This is the place to ask questions and get answers about anything related to composting, soils and mulches.
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Have you run into a problem? Do you have a question? You can ask away here.
Make up a title for your question first that will help other people find answers. Then write down your question with as much detail as you want. Tell us where you live. If we know whether it is wet or dry, cold or hot, in your area it will help us give a better answer.
If you have a picture upload it. The maximum size of picture is 800 by 600 pixels. It is easy and free to resize your photos at picnik.com.
Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...
Compost Method - Burying Material
I have been composting for several years now with just burying the compost in what will become a garden row and coming back the next year to plant over …
wedding event temporarily wrap compost bin?
Hi there - I've tried searching online to get an answer, no luck. We are hosting a backyard wedding in 2 weeks, and I'd like to reduce the possible number …
Pathogens — I'm Worried About Pathogens
I have a bottomless compost bin in the garden where we put raw food scraps and coffee ect. I've placed some garden leaves and twigs also. It doesn't seem …
Rotten egg broke in my compost
I was turning my compost today (large family uses it). There was a whole egg- not sure how long it had been in there. It broke and smelled horrible.
…
Pet Poop Digester
I’m going to build a digester specifically for dog poop. I will be using a salvaged approx 60 gallon tank from an old air compressor. I’ll add lots of …
Composting Flooring
Hi,
I live in outback Australia.
I have a good compost but want to move it closer to the house so it’s not so far to walk to.
I am wondering what …
Grass Clippings and Golf Course Sand
Hi. I recently got some grass clippings for my compost, but noticed that it has a bit of sand.....likely from the nearby golf bunker. Should I still mix …
Compost Bin and Soil Question
I began a compost bin a few weeks ago and placed Scott's lawn soil in it as my soil source. I have been reading a variety of reviews and I believe I may …
Bokashi and verimculture composter?
Can you add bokashi compost to a verimculture composting system?
Does Bokashi Play Nice with Worms?
Hi AT and thanks for your question.
Bokashi …
Do Worms Leave When Compost is Done?
I have a large round plastic compost bin similar to the photo though mine is slightly wider and bigger.
I have lots of worms in the bottom that appeared …
Ants Attacking Earthworms in Compost Heap
Good day - thank you for your very valuable channel!!
I have neglected my compost pile for a while :(- just adding material and not stirring the contents …
Beginner Composting within a Forest
Hello! I recently bought a home that is surrounded by forest. I have been throwing sticks and pulled weeds into the forest, spreading them around. This …
Paper with Ink on It
Hi, I'm confused as to whether I can compost paper that (a) I have printed on i.e. has printer ink on it and (b) paper that I've written on i.e. has pen …
Lots of Leaves, Some Grass Clippings – How do I Start a Compost Pile with Limited Materials?
Years ago my grandfather told me that his dad said to never put leaves in the garden because it soured the soil.
For many years I have just raked my …
Above Ground Composting?
Hi!
My mom and I have recently been starting to compost our food scraps in her garden. We haven't bought any compost bins or anything. My mom just …
C/N Ratio for Compost Tumbler
I lucked into an envirocycle left behind by the previous homeowner and though I’ve muddled through so far I’d love to improve my results.
I’m confused …
Is Beekeeping Waste Safe for Worm Composting?
I am a beekeeper and I have some waste from beehives. Is beekeeping waste safe to use in worm composting? I have taken the wax from here and all that is …
Mushroom Compost for Raised Beds
We are doing raised beds and have read/heard conflicting stories of how to use this. And can we use straight mushroom compost without top soil?
My Advice …
Compost dirt and ants
My issue with compost ants is that we sift the dirt and mix it with other potting soil and it goes into plants in the hot house/greenhouse.
My experience …
Where to buy actinobacterium Frankia?
Does anyone know of a product that contains this actinobacterium? I want to make sure it's available in the soil when I plant Goumi berries.
I Don't …
Weird fungus? In decomposed yard waste
We had a tree removed and waited a year before grinding the stump. We added yard waste, small branches, leaves, grass clippings, etc over the next year. …
Wet Disposable Diapers - Can They be Composted?
Sounds disgusting, but would the inside of wet diapers be compostable? Urine + cellulose.
Good Question
That's an interesting question. The thing …
Best Decomposers for Growing Kale in Martian Soil
My daughter's 11th-grade science project idea involves soil decomposers, and we're stuck. She is testing 3-5 decomposers in Martian type soil to investigate …
No More Heat.
I live in Southeastern Mississippi. It is very hot and humid here.
I started my compost pile in the woods about 10 weeks ago. Just threw some sides …
Heating Up a Nearly Finished Compost Heap
My compost heap is about 80% decomposed. I made it in the normal way and it didn't get warm during the composting process.
There are still unwanted …
Stalled composting
HI,
I have a two sided barrel type compost tumbler, I filled up the first side and put some already ready compost in to kickstart it, and went on to fill …
Red Wigglers
Our compost bin is full of red wigglers. The bin is a two piece plastic one, with a door at the bottom for scooping out the composted material. My husband …
Mashed Vegetable Waste for Plants on the Terrace
Hi! I'm living in an apartment with a terrasse. I love plants and hate throwing out the amount of vegetable waste.
I tried doing compost last year but …
Gray Fuzzies! Oh No!
I bought a kitchen counter compost bin and began using it right away. It came a week before my tumbler arrived.
To make a long story short, gray …
Mycorrhizae in our compost or what?
We have white stuff in our compost which looks to me like ashes. It shows up when horse manure or lots of grass clippings are used. I would say when there …
Bedding Down my Fall Garden
I have been composting leaves now for 25 years, as a result of being daunted by the task of bagging leaves from 47 oak trees on my property. It's a lot …
Composting in a Forest
We have recently purchased a home on a street with houses on one side and about 12 acres of woods on the other.
