| Symptoms | Problem | Solution |
|---|
| The compost smells of ammonia. |
Too much nitrogen in the pile. |
Add brown material and aerate the pile. |
| The compost smells like rotten eggs. |
Not enough air or too much moisture. | Aerate the pile.
Turn several times until the smell is gone. |
| The center of the pile is dry. |
Not enough water. | Moisten materials while turning the pile. |
| The compost is damp and warm in the middle but nowhere else. |
The compost pile is too small. |
Collect more materials and mix old ingredients into a new pile. |
| The pile is damp and sweet smelling but still will not heat up. |
Lack of nitrogen. |
Mix in a nitrogen source such as fresh grass clippings, manure or high nitrogen fertilizer. |
