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Remove the hatch at the bottom of the compost bin to see if the compost is ready. Finished compost should be dark brown, crumbly and moist with a nice earthy smell. If you only need a small amount of compost for potting purposes, then the hatch provides perfect access to remove a small amount with a trowel.
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If you need lots of compost then it is best to remove the whole compost bin. Push the bin backwards and forwards in a rocking motion. Lift the bin up and off. The contents will remain in situ, the bin itself acting a bit like a jelly mould. To make this easier it is a good idea to remove the hatch from the bottom completely.
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There are other compost bins available with different ways to access the finished compost. If you have a Komp250 bin the front and sides of this bin are easily removable to provide access to finished compost.
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Once you have removed the bin you will be left with a ‘compost cake’. You should have a plentiful supply of finished compost at the bottom, a middle layer of partially rotted material and your most recently added items at the top.
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Using a garden fork remove the top layers into a wheelbarrow – you can then add these back into the bin to continue rotting down for next year’s compost.
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If you don’t need to use all of your finished compost, you can bag it up for future use – you can store finished compost for up to a year. Old plastic sand bags are great for storing finished compost. Don’t forget to always wear gloves when handling compost.
