Compost Question

[Excursion]

We have a great garden this year. This has surprised us all because it is only the 2nd year that we've planted one
I started a compost this year and I've included grass clippings, straw and fruit scraps. My question is, when will the compost be ready to use in my garden? Does it take at least 1 year or longer?
Thanks for your help and God bless,
Joe

 

[It'sJustMe]

When your compost looks dark and crumbly like soil, it's turned into black or brown gold If you turn it regularly to kill the weed seeds and help it compost by watering, you could have compost in as little as a few weeks. The trick is to keep it tossed and warm. Use a pitchfork so you don't harm the worms who are working 24/7 for you, doing most of your work for you. Is your pile in the sun? That helps. Sometimes you can hurry it up a bit, by placing a black plastic bag over the pile in the heat of the day. If you had good results without it, just wait until you use your own Black Gold! IJM

 

[Excursion]

Compost

Itsjustme,
I tried all that and I'm still not having any black gold yet. Am I doing something wrong because it has been about 3-4 months now.
My compost is starting to turn black, but the rate it is going it may be a year.
Oh well, I guess another lesson on patience
Joe

 

[goatlady2]

Sounds like you may have too much green (fresh stuff) and not enough brown (dry stuff) You need at least a 50/50 mix otherwise it just sits there and rots (turns black and sort of slimy). Also layering the straw between the grass and fruit stuff using twice as much straw would probably help. Start a new pile.
I don't turn mine and it takes a year, but I have reeaaalll cold winters which slow it down for months.

 

[big kumara]

You can speed up your compost by adding dirt and a bit of sugar. I always sprinkle a handful of sugar and a few shovelsful of garden dirt on top of the pile every time I add a lot of stuff or turn it over (I only turn mine maybe once every couple of months). The dirt adds beneficial bacteria to digest the stuff and the sugar feeds the bacteria. It also helps to keep your pile moist, so water it during dry weather.