Is my compost active?

How do I know if my compost is working?

Composting at home typically takes a few months before you can get it into the garden to though you will begin to see healthy compost at the bottom of your heap or bin.  You’ll know it’s ready to harvest when it has an earthy smell and a damp, crumbly and warm feel.  We call this black gold and it’s full of microbes ready to liven up your soil or gardens.  Worms are a great sign of healthy compost - they’ll be attracted to the bacteria and microbes.

When is my compost ready?

A home compost usually takes between 3 and 6 months until it’s ripe to be harvested. Your compost will mature at the bottom first, and you can leave the newer stuff above to keep doing its thing.

You can use your homemade compost to raise seeds or lay it straight on your garden bed. If you don’t have a garden, share it around - Sharewaste helps people swap scraps and compost. 

Composting is far, far from storing a smelly pile in the garden. It turns food scraps into black gold, helping to grow plants and draw carbon down from the atmosphere. Plus, when you get the recipe right, it’s completely addictive.

Happy composting everyone!