A compost recipe looks simple; in Samsun the real test of an open heap can be rain. When the heap stays saturated, air in the pores decreases and a heavy rotting smell can replace an earthy one.
Moist, but not streaming when squeezed
Compost should be moist, but not so saturated that water keeps running out when you squeeze it. In a heap that is too wet, you need to fix rain getting in and the amount of structural dry material, not only turn it.
A cover should not turn the heap into a bag
A cover that sheds excess rain from the top while still letting air move at the sides is more useful than turning the heap into an airless plastic bag. In autumn especially, managing rain can matter more than the ingredient recipe.
Keep dry brown material apart
Storing dry leaves and shredded cardboard separately, in a dry place, lets you balance wet material from the kitchen. If all the brown material is also soaked by rain, you have nothing left to adjust the moisture.
A bad smell is excess moisture and low oxygen
A bad smell is often a sign of too much moisture and too little oxygen. Opening stuck layers and mixing in dry, bulky material is a more basic fix than adding perfume or a random amendment.
Do not pile unfinished material on seedling roots
Mature compost looks dark and crumbly, and most of the starting materials are no longer recognisable. It is safer to wait until the process finishes than to pile material that is still hot and obviously undecomposed onto sensitive seedling roots.
