overview | compost formula | compost ingredients | common problems & solutions

BACKYARD COMPOST PROBLEMS & SOLUTIONS

	Problem	Possible Cause	Solution
	Rotten Odor	Too much moisture	Turn pile or add dry material
		Compaction	Turn pile or make pile smaller

	Problem	Possible Cause	Solution
	Ammonia Odor	Too much nitrogen	Add a high carbon material such as sawdust, wood chips or straw

	Problem	Possible Cause	Solution
	Low Pile Temperature	Pile too small	Make pile larger or insulate with straw
		Pile too dry	Add water while turning pile
		Lack of air in pile	Turn pile
		Lack of nitrogen	Add a high nitrogen material such as grass clippings
		Cold Weather	Increase pile size or insulate pile with a layer of straw or wood chips

	Problem	Possible Cause	Solution
	High Pile Temperature (over 140 degrees)	Pile too large	Reduce pile size
		Lack of air in pile	Turn pile

	Problem	Possible Cause	Solution
	Pile is Damp & Warm in the Middle Only	Pile too small	Add more material and turn

	Problem	Possible Cause	Solution
	Pests (rodents, insects, etc.)	Meat scraps or fatty foods	Remove meat and fatty food etc food wastes in pile from the pile and cover with a layer of soil or sawdust or build a pest-proof container
			Turn pile