 Compost may or may  be ready for use. In fact, compost that has been only partly prepared may harm the growth of   by leaching nitrogen as it con ues to decompose in the  l. Depending on the na e of the materials composg, it may contain materials toxic to . Some produce horm s that prevent ot from growing near them and compeg for nutrie in the l. These need full composg to break down and be rendered harmless. How is to t when the compost is ready and to what uses may it be put?
As in many an endeavor, experience is a great teac and an experienced composter will t if the process is finished by the texe and sm of the product. However, if your are sure te are a couple of ways to t.
If you are hot composg and the pile has been active but has now cooled down, give it a ning, ensuring that the moise content is correct for good composg, about the feel of a wrung out sponge. If the pile does heat up after a day or two it is likely finished. Again, it should sm earthly sweet and have a crumbly texe. If it is finished use it and if it is finished you have already ned it for the next heat and cool cycle.
An even more sure test is to take a sample of the compost, at least a good handful, and put it into a glass jar. Close the lid and ce it in a warm, sunny location for about three days. Open the jar and take a sm. Sour sms mean the compost is d and an earthy, rich sm means it is ready for use. If d, you may eit n the pile or but test it again in about a week. Once finished, compost may be used in a myriad of way.
At the end of the growing season or before it starts compost makes a great l conditir. As a rule of thumb inch of compost is sufficient for l that is already fairly good, and three inches for problem l or a first year garden. One cubic foot of compost will cover 12 square feet of garden to inch deep and four square feet of garden three inches deep. If about a third of a pile is lost during the composg process, a pile three feet high, wide and deep will produce about 18 cubic feet of compost. Fork the compost into the top three inches of l and certainly no deeper than eight inches for best results.
During the season apply compost as a mulch for the growing . It will help to retain moise in the l and to suppress weeds. Use any we from to three inches. Rainfall and watering will cause it to act as a slow release fertilizer as the water trickles through. Earthworms love it and will carry it down into the l for you while they leave behind even ric casgs for a nt boost.
For a nt boost during the growing season, make a compost tea by cing a good shovel full of compost in a burlap sack and cing it in a 5 gallon bucket of water in the hot sun for a week. Pour the resulg "tea" liberally over the to boost their growth. Unlike commercial liquid fertilizers, compost tea will burn the and only encourage growth. The spent compost in the bag is still a good l conditir.
Whatever the use to which it is put, w finished compost will be loved by the garden and the gardener alike.
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