Damp and warm only in the middle of the pile | Pile too small, built too gradual, or cold weather | Form pile at least 3 feet high and 3 feet wide. Cover with tarp. Put in covered bin. Or allow to compost cold. |
Pile not heating up at all | Not enough nitrogen | Mix in fresh grass clippings, manure, or food scraps. |
Matted, undercomposted leaves or grass clippings | Compaction, poor aeration or lack of moisture | Avoid thick layers of leaves, grass, or paper. Break up layers with garden fork, then wet and remix the pile. Shred materials. |
Odor like rancid butter, vinegar or rotten eggs | Not enough oxygen too wet or compacted | Turn pile, fluffing materials to aerate them. Add coarse dry materials like leaves as needed to soak up excess moisture. If odor is intense, possibly cover with a layer of newspapers and/or coarse dry materials and allow pile to mellow before turning. |
Odor like ammonia | Not enough carbon | Add brown materials and aerate. If odor is intense, possibly cover and allow pile to mellow before turning (see preceding row). |
Attracting rats, raccoons, dogs, flies or other pests | Inappropriate materials (meat, oil, bones, etc.) or food too close to surface | Dispose of meat and oil. Use a rodent-resistant bin. Bury kitchen scraps 8 to 12 inches deep in the pile. |
Attracting various insects, centipedes, slugs, etc. | Composting | If garden pests are identified in pile, use traps or barriers between pile and garden. |
Infested with fire ants | Too dry, not hot enough or food too close to surface | Drench ant mounds with compost tea sweetened with feed-grade molasses. Broadcast low-toxicity fire ant bait for major infestations. Carefully rebuild pile to proper conditions, wetting thoroughly. |