I have a plastic composting bin I got from someone who was throwing it out. I have been adding grass, leaves, and kitchen scraps since early last year.
How do I know when the compost is ready to go into my garden? I can no longer distinguish the components. Can I put out compost even before everything is broken up?
I want to mix it into the soil and use it on top of the topsoil around my existing plants.
Thanks!
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Gary350
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 7427
- Joined: Mon Mar 23, 2009 1:59 pm
- Location: TN. 50 years of gardening experience.
I use my compost when it turns very dark, almost black and it has all turned to tiny little particles of organic material it looks like black saw dust. I put a small amount of dirt, wood ask and urine in my compost it seems to speed up the process. I discovered if I keep my compost in full sun so it gets very hot during the months of June, July and August I can make compost is just 1 month. Once I get a compost mixed and setting in the sun I don't add any new material to it until it is finished composting. If I put organic material in my compost in the late fall not very much happens during the cold winter months and spring.
I kept a 5 gallon bucket of compost inside the house all winter just as an experement and 2 weeks ago I used it in the garden. It composted just fine but the compost in the garden didn't compost much at all.
I kept a 5 gallon bucket of compost inside the house all winter just as an experement and 2 weeks ago I used it in the garden. It composted just fine but the compost in the garden didn't compost much at all.
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rainbowgardener
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- Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
- Location: TN/GA 7b
Compost is "finished" when it is dark and crumbly and has little to no identifiable bits in it (my finished compost still has bits of eggshell and avocado skins if I put any of those in) and smells fresh and earthy.
You can put it in your soil, even if not completely finished. But if it is very far from done, it may soak up nutrients from your soil in the process of finishing breaking down.
You can put it in your soil, even if not completely finished. But if it is very far from done, it may soak up nutrients from your soil in the process of finishing breaking down.
I am dealing with a "not quite done" issue now. While my compost (horse manure based)had all the trappings of done.-Time and heat. the pine had not decomposed enough and now the nitrogen is binding to decompose the pine The plants are alive but were not growing. Foiliar feed,foliar feed foliar feed with the first market in 10 days I am not in a good place. Tater