Barrel Composter problems...

[JasonOne]

Hi folks, I"m new here and on the trail of answers re: composting. I hope I'm in the right section of the forum.

Last year I got a nice barrel composter. I began filling it, following directions. I used only vegetable matter, leaves, and turned it once a day.

Within about 6 weeks, the contents smelled very bad. It wasn't draining properly so I think it got too wet. Overall, it was just amazingly stinky and we couldn't do much with it. It wintered this way, and still smelled awful when spring first came. I turned it on it's side to drain it completely. Finally it seems to stink less. I did empty the contents into my garden yesterday and get to start over.

Does this sound abnormal or like I did something wrong? How can I make good compost in a barrel composter?

[tigerella]

Hello, I don't know much about barrel composting, but in my upright compost bin if things get a bot icky and smelly wet, I add dry matter such as sawdust shredded newspaper and hay.
It's a matter of getting the right balance, not too wet or dry and a nice crumbly odour free consistency.
Check that the drainage holes aren't blocked up and keep turning. Maybe leaving the lid open for a little while regularly may help let air in.

[Canucksintheuk]

I have just had to add lots of dry matter to mine too - as it was quite wet and stinky I find the main problem with the barrell composter is the rotating of it - as all the weight is at the bottom of mine, and it's darned heavy to get turning! I would much prefer it if it was on it's side - would be alot easier to rotate.

[greengirl]

I have an upright composter with open bottom. This this was the wrong choice for me as I don't have the strength to fork it. Besides, how do you get to the bottom with a fork when it's fairly full? Should I transfer all to another easier to rotate composter? Like you say canucksintheuk, darned heavy to turn. What to do, please?

[paulsherwin]

You don't actually need to fork the material in a composter, it just speeds up the composting process and improves the texture a bit. If you get everything in by the end of September and just leave it, you will have usable compost next May.

I make compost in an old black plastic dustbin. All the usual stuff goes in, leaves, shredded newpaper, banana skins, grass clippings, you name it. There are no drain holes but the liquid produced by rotting grass etc. is absorbed by the dry stuff (leaves and paper). It isn't particularly smelly when I take the lid off. In May the freshly made compost can just be taken from the top.

Paul

[Willonthewall]

Don't struggle to turn your compost in a bin. Simply use an old "swingball" stand, the one that has the ground screw fixing. "screw" it into your compost and lift. Do this a few times and the compst is mixed and aerated with minimum effort.

[marrow]

There is insufficent air causing an anaerobic action which will produce a terrible smell, this a common problem with this type of compost bin.

What your after is an aerobic action so you have to get some air into the material, ventilation is the key, then it will heat up and break down far quicker producing a nice compost.

Leave the lid off in dry weather and cover up when raining.

Whatever you do don't allow it to become too wet.


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