What should compost smell like? - Page 2

MarianneW · June 12, 2016

I have bsf maggots in my compost for most of the year and they give a funny smell, I find it gag-worthy. It isn't the anaerobic rot smell, it's just a different, weird smell. So, weird gag worthy smell may also be maggots.

Yes, this is a legit form of composting. Yes, it works. Yes, it is safe. They're a native fly where I live and I couldn't keep them out of my compost if I tried.

swellcat · June 13, 2016

Black soldier flies?

For decades, I thought the adults were handsome, black bees! They're the workhorse heroes of manure-infused composting; they do good, quick work, and the results are earthy, not poopy.

Quote:

You can use any kind of animal flop . . .

I agree.

berryman · June 13, 2016

My big horse manure hot compost pile from this spring has lots of tiny white mycelium through it. Smells real nice like mushrooms in the forest.

maxjohnson · June 14, 2016

My compost pile comprises of tree leaves and garden scraps if fully finished have a fresh earthy smell, otherwise nothing.

I prefer to put kitchen scraps in the compost tumbler, I gets too many visits from possum, cats and racoon otherwise.

Shapshftr · June 16, 2016

I agree with loulac. If it smells that bad, it's not getting enough oxygen and it's producing anaerobic bacteria, vs aerobic. Compost is made from aerobic bacteria, sewer sludge is made from anaerobic. Stay away from that stuff. If you put it on a veggie garden it will pollute the veggies and can make you sick.

Rockporter · April 4, 2017

I am bringing this compost thread back to life today because I am in trouble with mine.

So, we took our dear passed dog's 6' x 6' x 6' kennel which has two doors on opposite sides to use for my compost pile. We put the cardboard down on the cut grass/weeds that make up our yard and began piling on the stuff after wetting the cardboard. It was working well, seemed to be breaking down but then it became bad. So, I looked for more I could add to it to make it less green and more brown. I found the straw at tractor supply to add to it and stirred a bunch of that in along with some chicken coop no stink stuff to get it moving.

This seemed to be the trick, and I have continued the layering, I have only tossed it a couple of times since, but now I am plagued by all the weeds coming into my pile from the sides, mostly weed grass on long thick rizomes. It's two feet taller than the compost heap. I don't know how to get my compost back.

I started this compost before my stint in the ER last year and it seemed to be doing well. It doesn't smell like anything bad at all. I have been using straw, paper, carboard, coffee grounds, and kitchen scraps. I have collected some oak leaves from a kid down the road that are currently bagged. I want to kill the wooly worm eggs that like to make homes in the trees here before I add to the pile. Here those eggs live for at east 10 months in the trees, and the worms come out beginning in spring. Yikes!

How do I get my compost pile back before the weeds take it over completely? We decided to use the kennel because there is a family of opossums that like to use our fence for their nightly foray into the neighborhood. They are also the culprits I believe to be causing damage to my garden plants.

Update: I have also been able to find composted chicken manure to toss into the compost bin for heat.

MissS · April 4, 2017

I feel for you. I had the same problem the year that I added straw to the compost. It was the regular bedding straw for horses and was full of seeds. I had it sprouting all year. All that I can suggest is to keep turning it and throwing the clumps of grass onto the concrete so that they dry out and die. I have never used straw again...

Rockporter · April 4, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by MissS

I feel for you. I had the same problem the year that I added straw to the compost. It was the regular bedding straw for horses and was full of seeds. I had it sprouting all year. All that I can suggest is to keep turning it and throwing the clumps of grass onto the concrete so that they dry out and die. I have never used straw again...

Thanks Miss, this is what I purchased. It's not to feed horses, it's described on the website as;

"Standlee Premium Western Forage Straw can be used for animal bedding, erosion control and composting." But it's not for horses bedding, they will eat it and cause stomach problems to themselves.

http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/pro...ximately-50-lb

It's Certified Noxious Weed Free.

My problem is the weeds our yard grows, I think it's called crabgrass, but we have numerous kinds of weeds. This crabgrass has encroached into my compost pile. I don't know what to do to get it out of my compost. I hate that stuff. It's one of the reasons I have raised beds with bottoms in them, to keep as far away from the weeds as possible. I didn't want my compost pile in my garden area though, it's only about 24' x 24' or something.

I have my garden on professional landscape cloth to keep away from the grass that harbors the mosquitoes, and all the other icky's that like to crawl all over me. Fire ants for one, Andro works well on those, but I don't want to walk into a nest in the garden. It helps to keep them out of my garden beds also. Oh, so many lawn insects in the south that I don't want in my garden.

Worth1 · April 4, 2017

Did you know the seeds of crab grass are edible.

Worth

MissS · April 4, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worth1

Did you know the seeds of crab grass are edible.

Worth

I love ya Worth. You are full of so much information.

Are you suggesting that he harvest the seeds for his salads?

MissS · April 4, 2017

Rockporter, is your grass an annual that spreads from seeds or is it a perennial that spreads by underground runners? When you speak of "long thick rizomes", I am thinking that you either have that straw sprouting and growing or something like Bermuda grass.

