10 Mistakes Gardeners Make With Their Compost And How To Avoid Them

Composting is one of those garden job that seems simple on the airfoil — you toss in scraps , hold back a while , and voila : black gold ! But any gardener who ’s tried it knows it ’s not always that aboveboard . You might witness your compost smells dreaded , stays dry and inactive , or never fail down the way it should . rely me , I ’ve been there , poking at a sloughy hatful and wondering what run ill-timed . That ’s why I ’m so passionate about helping others keep off these common composting fuckup .

If you ’re putting in the elbow grease to compost , you merit to get the fat , crumbly , life - filled fabric your plants will thrive in . compost assist improve soil structure , feast your plants , and even reduce your trust on store - bought fertilizer . But to get there , you have to set your pile up for success . So have ’s dig out into the most common compost mistakes and how you could dodge them — because a well - balance compost pile does n’t just profit your veggies ; it ’s a harbour for microbes , fungi , and even helpful critters that keep your garden ecosystem humming .

Adding Too Many Browns or Greens

It ’s easy to accidentally overload your compost pile with either too many “ John Brown ” ( carbon - productive items like dried leafage , cardboard , and husk ) or too many “ greens ” ( atomic number 7 - rich materials like food scraps , pasture clipping , or chocolate grounds ) . A cumulus with too many browns will break down very tardily and bide wry , while one with too many greens can get slimy , smelly , and anaerobiotic .

To avoid this , take aim for a bumpy proportion of 2 to 3 component part brown to 1 part green . I like to keep a bin of shredded leave or torn paper nearby to dot over kitchen scraps . If you ’re composting thing like invasive plants ( which I do n’t recommend unless you ’re raging composting ) , be cautious — they can spread out seeds or root if not thoroughly relegate down . And those super acid , if well - balance , also help attract decomposers like crawler and good bacterium !

Letting the Pile Dry Out

One of the most plebeian problem I see with compost is that the pile simply dries out and stop break down . Microbes and fungi that decompose organic matter need moisture to pull round and do their work . A bone - juiceless pile might sit inert for weeks , which is such a disappointment when you ’re thirstily checking for onward motion .

Think of your compost like a wrung - out sponge — it should palpate damp but not dripping . If you live in a teetotal climate or summertime is in full swing , count watering your sight every few days . Adding juicy immature flake or soaking browns in water before tossing them in can help too . Moisture encourage insect natural action , and I often find black soldier flies or even nesting native beetles working their trick in a balanced , hydrated pile !

Adding Meat, Dairy, or Greasy Foods

I experience it ’s beguiling to thresh all your kitchen waste into the compost bin , but center , bones , dairy , and greasy foods like oily leftover or salad dressings are unremarkably a no - go . These materials breach down easy , tone fearful , and attract pests like raccoons , rats , and fly .

rather , stick to yield and veggie rubbish , eggshells , coffee grounds , tea leaves , and garden trimming . If you want to compost meat or dairy farm , you ’ll need a red-hot composting setup or a scheme like bokashi fermentation , which is designed to handle them . Keeping the slew vegetarian also means few pesterer problem — and fewer surprisal digger looking for a snack .

Neglecting to Turn the Pile

sprain the compost pile can experience like a chore , especially when it ’s hot out or the pile is heavy . But it ’s all important if you desire your compost to split up down evenly and quickly . When you do n’t turn it , the center stays hot while the out edges sit untouched . You may finish up with beautiful compost in the mediate and unswayed material on the outside .

Aeration also introduces oxygen , which fuels the microbes responsible for decomposition . A turned pile encourages quicker breakdown and restrain foul smell out at bay . I ordinarily sour mine every calendar week or two with a pitchfork . fillip : turning often agitate nesting cuss like mice or flies while encouraging beneficial beetles and fungi that favour saucy , oxygen - rich conditions !

Composting Diseased Plants or Invasive Weeds

It ’s such a bummer to deal with powdery mould on your squash or bindweed taking over your margin — but thrash those into your veritable compost pile is a mistake you ’ll regret later . Most home compost piles do n’t get red-hot enough to vote down pathogen or smoke seeds , meaning you risk of infection propagate disease or weeds the next time you utilize your compost .

Instead , traveling bag diseased cloth for disposal or solarise it in ignominious plastic bag until it ’s altogether dead . If you ’re serious about hot composting and on a regular basis give intragroup temps above 140 ° F , youmightbe okay , but I play it dependable . Keeping those pests and pathogens out of your hatful also keep your garden healthier in the long run .

Using Compost Too Early

Sometimes we gardeners just ca n’t wait to use our compost ! But unfinished compost can rob your soil of nitrogen or even contain harmful pathogen and weed seeds . If your compost still has placeable food bit or smells moody , it ’s not ready yet .

ruined compost should smell down-to-earth and crumbly , like a timberland flooring . Using it too soon can cause plant stress and attract undesirable critters . I always cure my compost for a couple of week after the chief pile is done break down — just to be indisputable it ’s stable and full of nutrients . That extra number of patience really make up off in strong , sizable plant growth !

Forgetting to Chop or Shred Large Items

Large items like whole maize stalks , woody stems , or oversized branch can take constantly to break down . If you ’re tossing in uncut materials , do n’t be surprised when they ’re still there months later ! It ’s frustrating to labour through what you think is finish compost and regain big chunks of un - decomposed stuff .

To touch on this , chop or shred materials into smaller pieces before adding them . Even cutting banana Sir Robert Peel or deplume composition board makes a large divergence . Woody material like sunflower stalks ( which are native to North America and can attract nesting chick if left stand up ) can go in — but give them a good chop first . small opus break down faster and allow a more even texture in your finished compost .

Ignoring the Carbon-Nitrogen Ratio Altogether

While it ’s okay to be a bit relaxed with your composting , completely push aside the balance between carbon and nitrogen can leave you with a pile that smells , stalls , or never breaks down decently . If your compost sense dark or like ammonium hydroxide , it ’s credibly too nitrogen - arduous . If it just ride there , ironical and untouched , it likely involve more greens .

You do n’t have to evaluate accurate ratios , but being aware makes a huge difference . I utilize kitchen scraps and light-green weeds as nitrogen sources and poise them out with dry leaf , rip up composition , or sawdust . A little observation go a long way . When the down has a nice mix , you ’ll see it steamer up , appeal beneficial germ , and become a haven for decomposers like millipedes and rove beetles !

Not Protecting the Pile From Excess Rain or Sun

Too much sunshine can dry your pile out , and too much rain can submerge it . A compost big money leave uncovered during a wet springtime might twist into a mucky , smelly mess , while one left broil in the full sun can dry into a exanimate brick . Finding the balance is primal to supporting the life sentence inside your compost .

I like to cover my compost with a tarp or onetime carpet during sound rain or warmth waves . you’re able to also embed native bush or tall perennials nearby to supply shade without entirely blocking airflow . Bonus : those native flora might pull nesting birds or pollinators , bring more biodiversity right to your compost corner !

Failing to Use the Compost

It vocalise silly , but one of the bountiful mistakes is simply not using your ruined compost ! Some gardeners are hesitating — they’re not certain when it ’s ready , how to use it , or worry they ’ll “ use it up . ” But compost is intend to be used ! It feeds your plants , boosts soil health , and completes the beautiful cycle you started .

Spread finished compost around the base of vegetable , coalesce it into potting soil , or add together it to new beds before plant . Compost supports beneficial microbe , keep wet , and help balance your grease ’s pH. And when you use it , you make elbow room for the next stack — because allow ’s be fair , the composting never really stops , does it ?