My compost bin stinks up our little yard?

Question

Is there any thing we can do to make it smell less?

It got worse this weekend. My dad got me some microbe that is suppose to break it down when you have too much green matter. I turned it a bunch of it an layered the compost. Then I watered it down.
Now the flies are all over it. It wreaks.

I do not throw any protien or animal fesces in it. There is a ton of grass and the garden waste, and peels from the kitchen.

I don't have many tree's should I be importing leaves for more brown matter?

Answer 1

Ok, your compost is smelling because you either have added protein to it..(meat), or, you have added grass to it, (that really stinks), or you havent turn it enough, as composts need a lot of oxygen!

You should turn the compost at least 2 a week when its summer time and the heat gets it perculating a lot.

So, turn your entire composts a lot more, and get it exposed to oxygen so that it will break down naturally and DO NOT toss any meat product in there or grass, so it wont stink..

I wish you well..

Jesse

Answer 2

If your compost pile stinks, something is wrong. It shouldn't emit any odor at all if it's working properly. A smell indicates bacteria or fungus, which should not be present unless something is out of balance.

What are you putting in it? Remember, no animal feces, and no fats or meats.

Have you turned your pile lately? If you don't turn your pile, anaerobic (non air breathing) bacteria will flourish, as will molds, which will cause a smell.

How wet are you keeping it? Too wet, fungus will grow. Put together too wet and not getting turned, and there's your problem.

All questions that need to be answered to determine the cause of the smell.

Answer 3

What have you got in it? Make sure you have nothing that has touched meat, or has had butter or oil on it. No sour cream, yogurt maybe (it has all of those beneficial bacteria, after all), but the general rule of thumb is to stick with vegetable and fruit remains, as well as coffee grounds, tea leaves and egg shells. What are your ratios of materials in the bin? Are you turning it regularly? You should be mixing it around at least once every two weeks. Aer you throwing your grass clippings in there as well as kitchen waste? If it's all wet kitchen waste it will reek as well.

Answer 4

Don't add anything containing meat or animal products, like cheese. They don't decompose well like plants do, which causes the compost to smell. Also, keep it well aerated by turning it regularly and don't leave it too wet - that kills the good bacteria that helps the compost decompose. It should be about as wet as a damp sponge.

Answer 5

Your compost should not have a bad smell if you have the right mixture of wastes and your bin is well ventilated and turned as it should be. It should smell nice and organic or have no smell at all. Different wastes and insects/worms that are drawn to well ventilated compost bins have a great effect on smell. Check this link out:

Answer 6

Compost has a pleasant aroma. Foul odors only occur when there is a lack of oxygen, too much wet green material or too little brown material. Turning the pile can minimize odors.

Answer 7

Do you put eggshells in it? That could be your problem.

Also, using an organic compost accelerator will really help as it breaks the food down much faster. Most garden centres carry that.

Answer 8

If it's too wet, try puting in shredded paper. I put a lot of grass in during the summer months but find shredded newspaper or officepaper sets the balance just right. I've never had any issues with eggshells being stinky either.

Answer 9

Buy a big bag of peat moss and turn it into your pile. Loosen up any slabs of green matter that is stuck together.
Don't compost if you can't put dry brown material in with the green.

Answer 10

You could try chlorophyll pills, or the lime isn't a bad suggestion either. Whenever you throw table scraps in make sure there's no meat or fat or oil, and if you throw vegetable matter in, stir it up right away to keep the rotting stench down. Also don't throw in eggshells, they reek.