It’s difficult to mess up compost but it can be done. People often ask what are the common composting mistakes, and there are few of them. The mistakes are easy to correct, once you become aware of them. You can successfully turn your food waste into nutrient-rich nourishment for your organic garden.
Cover It Up
The most common composting mistake is just dumping everything into the pile and hoping it decomposes quickly. It will decompose like this, but it will take a long time, smell bad and attract flies.
A layering method that alternates layers of brown and green organic material, ending with a covering layer of brown, will promote faster decomposition, reduce odor, and won’t attack flies.
Start your compost pile with a layer of dead leaves, grass clippings, and the like. Then add a layer of green material, like food waste. Continue the layering with brown and green material and cover the pile with a final layer of brown (dead) organic material.
No Meat Or Dairy
Meat scraps and unused dairy products will attract wildlife and pests. Don’t place either of these items in your compost pile. Bones, meat skins, cheese, milk, yogurt. etc., are not good for the compost pile.
Too Much Grass
Brown grass clippings are great for the compost pile. However, if you add a thick layer of green grass clippings, it will form a dense mat that hinders airflow through the compost pile.
Decaying organic material needs oxygen to decompose properly without stinking. Create a separate pile for fresh grass clippings and allow them to turn brown and add them little by little to the compost pile.
Give It Some Air
Composting is an aerobic process, which means air is needed to promote fast and effective decomposition of the raw organic material. Turn the contents of the pile once a week to promote good airflow through the pile.
Stop Chopping
One of the most common composting mistakes made is chopping everything up into small pieces. The theory is the smaller pieces will decompose faster but that’s not true.
Remember the pile needs airflow to promote decomposition. Small pieces of waste congeal together and block the airflow through the pile. The compost pile needs both large and small pieces of organic material so pockets will be created for airflow within the pile.
Diversify
Add as many different food and yard waste items to your compost pile as possible. By diversifying what goes in, you will get a better diversity of nutrients and good bacteria out. Anything organic, except meat and dairy products, is ideal for adding to the compost pile.
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