Odor:
Moisture/Temperature:
Pests/Rodents:
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Rotten Egg Smell:
| Possible Cause |
Solution/Alternative |
| Not enough oxygen, too wet |
Turn the pile and add course, dry materials, such as leaves, straw or corn stalks to soak up excess moisture. Protect the pile from rain using a plastic film or other cover. |
| Not enough oxygen, compacted |
Turn the pile and shake materials apart to aerate. |
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Ammonia Smell:
| Possible Cause |
Solution/Alternative |
| Pile may have too much nitrogen |
Add materials high in carbon, such as shredded leaves, non-treated wood chips, sawdust or shredded newspaper, and aerate. |
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Compost pile is dry throughout:
| Possible Cause |
Solution/Alternative |
| Lack of water |
Turn the compost and add water.
Moisten new materials before adding to the pile. If the pile is out in the open, cover with a plastic cover. The pile should be as damp as a wrung-out sponge throughout. |
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Compost pile is damp/warm in the middle, but no where else:
| Possible Cause |
Solution/Alternative |
| The pile is too small |
Gather enough materials to form a pile a 3' x 3' x 3', and/or insulate the sides and cover the top. |
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Compost pile is not heating up:
| Possible Cause |
Solution/Alternative |
| If damp and sweet smelling, it may lack nitrogen |
Mix in fresh grass clippings, manure, blood meal or other material high in nitrogen. It it's difficult to turn the pile, create holes in the pile and add the nitrogen-rich materials. |
| Not enough oxygen |
Turn or fluff the pile |
| Cool weather |
Increase pile size and/or insulate it with a plastic cover. |
| The pile may be too small |
Gather enough material to form a pile 3' x 3' x 3' and/or insulate the sides and cover the top. |
| Compost may be finished |
If it looks dark and crumbly and smells earthy (not moldy or rotten), it may be done. |
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Compost pile is attracting rats, raccoons, dogs, flies, fruit flies or other pests:
| Possible Cause |
Solution/Alternative |
| Inappropriate food scraps may have been added: meat, fat, bones or other animal byproducts |
Avoid adding such materials.
Use a rodent-resistant bin with a top, bottom and sides.
Bury non-fatty kitchen byproducts 8-12 inches deep in the pile. |
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Compost pile contains earwigs, slugs and/or other insects:
| Possible Cause |
Solution/Alternative |
| No problem. Insects are a good sign of a productive compost pile. The pile is composting correctly. |
Note: slugs are happy in compost piles. If the pile is next to a garden, barriers can be placed between the pile and nearby garden with traps, metal flashing, etc. |
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