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Compost failure to thrive
1. Composting
When things
aren’t working
OSU Extension
Master Gardener Program
Presented by
Teri S. Holmes
Ask a Master Gardener
2. KEYS TO COMPOSTING
Moisture
Aeration
Microorganisms
Volume—3ft x 3ft
Surface Area
Carbon/Nitrogen Ratio
—”brown” stuff and
“green” stuff—25:1 is
ideal
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3. COMPOST MATERIALS
Acceptable materials Unacceptable materials
Clean paper Dairy Products
Coffee and tea grounds and Fats, grease, lards or oils
filters Meats, fish bones, or scraps
Dryer and vacuum cleaner lint Pet wastes (dog and cat
Eggshells primarily)
Fruits and vegetables Diseased, insect-ridden plants
Grass clippings Black walnut leaves or twigs
Hay and straw Coal or charcoal ash
Houseplants
Leaves
Nut shells
Sawdust
Shredded newspaper
Wood chips
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4. Diagnosing Failure to Thrive
Pile doesn’t seem to be decomposing:
Is the pile dry?
Add water until sponge wet
Has the pile “compacted”?
Aerate pile
Is the pile too wet?
Add dry carbon material
Do you have sufficient “mass”?
Add more compostibles to the pile.
Ask a Master Gardener
5. Diagnosing Failure to Thrive
Pile doesn’t seem to be decomposing:
Is the pile in contact with soil?
Remove any barriers between soil and pile/bin.
Are materials chopped/shredded?
Shred/tear/smash/chop materials into smaller
pieces to create more surface area.
Is the pile exposed to the elements?
Do not seal pile off from weather elements (e.g.
cover and seal with black plastic).
Ask a Master Gardener
6. Diagnosing Failure to Thrive
My pile STINKS!!!
Is the pile too wet?
Add dry material
Is the pile compacted?
Aerate
Have you added meats, fats, or oils?
Remove IMMEDIATELY! Consider disposing of all
material and starting over.
Ask a Master Gardener
7. Other Issues
Help!! I think animals are living in my pile!
Don’t make your pile attractive to wildlife:
NO meats, fats, or oils.
Cover/bury spoiled, overripe fruits and vegetables
in the pile.
Utilize a bin instead of just piling on the ground.
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8. Other Issues
I can’t keep my dog out of the compost!!
No meats, fats or oils.
Use a bin with a lid
Bury all overripe fruits and vegetables
Warning: Onions are toxic to canines.
Causes a form of hemolytic anemia.
Consider fencing off the area.
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9. RESOURCES
Composting
Leaf Composting, Recycling Yard Waste: “Don’t Bag It”, OSU Extension
Service brochure L-252
http://pods.dasnr.okstate.edu/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-2865/L-
252.pdf
Backyard Composting in Oklahoma. OSU Extension Service Fact Sheet, F-
1744
Composting, USEPA.
http://www.epa.gov/wastes/conserve/rrr/composting/index.htm
Keeping Organics out of Landfills. USCC. www.compostingcouncil.org
Vermicomposting
Vermicomposting. USEPA.
http://www.epa.gov/wastes/conserve/rrr/composting/vermi.htm
Vermicomposting—Composting with Worms. OSU Extension Fact
sheet, BAE-1742.
California Integrated Waste Management. Vermicomposting.
http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/Organics/Worms/WormFact.htm#02
Ask a Master Gardener