AERHO - Alaska Environmental Resources Hub On-line - Compost

When is My Compost Finished,
How Can I use it, and Additional Resources

Intro
How to Begin and What to Add
Making and Managing your Compost
Troubleshooting and Composting in Alaska
When is My Compost Finished, How Can I use it, and Additional Resources

WHEN IS MY COMPOST FINISHED?

Pearl in Huslia garden, BIRCH 2005 Finished compost is dark in color, has an earthy smell, and it should be hard to recognize any of the original ingredients. However, there is no single point at which compost is finished. If there are still remnants of the original ingredients the compost is still fine to use it in your garden, it will finish rotting in the soil. If you plan to use compost in seed-starting mixes you should have a well finished compost because seedling roots may be attacked by decomposer microbes if the roots contact unfinished compost.

HOW CAN I USE COMPOST?

Put compost into your garden soil by digging it in prior to spring planting
Use compost as a top dressing on the soil during growing season on your gardens around the base of a plant, on your lawn, or around your houseplants.
Use it as mulch around your landscape and garden plants to protect the soil from erosion.
Make compost tea by combining equal parts of compost and water and letting it sit for awhile. Then add it to ailing houseplants or young seedlings and transplants as a boost.