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Articles about Compost and Soil Treatments
7 Factors Needed for a Compost Pile
Aerated Compost Tea, The New Organic Fertilizer
Bark As a Potting Soil Amendment and Mulch
Carbon:Nitrogen ratio of common compost materials
Compost mixtures you can make at home
Composting is Fun for the Whole Family
Green manures and Cover crops in the Organic Garden
Here is Why You Should Use Gypsum in Gardening
How to build a compost heap
How to make loam and leafmould
How to make worm compost
How to solve problems with compost making
How to use organic fertilisers
Mulching - Comparison of costs and results for organic and inorganic mulches
Mulching Benefits - Organic And Inorganic Mulch Types
N:P:K Analysis of common composting materials
Obtaining Free Mulch For Your Garden - Uses And Methods Of Getting It
Soil Basics - Creating Fertile, Healthy Soil
Soil PH And Its Effect On Your Garden
Understanding Soil Nutrients
Using Garden Compost
Aerated Compost Tea, The New Organic Fertilizer
Bark As a Potting Soil Amendment and Mulch
Carbon:Nitrogen ratio of common compost materials
Compost mixtures you can make at home
Composting is Fun for the Whole Family
Green manures and Cover crops in the Organic Garden
Here is Why You Should Use Gypsum in Gardening
How to build a compost heap
How to make loam and leafmould
How to make worm compost
How to solve problems with compost making
How to use organic fertilisers
Mulching - Comparison of costs and results for organic and inorganic mulches
Mulching Benefits - Organic And Inorganic Mulch Types
N:P:K Analysis of common composting materials
Obtaining Free Mulch For Your Garden - Uses And Methods Of Getting It
Soil Basics - Creating Fertile, Healthy Soil
Soil PH And Its Effect On Your Garden
Understanding Soil Nutrients
Using Garden Compost
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Organic Gardening:
How to solve problems with compost making
by Frann Leach
Looking for something else?
Building a compost heap for the first time is a learning process. If you have any problems, this page will help you find, and fix, the cause.
| Symptoms | Problem | Solution |
| The heap is wet and smells like a mixture of rancid butter, vinegar and rotten eggs | Not enough air | Pull it to pieces, shake it loose, improve the base, and rebuild it |
| The centre is dry and stemmy | Not enough water | Soak tough, stemmy material and add a starter |
| The heap is damp, and warm right in the middle, but nowhere else | Too small | Collect more material and start again, or try worm compost |
| The heap is big, damp and sweet smelling, but still will not heat up | Probably nutrient deficiency | Make a large hole in the middle and empty in a bucketful of manure, or add a starter |
©2004 Frann Leach. All rights reserved.
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