Can my compost be saved?

Up until about 6 months ago, I used to compost properly with kitchen waste too. But I found tipping out the bin, turning it all over etc quite horrendous. Only about half of the completely full bin had totally composted, the rest had to go back in and wait. It stank, it was yukky, it took ages and the compost I did put into my flower beds started to grow it's own grass!

Anyway, disillusioned, I decided to have a break and until recently I have only been putting grass cuttings into the compost bin. Now I feel guilty and have started to add shredded paper etc, but is it too late to get the balance of greens and browns right? If it is nevermind, but I would like to try to fix it if I can.

 

i'm new to composting but as i understand it if you take it all out and rebuild it with enough browns mixed in you should be alright but not going to be a pleasant job.

Wait for someone who knows better to post because they may have some good tips

 

I have had this happen over the last 40 years of making compost. It means that at some stage there was not enough oxyge getting to the material. It usually happens if there is a 'cap' of material formed on the top. Often it is grass cuttings. Mixing the old smelly stuff with fresh green/brown material will restart the process. If you are adding a lot of grass (which with a third of an acre of grass we do) then you need to consider making a hole in the centre of the heap (I use a big crowbar) to allow oxygen into the centre.
You could alwatys dig a trench in the veg patch or bare soil and bury the smelly stuff. It will take oxygen from the soil and turn into compost underneath without doing any harm and much good.

 

I don't have a veg patch only have a standard green compost bin. I will keep adding household bits to it and when I have help, we can tip everything out and mix it up. No rush though!