Troubleshooting · 19 of 30
Wet, sour layer at the base
The lowest 15 cm of a ground pile is dark, wet and sour-smelling even when the rest of the pile is fine.
01Symptom
The lowest 15 cm of a ground pile is dark, wet and sour-smelling even when the rest of the pile is fine.
02Why it happens
Water draining to the base and no air movement at the soil interface. Common in piles built on concrete or on a compacted surface.
03What to do
- 01 Build on bare soil or on a 10 cm layer of coarse prunings.
- 02 At the annual turn, lift the base material to the middle of the new pile.
- 03 Add a layer of straw or chips at the bottom of a rebuilt pile.
- 04 Do not site a pile at the low point of a garden where water collects.