinkle grass and repeat.

 

[Bryce Thomas]

Hmmmm. I can't smell mine. If I do, it smells like good dirt.

@Bryce Thomas, I think you need a bunch more "brown" stuff. Dried leaves, dead grass. Let it dry out a bit. Did you put any dirt in the pile to add the microbes, etc., that do the composting work?

Any of the following could make it smell: Meat, chicken, fish, bones, milk products, excessive manure or dog/cat manure.

Some shredded paper can help as a "brown" ingredient too. Paper will also soak up some excess moisture or "sliminess" that may have developed. Sawdust from untreated wood is good for that too.

yeah i put a cup full of potting soil into the compost in the middle

 

[21hens-incharge]

yeah i put a cup full of potting soil into the compost in the middle

Potting soil is pretty sterile. They don't want it composting in the bags.

Real earth, more dry material and a ton more air flow would help it compost.

 

[chickentrains]

my compost never smells. I add stuff to it, turn it every once in awhile, the rain soaks it.