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deodorising smelly compost
yvonnepittams
Posts: 4
Hi. Our Council had free compost made from what they had collected from our food/garden waste brown bins. Looked lovely, was still steaming, and well rotted, we just had to shovel it into our bags and take home. I have used it to mulch the border between us and the neighbours, it was a bit smelly but I thought this would go. It hasn't in two weeks, and neighbours are not happy. Smells a bit like it's been mixed with carnivorous manure (poo) - I guess there were probably a lot of food scraps in the brown bins. Years ago when my lawn clippings pile got whiffy and attracted flies (didn't make compost in those days), I used to water it with a solution of "Condies' Chrystals" - potassium permanganate - just enough to make the water pink and this worked. However, what will a dose of potassium do to my border plants? Any better ideas? Thanks
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Posts
I made 4 rose beds in my front garden.
About 1/2 mile away there was a pig farm with bags of fresh manure outside. I bought 16 bags and spread them over the 4 beds in late spring.
The smell and flies lasted for quite a few weeks.
The neighbours did eventually forgive me.
Not sure what you can do.
I'd never heard of the potassium permanganate idea before.
As I recall it only takes a few crystals to turn the water pink, so I doubt it'll have any significant effect on the plants. Give it a go
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.