Worth1 · April 4, 2017

If it really is crab grass.
There are several kinds.
It is cultivated in other places.
If it is edible I'm gonna know about it.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...EHGERmgHr6KXUQ

AlittleSalt · April 4, 2017

My compost bin keeps growing tomato plants.

Worth1 · April 4, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

My compost bin keeps growing tomato plants.

Mine has a loquat forest in it.

Cole_Robbie · April 4, 2017

My Mom & Stepdad recently visited a guy who has one of the biggest compost-producing operations in the state of Missouri. He gets animal bones for free, and has mountains of them. They get ground up before composting, and he adds whatever else he can get for free. He gets a lot of scraps from deer-processing operations.

And yes, the place stinks. But he makes good stuff.

June 14, 2016	#19
maxjohnson Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: OH 6a Posts: 592	My compost pile comprises of tree leaves and garden scraps if fully finished have a fresh earthy smell, otherwise nothing. I prefer to put kitchen scraps in the compost tumbler, I gets too many visits from possum, cats and racoon otherwise. Last edited by maxjohnson; June 14, 2016 at 12:06 PM.

April 4, 2017	#21
Rockporter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Texas Coastal Bend Posts: 3,205	I am bringing this compost thread back to life today because I am in trouble with mine. So, we took our dear passed dog's 6' x 6' x 6' kennel which has two doors on opposite sides to use for my compost pile. We put the cardboard down on the cut grass/weeds that make up our yard and began piling on the stuff after wetting the cardboard. It was working well, seemed to be breaking down but then it became bad. So, I looked for more I could add to it to make it less green and more brown. I found the straw at tractor supply to add to it and stirred a bunch of that in along with some chicken coop no stink stuff to get it moving. This seemed to be the trick, and I have continued the layering, I have only tossed it a couple of times since, but now I am plagued by all the weeds coming into my pile from the sides, mostly weed grass on long thick rizomes. It's two feet taller than the compost heap. I don't know how to get my compost back. I started this compost before my stint in the ER last year and it seemed to be doing well. It doesn't smell like anything bad at all. I have been using straw, paper, carboard, coffee grounds, and kitchen scraps. I have collected some oak leaves from a kid down the road that are currently bagged. I want to kill the wooly worm eggs that like to make homes in the trees here before I add to the pile. Here those eggs live for at east 10 months in the trees, and the worms come out beginning in spring. Yikes! How do I get my compost pile back before the weeds take it over completely? We decided to use the kennel because there is a family of opossums that like to use our fence for their nightly foray into the neighborhood. They are also the culprits I believe to be causing damage to my garden plants. Update: I have also been able to find composted chicken manure to toss into the compost bin for heat. __________________ In the spring at the end of the day you should smell like dirt ~Margaret Atwood~ Last edited by Rockporter; April 4, 2017 at 06:03 PM.

April 4, 2017	#22
MissS Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin Posts: 3,149	I feel for you. I had the same problem the year that I added straw to the compost. It was the regular bedding straw for horses and was full of seeds. I had it sprouting all year. All that I can suggest is to keep turning it and throwing the clumps of grass onto the concrete so that they dry out and die. I have never used straw again... __________________ ~ Patti ~

April 4, 2017	#26
MissS Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin Posts: 3,149	Rockporter, is your grass an annual that spreads from seeds or is it a perennial that spreads by underground runners? When you speak of "long thick rizomes", I am thinking that you either have that straw sprouting and growing or something like Bermuda grass. __________________ ~ Patti ~

April 4, 2017	#27
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	If it really is crab grass. There are several kinds. It is cultivated in other places. If it is edible I'm gonna know about it. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...EHGERmgHr6KXUQ Last edited by Worth1; April 4, 2017 at 09:26 PM.

June 12, 2016	#16
MarianneW Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2016 Location: Arizona Posts: 153	I have bsf maggots in my compost for most of the year and they give a funny smell, I find it gag-worthy. It isn't the anaerobic rot smell, it's just a different, weird smell. So, weird gag worthy smell may also be maggots. Yes, this is a legit form of composting. Yes, it works. Yes, it is safe. They're a native fly where I live and I couldn't keep them out of my compost if I tried.

June 13, 2016	#18
berryman Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: central utah Posts: 233	My big horse manure hot compost pile from this spring has lots of tiny white mycelium through it. Smells real nice like mushrooms in the forest.

June 16, 2016	#20
Shapshftr Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Illinois Posts: 162	I agree with loulac. If it smells that bad, it's not getting enough oxygen and it's producing anaerobic bacteria, vs aerobic. Compost is made from aerobic bacteria, sewer sludge is made from anaerobic. Stay away from that stuff. If you put it on a veggie garden it will pollute the veggies and can make you sick.

April 4, 2017	#28
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	My compost bin keeps growing tomato plants.

April 4, 2017	#30
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	My Mom & Stepdad recently visited a guy who has one of the biggest compost-producing operations in the state of Missouri. He gets animal bones for free, and has mountains of them. They get ground up before composting, and he adds whatever else he can get for free. He gets a lot of scraps from deer-processing operations. And yes, the place stinks. But he makes good stuff.