How To Know If The Compost Has Gone Bad

Composting isn’t as simple as it seems, and any misstep can ruin the process. However, deciding whether or not it’s time to move on and start over is not always straighforward or evident. That's why you may wonder if your compost has gone bad.

You can tell your compost is bad if it’s slimy, nothing decomposes, and it smells like sewage. This can indicate an excess of nitrogen due to an imbalance of green and brown materials. Your compost is also likely bad if you regularly put meat in it and constantly find rodents in the bin.

Never harvest and use your compost if rodents constantly rummage through the bin. Follow along as we explore how to know if your compost is rotting and determine whether it’s salvageable.

How Tell If Your Compost Is Bad

1. Foul Odors

Does your compost smell like sewage? If it smells like sewage, ammonia, or rotten vegetables, your compost pile’s odor can tell you a lot about its condition. Healthy compost piles are supposed to smell earthy, natural, and rich, and will only do so when they’re well-balanced.

In some cases, compost piles even smell slightly sweet, depending on the content. Foul odors can indicate that your compost is unbalanced and has much nitrogen. In some cases, you can fix this issue by adding “brown” materials, like paper, cardboard, and dry leaves.

However, your compost may have gone bad and may be beyond repair if you put meat, dairy, and eggs in the pile. In that case, you’re better off removing the contents and starting from scratch. Next time, be careful about what you put in the compost and maintain a healthy ratio of green and brown materials.

2. Nothing Will Break Down

Most people expect to watch an interesting decomposition process when they start composting. These changes don’t occur overnight, but you should notice some progress each week. Big changes occur over several months, but only if your compost is well-balanced.

If not, the materials will likely look almost exactly how they were when you first put them in the pile. This is a common problem for people who don’t follow any specific protocols when composting. For example, failing to add moisture and nitrogen-rich materials will hinder the decomposition process. 

That’s especially true if you add tons of brown materials, like cardboard, as it can’t easily break down without help. It may be time to give up on your compost pile, remove the materials, and start over if months have passed with no changes.

3. Excessive Pests

Finding some bugs in your compost bin is normal, and in some cases, it’s even helpful. For example, isopods, worms, and black fly larvae are good for compost piles. However, the presence of ants, maggots, termites, and houseflies can indicate that your compost is rotting.

Do you also find animals in your compost bin? Not only are rodents bad for compost, but their presence can also tell you that something is wrong with it in the first place. You’re more likely to find animals in your compost bin if you don’t turn and aerate it regularly enough.

That’s because stale odors can attract animals, who may then eat the compost and cause an imbalance. You can keep animals out of your compost by regularly turning the pile and keeping it balanced. It’s also important to choose a secure lid and weigh it down with heavy objects as needed.

4. The Pile Contains Weeds/Bad Plants

Many people add plant matter to their compost piles, and that’s often a great idea. However, you can’t indiscriminately add any plant to your compost pile. For example, you may pull some weeds in your garden, put them in your compost, and go about your day.

What you may not realize is that those weeds can grow within your compost bin. Even worse, seeds and root pieces may remain, and you may accidentally spread weeds throughout your garden when you harvest your compost. After all, many people spread their compost throughout their soil beds.

Diseased plants can also taint and ruin your compost pile, compromising all the materials. That’s especially true for fungal diseases, which can rapidly spread throughout a compost pile. Upon harvesting it, you will most likely spread blight throughout your garden.

5. The Texture Is Slimy

Nobody wants to handle or even look at a slimy compost batch. Not only is it gross, but slimy textures also indicate that something went wrong during the process. Compost can become slimy for many reasons, such as excessive aerobic bacteria that won’t break down. 

Your compost will likely become slimy if you add too many kitchen scraps, such as lettuce and grass clippings. That’s why you’re supposed to add paper, cardboard, and leaves to maintain balance and prevent slimy textures from forming. You can try to fix this problem by adding lots of brown materials and regularly aerating the pile. 

However, your compost is likely beyond repair if it’s slimy and lacks drainage. Without drainage holes, it will retain moisture for too long, which only gets worse when there are too many green materials.

6. You Fell Behind On Maintenance

A compost pile can only thrive if you dedicate a lot of time to maintenance. This can be troublesome for people who think composting is an easy task. Unfortunately, some people get overwhelmed by how much work composting actually requires. If you don’t take care of your compost, it will eventually go bad.

That’s especially true if you don’t regularly turn the pile and add material as needed to maintain balance. Ideally, you should inspect your compost pile a few times each week to see its condition. If you don’t keep it moist and aerate it, the compost will become gross, stale, and ineffective. Sadly, you may need to start over if you haven’t taken regular care of your compost. 

7. You’ve Been Putting Meat In Your Compost

Without enough research, you may assume that all kitchen scraps are suitable for composting, however, putting meat in your compost can invite unwelcome guests, like houseflies. Not only will you attract animals and bad bugs, but you may also introduce dangerous pathogens, like salmonella.

This can taint the compost, and using tainted compost is dangerous. For example, you may put meat-tainted compost in your vegetable garden and taint your veggies with pathogens. Instead, you should empty the compost, wash the bin, and start over.

How Long Does Composting Take?

Composting can take as little as 8 weeks or as long as 2 years, depending on many factors. For example, the size of the pile or bin, material ratio, surface area, and moisture can affect the decomposition rate. You should never expect fast results when composting, especially if you regularly add materials.

Throughout the process, it’s important to stir the pile and remove finished compost as needed. Otherwise, you may ruin the finished compost if you don’t harvest it soon enough. Adding worms and keeping the pile warm can help expedite the process, especially during the fall and winter. Don’t feel discouraged if your compost pile takes longer than expected, unless, of course, the pile looks or smells unhealthy.

Summing It Up

You can tell your compost is bad if it smells like sewage and ammonia, and nothing breaks down. Slimy textures and excessive pests, like rodents, maggots, and houseflies, can indicate that your compost is bad. You should start over if you put weeds and diseased plants in your compost pile, as the compost will be unusable.

Related Guides:

• Winter Composting Tips And Tricks
• What To Do With Your Compost During A Move