Compost Tumbler Stinks - Is That Just The Way It Is?

• 

  nocure on 30/09/2019 - 10:44

  -1

  If it smells, you're doing it wrong. You need to balance the wet and the dry ingredients.

  • 

    6000SUX on 30/09/2019 - 10:47

    +1

    totally accept i'm doing it wrong - more looking for constructive guidance

    • 

      Hithere on 30/09/2019 - 11:42

      +1

      Too wet. Try adding some dry stuff, even a couple of shovel fulls of soil or potting mix will help.

• 

  robbyjones on 30/09/2019 - 10:54

  +4

  You need to aerate your compost more (this can be difficult if it is wet and heavy), as well as turning it frequently dig into it with a garden fork or something to break it up. Cut up the waste a bit more before putting in. To fix the problem you need to work out what is "off" so that you can correct the balance of waste. If you have too much green waste it will smell like sewage or ammonia, add dried leaves, newspaper or straw to correct. The main thing though is to not have the compost too wet, it's probably the recent rain that has exacerbated the problem.

• 

  JediJan on 30/09/2019 - 11:14

  I would suggest turning it over a few times, regularly (maybe once a week), adding some dryish soil which may even have worms in (which is great as their stools are the best garden manure/compost). If it looks dry add some water, if too wet let it dry out some more. You can buy worms at hardware type stores like Bunnings. Ps. Worms don’t like it too hot, so a shaded position is best. (I used to know worm farmers in FNQ and they used their horse manure to good advantage. Do not put meat eating animal waste in though!). Compost will always have a certain amount of odour so best placed at the end of the garden.

• 

  matt3 on 30/09/2019 - 11:17

  +1

  We don't put citrus peel in ours, and keep onion waste to a minimum.

• 

  aussie bargain on 30/09/2019 - 11:33

  +1

  I have only started composting in the last year using a bin like the below:
  https://www.bunnings.com.au/tumbleweed-400l-gedye-compost-bi…

  From memory, you need to expect some sort of smell from the compost (source: multiple websites). From my experience, I never had any really bad smell coming from the compost. There was a time when there were lots of insect flying around the bin (around summer), but they went away once I put more garden waste on the top.

  I am probably not an expert, but perhaps try to add more paper, brown leaves and green garden waste to balance the mix.

• 

  brad1-8tsi on 30/09/2019 - 11:35

  +1

  It should smell reasonable most of the time but can sometimes smell a bit like rotten food.

  The small flies indicate that (probably) there is a bit too much citrus.

  Back off on the citrus and onion families for a week or two.

  Chop the food a bit smaller if you have time. If I have a stack of cauliflower leaves I try and do a rough 5mm chop before I put it in the worm farm.

  If it was mine I would add some shredded paper or cardboard or straw / dry leaves/bark to dry it out a bit. I usually put anything with personal details in mine as an identity theft deterrent.

  Add about 2 litres of garden soil, preferably with some worms. The soil will have micro-organisms in it that will help break down the food quicker.

  I find worm farms better at dealing with just kitchen waste and compost is good if you have a mixture of kitchen and garden waste.

  Have a look at the compost revolution site for some tips.

  If u were in Sydney I could hook you up with red compost worms a lot cheaper than Bunnings charges.

• 

  jason101 on 30/09/2019 - 11:45

  I had exactly the same problem (still do) no matter what I try I simply can't get my compost tumbler to work efficiently and consistently. I have resigned myself to the fact its just too hard - I've moved over to trench composting, https://www.abc.net.au/gardening/factsheets/trench-compostin… which is REALLY working well, if you have the space I'd suggest giving it a go.

• 

  moph on 30/09/2019 - 11:51

  +3

  There are a few types of composting. Most commonly thermocomposting (also called hot composting), static pile composting, and vermicomposting. Tumblers are usually intended for thermocoposting because they make it easy to ensure aeration. Thermocomposting relies on oxygen and bacteria to break down the waste, generating a lot of heat in the process. The heat should kill any weed seeds and pathogens (or plants or humans). This type of composting requires a balance of carbon and nitrogen, and can produce excess acid. From the sounds of things you may need to supplement with carbon and reduce the acidity, as well as ensuring a good oxygen supply. You can provide carbon in the form of dry lawn clippings, dried leaves, straw, shredded paper. Make sure you drain off any excess liquid and you can also supplement with a handful or two of lime or gypsum to counter the acidity. Keep tumbling it to ensure aeration.

  Generally thermocomposting is better for a one time addition of a large amount of waste, rather than the incremental addition that usually happens with home composts. That way you can ensure that all the material is at the same stage of degradation and then use the compost on the garden when it's done. That's a bit hard for home systems though so what I do is have two compost bins on the go and alternate between them.

  Vermicomposting is using worms - if you are doing thermocomposting properly the heat will kill the worms, so you should decide which way you want to go and don't bother with worms if you want to get it hot.

  https://www.grow-it-organically.com/hot-composting.html

• 

  [Deactivated] on 30/09/2019 - 11:52

  +2

  You have gone anaerobic.

  This happens due to a variety of reasons. Judging from your post, the most likely is:
  1. Too wet. Your aerobic bacteria has drowned.
  2. Not turning. Kinda like too wet but if it is too dense, the bacteria will drown.
  3. Rain getting in. Too wet.

  Try adding dried mulch to dry it up.

• 

  6000SUX on 30/09/2019 - 12:41

  Nice one guys - some good tips in there. Thanks for that :)

  I think the common theme is my bin is simply too wet. I'll certain give dry leaves, paper etc a crack.
  I am already turning (everytime i go out) so a few times a week.
  But i may have to get some worms too. Its in the shade, but summer is coming. So i'm unsure about this one.

  • 

    owli on 30/09/2019 - 14:51

    +1

    The worms will probably die if the tumbler heats up like it is supposed to.

    I 'add as you go' too, so I usually stockpile browns, after two or three kitchen scrap trips I seal with fine lucern mulch to try and keep the balance.

• 

  ihbh on 30/09/2019 - 12:58

  +2

  Do you have a 2:1 ratio of green to brown?

  Also easier to get the ones that sit on the grown for worms to come in.

  • 

    6000SUX on 30/09/2019 - 14:02

    No, but thats good to know if a target
    But wont that attract rats and other pests if on the ground?

    • 

      brad1-8tsi on 30/09/2019 - 15:05

      +1

      I had 3 ground compost bins in my old house (lots of grass and bushes that needed pruning). I put 10mm chicken wire underneath and pegged the bins into the ground to keep out vermin.

• 

  John Kimble on 30/09/2019 - 13:11

  +1

  More dry, less wet.

• 

  [Deactivated] on 30/09/2019 - 23:01

  You may find this factsheet
  useful. But basically what everyone said : too much nitrogen/wet and not enough carbon/dry.

• 

  [Deactivated] on 17/11/2019 - 11:20

  Add more brown stuff (leaves, branches), and some compost conditioner to balance the pH level