Compost is ready to use when it no longer produces heat. Mature compost is dark brown with a soft consistency. Place a handful of compost in a sealed plastic bag and let it sit for a day as a simple test for maturity. The compost should smell like earth and soil when the bag is opened. The compost is not ready if it has a foul odor or hints of ammonia.
Many gardeners make compost tea with freshly matured compost. Place a chunk of finished compost in a bucket of water and let it steep for five days. Strain the water through cheesecloth into another bucket. The water is full of nutrients and functions as liquid fertilizer.
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