EVALUATING YOUR FINISHED COMPOST PRODUCT

           Following are several checkpoints with which you can gauge the success of your compost. These  points will serve as a standard  from which you can determine the efficiency of your composting methods.

1. Structure: The material should be medium loose, not too tight, not packed, and not lumpy. The more crumbly the structure, the better it is.

2. Color: A black - brown color is best ; pure black, if soggy and smelly denotes an unfavorable fermentation with too much moisture and lack of air.

3. Odor: The odor should be earthlike, or like good rich soil or humus. Any bad smell is a sign that the fermentation has not reached its final goal and that bacteriological breakdown processes are still going on. A musty, like odor indicates the presence of mold.

4. Acidity: A neutral or slightly acid reaction is best. Slight alkalinity can be tolerated. Remember  that  too  acid  a  condition is the result of lack of air and too much moisture. Nitrogen-fixing bacteria prefer  the  neutral to slightly acid reaction. The pH range for good compost is, therefore, 6.0  to 7.4. Below 6.0 the reaction is too acid for the development of nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Under certain circumstances, a reaction of 5.5 is required; for instance, for potatoes, azaleas, rhododendron, alpine flowers. In this case, increase the amount of leaves.

5. Moisture: Most of the composting failures we have seen have  resulted from a failure to maintain the proper moisture conditions. Moisture content should be like that of a wrung-out sponge. That is, no water should drip from a sample squeezed in the hand. Never let the compost get dry.