Is Mulch Supposed to Smell Like Manure?

Mulch is one of the most useful natural fertilizers. It’s supposed to smell earthy and natural, which is quite similar to enriched soil. However, some of you might notice your mulch smells like manure, rot, mildew, mold, or other gross odors.

Mulch isn’t supposed to smell like manure because those odors come from excess bacteria, fungi, feces, and other contaminants. The mulch should smell like soil, grass, leaves, and earthy scents. Excess heat or moisture can alter the mulch’s odor. Aerate the mulch if it sits for longer than a week.

In this post, we’ll show you why your mulch smells gross, what you can do about it, and how you can prevent it from happening. Furthermore, we’ll discuss what mulch is supposed to smell like and how long it takes to bring it back to normal.

Why Does Your Mulch Smell Like Manure?

Your mulch smells like manure because there’s too much moisture in it, feces is in the mulch, the pile is too hot, or mildew is growing. Always look where you mow before mulching the grass, bark, or other materials. Fungi, dog poop, urine, and many other contaminants can make mulch smell like manure.

Here’s why mulch smells like manure:

• There’s too much or not enough moisture in the mulch. According to Gardening Know How, decomposing grass or bark will start to smell gross if the moisture levels are off. Too much moisture invites bacteria, whereas not enough moisture will dry the mulch.
• The grass or bark was contaminated before you mulched it. Much like compost piles, contaminated organic materials are often one of the many reasons your yard smells bad. Urine, feces, and other substances can make the mulch smell like manure.
• Excess heat ruined the mulch (it’s still recoverable). If the mulch starts to dry out or gets too hot, the moisture will be perfect for bacterial growth. Spray the mulch to hydrate it and the soil below. Regularly watering when mulching the plants is often more than enough.

Another thing to remember is that mulch isn’t supposed to smell like roses. It’s not the most pleasant scent in the world, but it definitely shouldn’t smell like manure.

If you notice an earthy aroma coming off of it, there’s no issue present. In fact, many mulch piles smell a bit off to those who aren’t used to the scent.

Knowing why your mulch smells like manure is half of the problem. However, it doesn’t do you any good if you don’t know how to fix the unwanted odor. Head to the four solutions below to get rid of the manure mulch smell quickly.

How Do You Get the Manure Smell Out of Mulch?

To get the manure smell out of mulch, follow these steps:

1. Aerate the mulch to add oxygen to the mix and remove excess moisture. Lack of oxygen invites anaerobic bacteria that doesn’t need oxygen to survive. Once you stir the pile, these bacteria die and healthy, aerobic bacteria come to aid in the fertilizing process.
2. Don’t let the pile sit in one spot for too long, and don’t let it get too high before using it. If you’re piling the mulch for later use, it’s crucial that you mix it with a shovel or aerator tool. If it sits for too long, you’ll have a rotting mulch pile on your hands.
3. Mix the mulch with soil rather than layering it on top. You can add fertilizer to the mulch and mix it with the underlying soil for the best results. Soil almost always has all of the nutrients needed for the plants, especially if it’s not too dry or overused.
4. Consider using cedar chips to regulate the manure smell. The Wood Smith USA Cedar Chips cover the mulch and help absorb the foul odors. Follow the first three steps with these cedar chips to bring your mulch back to life and promote healthy plant growth.

As you can see, it’s fairly easy to get the manure smell out of mulch. Whether you store it in a mulch pile or spread it evenly over the soil, it’s important to know how to maintain the mulch. It needs the right amount of oxygen and moisture to function properly and prevent foul odors.

Taking these steps will drastically change the mulch’s smell. It won’t smell like manure in due time, but it takes a few days to notice a difference. You can’t expect an overnight change by stirring the pile and adding some cedar chips.

Patience is key, so wait a little while after making the changes, then check if the mulch still smells like manure. Timelines are unpredictable, but it’s safe to say that it shouldn’t take longer than a week or so. If your mulch still smells gross and it’s been a couple of weeks, you might have to remove it and add a new layer.

How Long Will Mulch Smell Like Manure?

Mulch will smell like manure for up to seven days, depending on the outside temperature, sunlight, and humidity. If you mix the mulch with soil and spray it off, you can accelerate the process down to about four days. If your mulch smells like manure, it’s time to take immediate action.

It’s also important to know what’s causing the smell. It might be a nearby compost pile, urine or feces in the grass, or something else nearby. You might not need to adjust the compost if it’s already in good condition. Before following the suggestions we’ve mentioned above, we highly recommend finding the source.

Get Smell Out claims you should wait at least a week before making any changes to the mulch once you’ve followed the minor adjustments. Too many changes will make it hard to know what was effective and what worsened the manure smell in the mulch.

Cedar chips, such as the ones from the previous section, can provide a quick solution to the odor. However, they don’t eliminate the source of the manure mulch smell. Adding cedar chips should be the final step of the process.

What Should Mulch Smell Like?

Mulch should smell like organic soil, enriched compost, wood, and grass. These smells are mild, but they definitely overshadow the scents of the surrounding grass and soil. However, the smell of mulch isn’t strong enough to overpower flowers and other scented plants.

Mulch, compost, and soil should all smell relatively similar. The only primary difference is that the compost should be warmer since it’s decomposing organic materials with heat, moisture, and oxygen. If your mulch is warmer than usual, it could invite mildew or mold.

To prevent the mulch from smelling like manure, it’s best to check it weekly. Grab a handful of it to see if it feels like soil, bark, and grass. If it’s too mushy, there’s too much water. Aerating the mulch and adding some cedar chips will dry it out a bit.

Plants can grow through the mulch with the proper techniques. Don’t shy away from adding mulch to grow your plants, but always keep an eye on it to know when it needs to be improved.

Wrapping It Up

Handling mulch and keeping it healthy is much like dealing with organic compost bins. Both of them require oxygen, moisture control, and natural materials. When the mulch starts to break down, random odors become present. You can add the mulch to a compost pile, but it’s important to not let the mulch sit for too long.