What do I do with my compost pile?

Question

I bought a black composting bin and have been putting all the necessary carbon and nitrogen items in it, turning it with a pitchfork once a week and adding some water to it. My question now is, what do I do with it? And how do I sort through what is "finished" compost and what is not?

Answer 1

I batch process with my compost bin. I load it up in layers and keep it damp ... I also add 16-16-16 fertilizer to it to give it plenty of food. Turn the pile to get the outside stuff into the center to cook a while. The rich looking dark dirt that is produced is the organic matter that improves the structure of any soil. It helps sandy soil hold water and helps lighten up clay soil. The compost has some nutrient value ... but the fertilizer really kicks up the potency of the compost.

I use a 'sifter' that I made with 1/2'' wire fencing to classify the finished compost and sort out the larger chunks that should go back into the bin for another batch. The sifter is basically a box with a big screen. I put it over my wheelbarrow and shovel compost until the cart is full or until the screen gets clogged with bigger stuff. I generally mash the big stuff with a hammer to help break it down a bit before returning it to the bin for another run.

Mix a 2 or 3 inch layer of this stuff into the top 18 inches of your garden bed and watch the plants thrive. Be careful to avoid using grass clippings that were collected after using weed and feed types of products in your compost batch. Tomatoes and Potatoes tend to shrivel and die using compost made with such ingredients. Wait a year or two after using the clippings from treated lawns to reduce the risk of killing plants or ingesting toxins.  

Answer 2

After it dwindles down to a small pile, put it on your garden, it really works good as fertilizer.

Answer 3

spread it round the garden semi rotted as well as rotted, sprinkle blood and bone over it, dig it in and wait for the results, the worms will have a great time