Compost Troubleshooting: Wet Piles, Smells, Worms, and Winter Fixes
Backyard Farming: Composting by Kim Pezza
Author: Kim Pezza | ISBN: 978-1-57826-587-9
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Chapter 9 is basically a FAQ. Something went wrong? Find your symptom, apply the fix.
Moisture problems
Too wet from rain: turn the pile, cover loosely with a tarp.
Too dry: should feel like a damp sponge. Sprinkle, then turn. Add greens if it still won’t heat.
Damp and earthy but cold: C:N balance is off. Add nitrogen-rich greens.
Smells
Rotten eggs: not enough oxygen, too wet. Turn and add greens (yes, greens help aeration balance here in Pezza’s guidance).
Ammonia: too much nitrogen. Add browns.
Proper piles smell like woodlot soil. Full stop.
Critters and plants
Bugs: usually fine. Spread compost in sun before use if they bother you.
Ants: pile too dry. Moisten and turn to break nests.
Flies: bury food waste deeper under soil or compost. Some insects like soldier fly larvae are helpers, not pests.
Sprouting plants in compost: pile didn’t get hot enough to kill seeds. Pull weeds, transplant useful volunteers, watch temperature next round.
Wildlife: bury kitchen scraps deeper, pre-mix with soil, stop composting meat, upgrade to animal-proof covered bin if needed.
Worm bin issues
Buy red worms for outdoor piles? Optional. Ground-contact heaps often attract worms naturally. Mail-order works; watch seasonal shipping limits.
Worms died: common early mistake. Fix bedding moisture, buy new worms, try again.
Worms in a ball: too cold. Move bin warmer or bring indoors for winter.
Winter and drought
Build or feed piles in winter? Yes, but activity slows or stops until thaw.
Keep working into cold months: insulate with straw, leaves, or newspaper under a dark tarp. Move movable bins nearer the house. Chop inputs smaller. Maintain C:N ratio. Pezza admits trudging through snow gets old fast.
Dry climates: use enclosed barrels to limit evaporation. Soak each layer as you build. Shape a bowl in the pile center to catch rain. Redistribute puddled water after storms.
Storage
Finished compost: best used fresh. On ground, tarp cover works and worms can visit. In bins or bags, drill drainage, watch moisture, stir, guard against mold. Nutrients fade over months; refresh with browns and greens if storing long. Old compost can seed a new pile.
Compost tea: store in dark sealed containers up to ~6 days. Longer needs aeration (aquarium bubbler) because it’s alive.
My take
This chapter is worth bookmarking. The ammonia vs rotten egg smell distinction maps directly to browns vs turning.
Pezza’s honesty about worm death and winter slog feels real. Compost isn’t failproof. It’s fixable.
Previous: Cleaning and Using Compost | Next: Series Closing Thoughts