Do not give up hope and do not discard it, as there is always something that can be done. The foul smell often means that some adjustments need to be made in the composition.
* Rotten or sewage smell: Add dry “browns” and aerate the pile.
* Ammonia smell: Add more carbon-heavy “browns”.
* Very wet compost: Introduce dry leaves, shredded cardboard or another kind of “brown” absorbers.
* Compact pile: Decompress it and add some coarse material like little twigs or wood chips.
* Fruit flies: Bury fresh organic matter under the compost pile and cover the surface with “browns”.
A foul smell usually is the sign of incorrect handling, but not an inevitable process during composting.
The finished compost must have the color, structure and smell of dark, rich soil, and the recognizable ingredients should no longer exist in it. Backyard compost takes from a few weeks to several months to mature depending on the process being used and the way it was maintained.
