Cooperative Extension
Arrow
MG Manual Home
Arrow
Soils
Arrow
Logo    

SOILS AND FERTILIZERS: FERTILIZERS [continued]

Previous Previous

  MG Manual Reference
Ch. 2, pg. 43
[Fertilizers: fertilizers | analysis | types | organic | applying | application | improving | compost ]


Compost Troubleshooting Guide
Problem
Possible Causes
Solutions
Rotten Odor
  • excess moisture (anaerobic conditions)
  • turn pile, or add dry, porous material, such as sawdust, wood chips, or straw
  • compaction (anaerobic conditions)
  • turn pile, or make pile smaller

Ammonia Odor
  • excess moisture
  • too much nitrogen (lack of carbon)
  • Turn pile
  • add high carbon material, such as sawdust, wood chips, or straw

Low Pile Temperature
  • pile too small
  • make pile bigger or insulate sides
  • insufficient moisture
  • add water while turning pile
  • poor aeration
  • turn pile
  • lack of nitrogen
  • mix in nitrogen sources such as grass clippings or manure
  • cold weather
  • increase pile size, or insulate pile with an extra layer of material such as straw

High Pile Temperature
(greater than 140 degrees Fahrenheit)
  • pile too large
  • reduce pile size
  • insufficient ventilation
  • turn pile

Pests
rats, raccoons, insects
  • presence of meat scraps or fatty food waste
  • remove meat and fatty foods from pile, or cover with a layer of soil or sawdust, or build an animal-proof compost bin, or turn the pile to increase temperature



Search Index Comment

This site was developed for the Arizona Cooperative Extension, College of Agriculture, The University of Arizona.
© 1998 The University of Arizona. All contents copyrighted. All rights reserved.