My neighbor purchased compost from the local garbage company and whew, does it stink! I have purchased compost in sacks from local home improvement stores and it doesn’t stink. In reading articles about compost and composting online, I find that good compost should have a pleasant, sort of sweet smell. What gives?

Ah, yes. Every time I pass by someone’s newly landscaped yard, I think to myself, “Mmm ... candy.” Well, OK, I don’t really think that. I scrunch up my nose and think (literally) of greener pastures. Now let’s allow the to expert speak, shall we?

Napa Recycling and Waste Services general manager Greg Kelley said simply this about the compost at the facility: “Ours is 100 percent organic.” He said the compost is comprised of 50 percent sawdust or wood chips, which are bland materials, mixed in with 50 percent compost. This blend makes the smell less offensive. This compost is available to retailers for landscaped yards, and not to the public.

One cannot, however, expect the smell to be “pleasant.” After all, we’re talking about natural materials here.

Kelley said that the odor of compost will be different at different times of the year. For example, at Christmastime, it may smell like pine trees; in the late fall, like grape pumice.

Although compost may never smell “good,” one thing to watch out for is a chemical smell, such as ammonia, which is obviously not something you would want to spread around your yard.

So why is compost at home improvement stores not as stinky as that found at a facility? One reason could be the packaging. Those thick plastic bags contain the odor.

The potentially bad news about this less-odorous compost is that it may sit on the shelves for long stretches of time, making it lose some of its nutritional value.

Another knock on store-bought compost is that it is not necessarily organic and may contain chemicals. Though it may be more pleasant to your olfactory senses, it will not be as good to the environment.

The good news is that when your neighbor buys smelly compost, the odor should dissipate when it is spread. And if it doesn’t, do what I do: Turn your nose up at your neighbor.

What is Glad You Asked?

Glad You Asked attempts to answer readers’ questions. Need the dirt on something? Send your query to me at dmontanez@napanews.com or call me at 256-2224 and I’ll stick my nose in someone’s business.