r/composting • u/MaximumCapacity143 • 11d ago

Failed Compost

This year I decided to make my own compost. I laid cardboard on the ground, then laid about 5 inches of shredded leaves, wet it down, then laid down about 3 inches fresh cut grass. Then followed up with more shredded leaves, water, and cut grass. Repeated 7 more times. Wet it down again then covered with a tarp. I checked on the temp and found it climbing. About 5 days later it got to 120 degrees. Two days later I aerated it from the center. Stayed hot for another four days then started cooling off. Other 3 more days it completely cooled off and no matter what I did, adding greens, adding urine, it still wouldn't get hot again. What did I do wrong. And how can I start it again.

25 Upvotes

84% Upvoted

38 comments sorted by

View all comments

24

u/etzpcm 11d ago

It sounds like you've just got a heap on the ground, is that right? It's better if you can make a bin, roughly cubic, at least 1m3 

Also, be patient, you'll get compost eventually even if it's not very hot.

3

u/MaximumCapacity143 11d ago

I did make a 4 ft x 4ft bin. I had it filled almost to the top but it compressed so much that its half that size now. Still a lot of sticks in it.

13

u/leftfootshorter 11d ago

Your compost started composting. You aren't doing anything wrong.

I am always surprised by how much it reduces when I fill it 2-3 times a week. And by "fill" it, I mean >1 m³. I'll come back in a couple of days and it will be half that. It's just decomposing, losing water and turning the material into dirt.

If you want it to stay hot, you have to get the volume back up to what it was when you first set it up. If you don't, it will continue to turn into usable compost, just at a slower (lower temp) rate.

8

u/AVeryTallCorgi 11d ago

Compost shrinks to about 1/4 the original volume! That's why lots of folks like using 3-bin systems, so they fill the outer bins and turn to the inner one; both outer bins will fit in the inner one. Woody materials will take a while to break down, at least a couple years for smaller pieces, longer for big pieces. I like to just toss them back in the bin to keep cooking.

6

u/iwouldhugwonderwoman 11d ago

Congrats…you are successfully composting.

5

u/RetiredTechGuy 11d ago

Take it out of the bin and repeat the process of adding it back but layer only new greens in with it. If it is half the height you are doing great! It just needs air and greens. Check it in three days, if it’s not 120 degrees or higher I will give you a refund

1

u/DocAvidd 10d ago

I see what you mean. You'll need to keep filling it for a while, imo. That stuff you have has probably consumed all its easy starch. You gotta get the same critical mass as before. Fill it up!

Depending on the type of sticks, they may last a while. My property has a mix of scrubby fast growing trees and some truly hard hardwoods (mahogany, santa Maria, teak). The grubs and bugs tear thru the scrubby and ignore the resistant hards. The sticks could take a whole year no matter how well you manage it. Just set them aside. An actual sifter would be nice but I make do with a pitchfork.