Mold is natural in compost
Mold bacteria occur in every garden soil and of course also in compost. The bacteria contribute to the decomposition and are therefore an important part of the composting cycle.
also read
- Steaming compost - why and how?
- Compost structure - this is how you get good compost
- What is the compost temperature?
If there is heavy mold growth, this is an indication of incorrect filling of the composter. Most likely you have layered too many damp materials.
The formation of mold is particularly noticeable if you store a lot of damp lawn clippings at once. The grasses cannot rot as quickly if they are not mixed with other materials.
What to do if there is mold in the compost
Basically, you don't have to do anything. The mold eventually breaks down and a good humus is created.
If the sight bothers you very much, there are several ways to make it invisible:
- Rearrange compost
- Turning compost
- Mix wet and dry materials well
- Mix in bark mulch or paper
- Pour in worms
- Mix in old compost
- Use compost starter
Some gardeners simply put a few scoops of garden soil over the moldy surface.
Let compost rot faster
If you have composted a good mixture of different materials, the decomposition process is quite quick. There is hardly any mold to be seen then. If you don't have enough different materials available, put worms in the compost.
The administration of compost accelerators is also helpful. You can buy these accelerators at the garden center. or easily make it yourself from yeast, water and sugar.
If you have an older compost heap in the garden that has already rotted well, just put a few shovels of this old compost in the moldy compost and dig it under a little. In this way you supply it with microorganisms that decompose the compost.
Tips
The mold of the compost is particularly noticeable if you compost leftover bread. The bread always goes moldy before it decomposes. Without this process, rotting cannot take place.
