My cousin said my compost pile was basically just a wet leaf pile

I was super proud of my backyard compost setup, thinking I was doing a great thing. Then my cousin, who works on a farm, came over last month and just poked it with a stick. She said, 'River, this is anaerobic. It's all wet leaves and grass. You need way more brown stuff, like cardboard or dry straw, or it just turns to slime.' I felt a bit called out, but she was right. I started shredding my junk mail and old pizza boxes to mix in. After about three weeks, the whole pile heated up properly and stopped smelling weird. It made me realize a small action can be totally wrong if you don't know the basics. Has anyone else had a simple tip totally fix their home composting?

3 comments

3 Comments

henrybaker12d ago

That wet leaf smell is the worst.

william3201d ago

Funny how people either love or hate that smell.

sams2512d ago

Honestly that smell is pure nostalgia for me. It reminds me of jumping in leaf piles as a kid. It's the smell of fall finally arriving after a long summer. Way better than the dry dusty smell before the rain.