5 Reasons For Compost Box Stinking And How To Repair Them From Olle Garden Bed

Composting may be good for the environment, but poorly maintained compost bins may irritate neighbors because of the unpleasant smell. If you don't manage your compost bin properly, it will stink, and it will stink to the sky! Don't wait until you get a complaint because of the bad smell. The following is the solution to the stinky compost box: Read here are some things that you should know when It comes to Olle Garden Beds!

What causes the odor?

A clear mark of a well maintained compost bin is its deep earthy smell. Healthy compost should smell like soil, not like rotten eggs.

If your compost box emits a putrid smell, consider it as a sign that it has not been properly heated and decomposed. You must study the problem more deeply to eliminate the unpleasant smell and keep the compost healthy. Here are some of the most common reasons why compost bins smell bad:

The reason why compost boxes stink and how to repair them

Excessive moisture

Ever wonder why your compost bin seems to smell worse at the beginning of spring than any other season? This is all the extra water from the continuous rainfall. Water will reduce the oxygen content in the compost pile, and beneficial microorganisms need this oxygen to decompose organic substances. If the compost pile is too wet, it will take a long time to start completely decomposing.

To solve the problem of wet compost, please make it a habit to inflate the compost every week. Inverted compost can help to evenly decompose the compost, and also dry and wet compost materials. If you live in a place where it rains much in spring, please turn over the compost and cover the compost box.

It is also wise to invest in a compost bin with a built-in cover, such as our garden compost bin. This is an environmentally friendly composting container with strategically placed holes to prevent excess moisture from entering. Installation only takes a few minutes, and assembly requires zero tools.

Too many greens

Green compost materials, such as used coffee grounds, fruit and vegetable residues, grass chips, etc., contain a lot of water. These are easy to pad down, making your compost box wet and smelly! Adding more carbon rich brown material to the compost heap helps to absorb water and restore the delicate balance between nitrogen and carbon.

Treat brown compost materials such as garden waste, shredded newspapers, cardboard, hay, straw, and pine needles as sponges – these materials can absorb excess water and eliminate unpleasant smells!

Meat, fat and dairy products

Not all kitchen waste can be used as composting materials. Waste meat, fat and dairy products should never be used as compost materials, because these foods will produce a putrid stench when they are rotten, just like rotten eggs. The smell is too strong; It will attract all kinds of animals to your garden - dogs, cats, mice, raccoons, etc. Worse, rotting meat, fat and dairy products may contain pathogens that cause disease and contaminate the soil. To avoid odor problems, do not add meat, fat and dairy products to the compost heap.

Hypoxia

Proper oxygen levels are essential for healthy composting. Oxygen is conducive to the decomposition of organic substances. Without oxygen, it triggers anaerobic decomposition.

Anaerobic decomposition will produce a persistent stench, attracting pests and pathogens. It takes a long time for organic waste to decompose in this way. More importantly, anoxia will dry the compost material, causing the compost to become compacted due to the unpleasant smell.

To restore oxygen to the compost heap, flip the compost periodically. Use a hand rake or compost turner to break down the broken organic material and add dry leaves or hay to prevent the material from being compacted again.

Lack of beneficial bacteria

Healthy compost is a living ecosystem that supports different microorganisms. These microorganisms work together to decompose organic matter and turn household garbage into gardening gold. If the balance between carbon and nitrogen is broken, beneficial microorganisms will not thrive.

In addition to maintaining the perfect balance between brown and green materials, you should also choose the right compost container. The fashionable products such as tumbling compost box adopt innovative design, but the compost itself does not contact with the soil. The compost is sealed in plastic buckets, which means that microorganisms cannot survive to decompose or heat the compost.

The traditional compost box effectively eliminates the odor, because the bottom of the compost box is directly set on the ground. This encourages beneficial microorganisms to reproduce and decompose organic matter.

Other Composting Techniques

Chopping compost materials: Crushing and shredding compost materials can speed up the decomposition process. This reduces the chance of odor problems.

Balance carbon and nitrogen: green and brown compost materials should be balanced to avoid unpleasant smells.

Better location: Keep the compost bin in a sunny place. This will help to preheat the compost pile and ensure efficient decomposition.

Although it is almost impossible to keep the bad smell out when you compost at home, the problem should not be so serious that you will get complaints about the smell from your neighbors. With these tips, you can control the smell and maintain a healthy compost bin.