It's Raining, It's Pouring, My Compost Pile is.... Soggy.

It's raining. It's pouring. My compost pile is....soggy.

Compost is supposed to be wet. Rain can be good to keep a pile from drying out and to allow the organics to break down. But is extreme weather a problem? Last month, some areas of Ohio got 4-5 inches of rain in a week. For reference, that’s more than the amount of rain the area typically sees the entire month of August. When this happens, will my compost pile be okay? And how can I use compost as a tool during times like these? 

First of all, your compost pile will be fine. If it is open to the elements, it may take some time to dry back out, but it’s not - pun intended - a total wash. Compost should feel damp, but not saturated- meaning if you pick some of it up, it should feel like a wrung-out sponge. 

If you do find that your compost pile is saturated with rainwater, the best thing you can do is give your pile a good turn and add more “browns” such as leaves, wood chips, twigs, or pinecones. The “browns” will help absorb moisture and allow the “greens” to get some air. If you are concerned, you can give your compost pile a couple of days to dry out before emptying your kitchen scrap collector onto it. If you do add fresh food scraps, just add more “browns” than you typically would to help the pile balance. 

Your compost pile can be an important tool in helping control storm damage, both long term and immediate. 

Compost to the Rescue! - Yard Debris Control

Odds are, if a major storm has come through, you have some excess brush, twigs, or even tree limbs that have fallen. To manage these, you can chip them up and add them to your compost pile, or chip them and store them to use as browns throughout the year. Don’t have a chipper? No problem. There are places where you can rent chippers for one-time use. Many home improvement stores will offer this service and will sometimes have delivery and pick-up options for the rented equipment. Home Depot and Lowe’s offer this option, but your local home improvement store may also! Some communities also offer chipping services and may be able to leave you with woodchips if you ask. If you don’t want to use yard debris in your compost and just want to drop it off, you can utilize one of Hamilton County’s public yard trimmings drop-off locations where the trimmings will be used for compost or mulch locally. 

Playing the Long Game - Soil Conservation

When large storms hit, rainwater pools and flows, sometimes taking your topsoil right along with it. Soil erosion is a big problem in Ohio. One solution- your compost! Adding compost to your soil over time gives it better soil structure, allowing it to hold together better during extreme weather. Additionally, compost helps native plants grow and establish, allowing them to have deeper root systems that prevent erosion.

So bring out your umbrella and keep up your composting!

Compost Blogger: Sam Goubeaux