Compost loses volume over time The shrinkage does continue but slows down considerably as the compost becomes more stable. However, it will still slowly decrease in bulk over time. If you leave it too long, you are feeding microorganisms in the compost, rather than in the soil.
If a compost pile is just left sitting, and not turned, it will take 6-12 months or longer to completely break down, depending of the climate and weather. The cooler it is, the longer it will take.
As a general rule of thumb, compost will last between 3 to 6 months. However, this depends on the compost composition and how it is stored. Ideally, compost should be used by the following growing season.
Rotten Smells
A compost pile that smells like rotten eggs or rotting vegetables has gone anaerobic. This means that there is not enough oxygen to support aerobic microbes and the anaerobic ones have taken over. Unfortunately, they produce hydrogen sulfide as a by-product and hydrogen sulfide smells like rotten eggs.
Old compost can be used to make new compost if you add it back into your compost heap. The microbial activity in your compost heap, along with the mixing action of worms and other creatures living in your compost will reinvigorate your compost and before long you will be able to use it on your garden all over again.
Compost should not be stored for years since it starts to degrade once the decomposing process has passed its peak. Finished compost should be used within about 3 to 6 months maximum. Storing compost correctly is essential to maintaining the mix's valuable nutrients and microbes.
Another issue of soils that receive excessive compost is the potential for increased soluble salts to levels that would cause salt toxicity. In high tunnels, soluble salts can accumulate to excessive levels because leaching is minimal. Composted manure is generally higher in salts than composted vegetative matter.
Conclusion. Mold development in a compost pile often indicates healthy decomposition. However, the compost pile should be turned frequently to evenly distribute any fungal growth through the mixture and prevent it from increasing out of control.
Does composting produce soil? The end product of composting is not soil. Instead, decomposing organic waste produces a nutrient-rich and biologically active substance, which can be added to the soil. But it does not turn into soil.
You want a quarter of the overall volume of the pot to be drainage material. Ideally you then cut the old compost with some new stuff, 50:50, and add a good handful of slow-release fertiliser, mix it well and then place back into the pot, ready for it to be planted up.
Compost does not expire, but it loses its nutrients over time and will reduce in size considerably. If you have left your compost to dry out, add some greens like grass clippings and a little carbon. Turn the compost and sprinkle with water if it has become hard.
Remember - your compost bin is only a receptacle. Empty out your scraps every few days or every week in your outdoor compost pile OR your green waste bin to be collected on garbage day!
A covering holds heat in the pile, which helps the good bacteria to work more efficiently. The cover effectively speeds up the process, shaving weeks (and even months) off the time required to produce finished compost. Kill pests.
Three factors are usually to blame: poor aeration, too much moisture, or not enough nitrogen-rich material in the pile. A compost pile overburdened with materials that mat down when wet—grass clippings, spoiled hay, heaps of unshredded tree leaves—can become so dense that the pile's center receives no air.
In hot, dry weather, regularly adding water to a hot compost process is often a necessity. We recommend a minimum moisture content of 50% to support a hot compost process. A hot compost pile can easily lose 1% of moisture content every day.
Test whether the compost is ready...
Decomposition will be complete anywhere from two weeks to two years depending on the materials used, the size of the pile, and how often it is turned.
Growing directly in compost is not usually recommended. Water retention and support may be lacking in a 100% compost growing medium. Mixing compost with topsoil or potting mixes provides all the benefits of compost and your garden soil or potting mixes. You can make your own compost or purchase it in bulk or bags.
Nutrient release from compost happens in years, not weeks or months like inorganic fertilizers. “Nutrient release happens very slowly and is usually around 10 to 15 percent of the amount applied in the first year,” said Carpenter-Boggs.
Adding nitrogen-rich materials
The microorganisms in compost need both nitrogen and carbon to work. If there is too much carbon, the process will slow down. To speed up the process try adding 'greens' – items that are high in nitrogen, such as grass clippings or manure.
Composting works in sun or shade Piles in sunny spots will decompose quicker but also dry out faster and may need supplemental watering during hot dry weather. Those located in a shadier spot will stay moist longer but decompose slower. In either case, make sure the soil below the pile is well-drained.
– Most people shudder when they see maggots in their bin composter or compost pile. They may be startling in their appearance and movement, but they won't hurt you or the compost. In fact, they play a role in breaking down plant and animal tissues.
As mentioned right at the beginning of the article, white mold in compost is nothing to worry about. It is something that commonly appears in Bokashi Organko and it is actually a beneficial type of mold.
It's a way to get the short-term and long-term benefits at once. Moreover, adding fertilizers directly to your composting pile can be an excellent way of mixing the two. Using compost regularly enables you to maintain a healthy environment for your plants, which reduces the need for fertilizer throughout the year.
If your soil has too much sand or clay, if it is compacted, or if it lacks organic matter, then by all means dig. If you have a light, rich garden soil, and you're using compost to maintain rather than to remediate it, then there's no need to dig it up. Just spread the compost on top.
You can put your compost pile in the sun or in the shade, but putting it in the sun will hasten the composting process. Sun helps increase the temperature, so the bacteria and fungi work faster.