Wet, wet, wet!!!

I went out today to turn my compost (I use 32 gallon garbage cans) and as I was rolling my active barrel around the yard I noticed some liquid running out of the barrel. When I set it up to see what was going on was about knocked on my butt by the smell, and as I started digging into it I saw how wet it was. I am talking WET. I haven't watered it in probably a month and a half I just keep adding stuff to it. I am guessing it smells so bad because its so wet. When I went to feel the stuff on the bottom I could tell that it was cold too so I am getting no heat production either which might be part of the problem with the smell.

I added a bunch of dry leaves from under my pine trees to it hoping that it would help soak up some of the moisture and mixed it up really well and plain on adding more tomorrow too. I also left the lid off of the can so some of the moisture can evaporate hopefully.

I have two things running through my head as to why it would be like this. One is that there is no where for the extra water to go like there would be with a pile that is just on the ground. Two with the lack of brown material going into the pile I have nothing to soak up the moisture in all of the green material I have been adding.

Could there be another problem? How should I fix this?

scmelik - do you have air holes drilled in the garbage can? If it does not get air you will get the anaerobic activity which will work but it is wet, slimy, and SMELLY!

GG

Goosegirl wrote:scmelik - do you have air holes drilled in the garbage can? If it does not get air you will get the anaerobic activity which will work but it is wet, slimy, and SMELLY!

GG

I have some but probably not enough. That was a thought too but I wasn't sure, I was about to go to town on all three cans with the drill but I was worried about loosing material out of the holes.

scmelik wrote:

Goosegirl wrote:scmelik - do you have air holes drilled in the garbage can? If it does not get air you will get the anaerobic activity which will work but it is wet, slimy, and SMELLY!

GG

I have some but probably not enough. That was a thought too but I wasn't sure, I was about to go to town on all three cans with the drill but I was worried about loosing material out of the holes.

Get the drill! Don't worry about losing stuff through the holes. I used a 1/4" drill bit and went to town. The only thing I have had leak out through the holes was just tonight when I poured a 16 oz. bottle of liquid chlorophyll into my tumbler. A few drips leaked out the bottom before I gave it a few spins. Once I tumbled it, the liquid was distributed and leakage stopped. It is doubtful that you will lose much, if anything. And what you will gain in aeration and lack of stink will definitely make up for it!



GG

i need a couple of bins like that. The garbage can thing while easy and cheap is a real big pain in the butt to roll around the yard.

I got them free from the local dry cleaner business. The delivery guy comes to our office weekly and he was telling me that their empty barrels disappear before they can be picked up by the waste company because everyone in their town loves them for garbage cans and you can see them all over town. I told him that I would love a few and on his next delivery day he brought 2 empties in his van. This one is made from the industrial strength bleach barrel. Sodium hypochlorite dissipates so readily that I had no problem using it. I rinsed it well several times and then left it open for several days for the chlorine to de-activate and I have had no problems with the bleach killing off the good stuff - it is composting, molding, and changing just fine. I might take issue with other cleaning chemicals, so if you can find a source, be picky about what was originally in them.

GG

Goosegirl wrote:I got them free from the local dry cleaner business. The delivery guy comes to our office weekly and he was telling me that their empty barrels disappear before they can be picked up by the waste company because everyone in their town loves them for garbage cans and you can see them all over town. I told him that I would love a few and on his next delivery day he brought 2 empties in his van. This one is made from the industrial strength bleach barrel. Sodium hypochlorite dissipates so readily that I had no problem using it. I rinsed it well several times and then left it open for several days for the chlorine to de-activate and I have had no problems with the bleach killing off the good stuff - it is composting, molding, and changing just fine. I might take issue with other cleaning chemicals, so if you can find a source, be picky about what was originally in them.

GG

I never thought about talking to the dry cleaner. With as much money as I spent down there while I worked at the bank that I should be able to get a couple of them.

scmelik wrote:

Goosegirl wrote:I got them free from the local dry cleaner business. The delivery guy comes to our office weekly and he was telling me that their empty barrels disappear before they can be picked up by the waste company because everyone in their town loves them for garbage cans and you can see them all over town. I told him that I would love a few and on his next delivery day he brought 2 empties in his van. This one is made from the industrial strength bleach barrel. Sodium hypochlorite dissipates so readily that I had no problem using it. I rinsed it well several times and then left it open for several days for the chlorine to de-activate and I have had no problems with the bleach killing off the good stuff - it is composting, molding, and changing just fine. I might take issue with other cleaning chemicals, so if you can find a source, be picky about what was originally in them.

GG

I never thought about talking to the dry cleaner. With as much money as I spent down there while I worked at the bank that I should be able to get a couple of them.

I hope they are cooperative! The dry cleaner I got them from also does industrial laundry, that is why they have bleach barrels and soap/detergent barrels. Make sure you find out what was in them to make sure you are not lacing your compost with dry cleaning fluid!

GG

wow I just went and put a bunch of 1/4" holes in the one garbage can and there was so much liquid in it that it literally ran out and continue for about 3 min. I guess it was really wet!

scmelik wrote:wow I just went and put a bunch of 1/4" holes in the one garbage can and there was so much liquid in it that it literally ran out and continue for about 3 min. I guess it was really wet!

That would definitely cause the stink! I only laugh because I have been there!

GG

Goosegirl wrote:

scmelik wrote:wow I just went and put a bunch of 1/4" holes in the one garbage can and there was so much liquid in it that it literally ran out and continue for about 3 min. I guess it was really wet!

That would definitely cause the stink! I only laugh because I have been there!

GG

it smelled awful. When the water started running out of it my dog was laying right next to me she even got up and left and this dog is a duck hunter so she lives in sloughs.

I really perferated the can and I have had the lid off for two days now so hopefully it will help with the moisture level and the stench. Im gonna leave the lid off for the day tomorrow and when I leave for the week I will put it back on.

scmelik wrote:

Goosegirl wrote:

scmelik wrote:wow I just went and put a bunch of 1/4" holes in the one garbage can and there was so much liquid in it that it literally ran out and continue for about 3 min. I guess it was really wet!

That would definitely cause the stink! I only laugh because I have been there!

GG

it smelled awful. When the water started running out of it my dog was laying right next to me she even got up and left and this dog is a duck hunter so she lives in sloughs.

I really perferated the can and I have had the lid off for two days now so hopefully it will help with the moisture level and the stench. Im gonna leave the lid off for the day tomorrow and when I leave for the week I will put it back on.

I know that smell - almost makes me gag just thinking about it! In this heatwave we are having for the week it should dry out nicely.

GG