How to Compost at Home

10. Ready-to-Use Compost

Compost is ready when it stops giving off heat and looks dark brown, loose, and crumbly. For a quick maturity check, seal a handful in a plastic bag for a day, then open it: finished compost smells like fresh earth, while a foul or ammonia-like odor means it needs more time. Many gardeners also brew compost tea with finished compost, steeping a chunk in a bucket of water for about five days, then straining it through cheesecloth. The resulting liquid is rich in nutrients and works as a natural fertilizer.