jana_lewis16•1mo agoMost Upvoted

Took me 18 months to finally compost right in my backyard

I started a compost pile in my Minneapolis backyard back in early 2022, thinking it would be simple. Turned out balancing greens and browns was way harder than I expected, and my pile just sat there rotting with a weird smell for over a year. I finally ran into a master composter at the local garden center who explained I needed way more carbon material like cardboard and sawdust. Has anyone else struggled way longer than they thought with something as basic as composting?

2 comments

2 Comments

mark491mo agoMost Upvoted

Did you try layering browns and greens like lasagna or just mix it all together?

gavin801mo ago

Oh man, I totally feel you on this one! I've been there so many times, staring at a pile of greens and browns and just tossing them in together hoping for the best. It's a real struggle when you're not sure if you're doing it right, but hey, you're trying and that's what counts. I remember my first few attempts at composting were just a mess of everything mixed up, and it still worked out okay in the end. So solidarity, my friend, you're not alone in figuring this out! Just keep at it, and it'll all break down eventually.