Historically all of the neighbors …
Clodded Compost
I have a barrel style composter. I've added grass clippings, coffee grinds, egg shells etc... It didn't get watered while we were on vacation and now …
100% Compost Vegetables Container Garden
I made a movable raised container garden for an elderly friend who loves gardening but can no longer bend to take care of. In my haste to get it done …
Leggy Growth with "Tea"
I live in Phoenix and have been composting for about 4 years. When I was able to add the compost to the soil around my plants, it really seemed to give …
Is Our Compost Safe to Use?
My husband decided to put our compost into a 5 gallon bucket & put the lid on. We live in California so it gets very hot. He did this for 2 months and …
Miserable Composter
I have dreams and aspirations. So I planted my little garden, and bought a small tumbling composter (2 chambers).
Several weeks have elapsed. I'm …
Help I've Got Maggots
I live in south central Virginia I'm having problems with maggots in my tumbler is this normal?
I've been gardening for 30 years but I'm just starting …
My Lawn Soil pH is too High
I have been trying everything I can to revive my lawn. It was neglected for years. I have been trying my best to revive it for the last 3 years. My problems …
Compost Sources - Storm Debris
My city cleans streets regularly. The May 26 t-storm piled maple seeds at the sewer entrances. I picked up and dumped 2 yards in a pile that is already …
When to Use the Compost
Hello I have a. Plastic conical compost bin. I put veg in it every other day.
I have been putting veg in it for months, and I always see uncomposted …
Buried Compost Pit
I obtained a 60 gallon barrel for the purpose of a buried compost pit. I drilled many 3/8" holes in the bottom and approx 1/3 up the sides. The bin is …
Composting My Urban Container Garden
Hi! I Live in the city and am lucky enough to have a good sized outdoor deck that supports all manners of vegetables in containers during the summer. …
The Worms in My Garden Compost have Disappeared!
We compost in a large plastic composter that used to be loaded with worms throughout the compost material. Recently we have noticed that the worms are …
100% Compost or 50/50% Topsoil and Compost???????
I am buying 15 yards of something this spring. Just not sure what is best for my purpose. 100% compost is available along with a 50/50 blend of compost …
Compost Tumbler Questions
How ya doing? I live in Virginia, Zone 6b, Jan. 10,2013, temp 30 to 50 degrees F, dry. I have a four part question.
Airholes for my Tumbler I have …
Daily Kitchen Scraps Meets a Full Compost Tumbler
What do I do with my daily kitchen scraps as I produce compostable material everyday and my tumbler is already full?
This is a problem I continuously …
Tumbler contents are too wet.
My compost tumbler has turned very wet.
What do I add to absorb the liquid?
lu
I had a Similar Problem
I have been testing a compost tumbler on …
Why Doesn't Super Hot Compost Starter Help Raise the Temperature in my Pile?
My husband and I are new to the gardening and composting world. I'd saying we're doing fairly well with the gardening part, if you don't count the green …
Someone Else's Compost
My husband and I bought a house with a compost bin. The house has been vacant for several months, but there is stuff in it from the previous owner. Should …
Oh Fudge... Can I Compost It?
I have been composting for many years and know the basics. I've been told no meat,no fat and no dairy in the compost. I made some fudge that sugared and …
Does Mushroom Compost Serve the Same Function as Mycorrhizae
Hello, and thank you for this wonderful resource.
We are organic backyard growers in NE Melbourne, Australia.
I googled "mycorrhiza and mushroom compost" …
Why Won't my Fall Leaves Based Compost Get Hot in My Compost Tumbler?
I can't get hot compost going in my Compost Tumbler! My base is shredded fall leaves (oak&maple). I picked them up in a vac/bagger, so they are well-shredded. …
Compost too Alkaline from Fly Ash
I bought some compost which I found out had a pH of 8.4! I rang the business and they said it was probably due to fly ash being added to the compost. The …
Diseased Apples (Scab) in Compost Bin
Apple Scab - photo by Luke Milliron
I am new to composting this year. I have been placing a variety of browns and greens in my bin, including kitchen …
Composting Paper - Is it Safe?
I have a question about composting paper...You talk about using your shredded bills and cardboard in your compost pile. Do these processed papers contain …
Preschoolers Making Compost and Possible Herbicide Residues
We are in the process of making our own compost. We have a straw bale donated to us. I'm concerned about our compost becoming a "killer compost" from …
Unidentified Fungi in the Garden
I've been seeing a large amount of fungi in the community garden I manage. I haven't identified them. I don't even know if they're toadstools or mushrooms. …
Harvesting / Collecting Compost.
A gardener I know has two compost bins made of skids on three sides with one side open.
Both sit on bare ground.
I see how easy it is to turn the compost, …
Bokashi pilot program in H.R.
Hi Leslie,
Will diverting kitchen scraps from my compost heap to use in the Bokashi system slow down the rate of development of my yard waste compost? …
Can you plant a vegetable garden in pure compost?
Had a load of compost from a company "Blessing Blends" specializing in organic, high quality compost. What they delivered looked amazing - so after stripping …
Ammonia Smell
i just started composting using a aerobin 400
added a layer of dried leaves, then a layer of active compost from home depot.
have been adding chopped …
Starting a Raised Garden this Year - Leaf Compost Only??
I am starting a "Raised Garden" for the first time this year about 4' x 12'... I have plenty of composted leaves, some from 4-5 years ago.. I collect leaves …
Ants in the Compost Pile
I have tiny black ants in my compost pile, should I use diatomaceous earth on them, something else or are they helping my compost break down?
Photo …