Matted clumps that will not break up

01Symptom

Grapefruit-sized or larger balls of material that survive turning and are soggy inside.

1 published log ran into this — linked in section 04.

02Why it happens

03What to do

1. 01 Break every clump by hand or with the back of a fork at the next turn — do not leave them.
2. 02 Add dry carbon at 20 % of volume and mix thoroughly rather than layering.
3. 03 Use a mower over a tarp of clippings before they go into the pile.
4. 04 Never add more than 10 cm of grass at a time.

04Where this has come up in the logs

• batch logSummer grass clippings balanced with corrugated cardboard01 Sep 2026 · wire bay · 30:1 · 68 °C

05Related logs

• batch logSpent mushroom substrate, straight from a commercial grower12 Oct 2026 · pallet bin · 32:1 · 67 °C
• referenceKitchen and home waste: what goes in, what stays out01 Oct 2026 · 19 feedstocks tabulated