I made a mess of composting

[blue skys]

ok, so I started a couple of compost bins in two of those rubbermaid containers. I put holes in the bottom and sides, but obviously not enough. I left the lids off and it rained hard, so now I have stinky compost stew. Not pretty. I've been trying for days to shove as much absorbent brown material as I could find, while trying to airate it as much as possible (which is pretty impossible)... Not helping...

Any suggestions on how to fix this mess?

 

[curly_kate]

I think I'd dump it out into a big pile & let it dry out a bit. Then you could put more holes in your tubs. After it dries off a bit, you could put it back into the tubs & keep the lids on. But that's completely off the top of my head.

 

[patandchickens]

Yup, what Kate said. Dump it all out in a pile. Let it drain and dry. Then try again, perhaps with a bottomless (or nearly so) container and a lid on top, at least for rainy days.

Good luck,

Pat

 

[aquarose]

How about just some drill holes in the bottoms of the containers?

 

[digitS']

How about dumping and mixing it into a bale of peat moss? Peat is highly absorbent but essentially sterile.

I'd suggest pine shavings but too much of that material can delay decomposition for a good long time.

If it really isn't too bad, a couple bags of commercial compost could absorb much of the moisture and allow the decomposition to continue - probably at an increased rate.

. . . just my 2

Steve

 

[blue skys]

Thanks y'all!

 

[blue skys]

So i've done it again.

My compost seems to be ruined. There are maggots in the compost. I did not put any dairy products or meat in there, but there are maggots.

After the compost stew fiasco above, I dumped it out and let it dry and then put it all back into one bucket (why I didn't just leave it out ).

So I look in the bucket today - maggots. tons of them.

so I dumped it out and made a fence around it with welding wire fence and dumped a bunch of pine shavings/chicken poo on top. (I was going to compost it anyway - today was coop cleaning day)

So do ya'll think I have to worry about anything - I won't be using the compost for months (6 or 7)? or should I not use the compost for fear of nasties from the maggots - who are only supposed to eat rotten flesh - but are in my compost that is absent of rotten flesh??????

I have the most amazing ability to ruin anything I touch...

 

[vfem]

I have NO idea?!

I would not go back to the rubbermaid bins though. I would just fence up the compost in a pile and leave it for a few months until its time to turn it.

 

[blue skys]

I have NO idea?!

I would not go back to the rubbermaid bins though. I would just fence up the compost in a pile and leave it for a few months until its time to turn it.

That's what I plan on doing. I don't know why I didn't do that in the first place???

 

[vfem]

I didn't do it because I didn't have a permenant location for my bin. My bin is mobile because it blocks the only access to under the deck. It was a free recycled plastic tool box from a pick up truck... so far its covered well, and it drains well.

If I couldn't move it for my husband he wouldn't let me me have it. I would do it out by the woods, but I was afraid of attracting wildlife into the yard... so that was out of the question. I was limited... so I don't blame you for doing it in the bins one bit!!!

Don't feel bad.... you are doing a great job by not giving up... the earth thanks you! :coolsun