I finally figured out why my bin smelled like a swamp

For like 6 months I was tossing in coffee grounds and citrus peels thinking it was all good. Then last week a friend asked why I wasn't adding browns like shredded paper or cardboard. Turns out I was basically drowning my compost in nitrogen and it was rotting instead of breaking down. I pulled out a handful of slimy mush and it clicked. Anyone else start out thinking you just need greens and ignore the browns?

2 comments

2 Comments

keithharris5d ago

Nah you had it right and everyone else is overcomplicating it. I've been running a pure greens pile for two years now and my bin smells like nothing most of the time. The trick is you gotta turn it every other day and keep it aerated. Citrus peels are fine if you chop them small and coffee grounds actually help with drainage if you spread them out. The whole browns thing is just a rule of thumb for people who don't want to put in the effort. My tomatoes went nuts last season and I never added a single piece of cardboard.

noah_chen175d ago

Right, and the people who swear by browns are the same ones who leave their pile sitting for weeks on end. A consistent turning schedule fixes most of the problems people blame on too many greens. If your pile doesn't smell, it's working, full stop.