- When is compost ready?
- The different types of compost
- This is what compost looks like when it's ripe
- The cress test
- Use mature compost soon
With good filling and proper care, it doesn't take long at all until high-quality compost is produced from the garden waste. How long does compost take to finish and when is it ready for use in the garden?
How long the compost takes to decompose varies quite a bit
When is compost ready?
When compost is ready depends on what materials you used. The temperature that prevailed during the so-called hot rot also plays an important role.
A well-built compost is ready in about six to nine months. In the case of slowly rotting materials such as thuja, walnut leaves or similar, rotting can take significantly longer.
To save time, mix the compost regularly and turn it over at least once a year.
The different types of compost
- Young compost (fresh compost)
- mature compost
- compost soil
Fresh compost is very rich in nutrients and should therefore not be added directly to the roots of plants.
Mature compost is a fertilizer that releases the nutrients slowly and is therefore suitable as a long-term fertilizer. Over-fertilization is almost impossible with this compost.
This is what compost looks like when it's ripe
- Stable crumbs
- relaxed
- slight smell of forest
- dark brown to black
Thicker components such as nut shells or pieces of branch should be sieved out. They are then returned to the compost where they can continue to decompose.
The cress test
If you want to check whether your compost is really ripe, do the cress test. For this you need three small flower pots, two of which you fill with compost and one with cotton wool or similar material.
Sow cress. If, after seven days, as many cress plants have developed in the compost pots as in the cotton pot, the compost is ripe.
Use mature compost soon
The sooner you use mature compost, the better. It turns into compost. The longer you wait before using it, the more the valuable nutrients degrade.
You can steam compost and use it as potting soil. This soil is also ideal as a mulch material.
tips
For fertilization in the garden, calculate about three liters of compost per square meter of garden area. The amount also depends on which plants you want to fertilize.