Composting Tips – Harvesting & Using (Nature’s) Gold

I have 2 compost bins and 1 compost pile on the ground that I am constantly adding organic material to.  By making my own compost, I know that I am adding only pesticide and herbicide free material to my pile, I am recycling what would be a waste product, that I would have to pay my garbage service to pick up and it’s free (with a little effort).  

Here is how I harvest the compost from my bins and piles once a year, usually in spring.

1. I place a tarp next to one of my compost bins or compost pile .

2.  I put one shovelful or less from my bin or pile, into a compost sieve or sifter (a circular strainer with sides and a mesh bottom) , which is held over a small container.   This include finished and unfinished compost. I shake the sieve for a minute or so like I’m harvesting for gold.  The finished finer compost enters the container and the larger, unfinished compost remains in the sieve.

Shake the sieve back and forth to sift for Nature's Gold (finished compost).

3. I toss  the unfinished compost from the sieve onto the tarp and repeat this process until I reach the bottom of the compost bin or pile. Most of the finished compost is near the bottom. When I’m done, I have 3 or 4 container full of finished compost. With my husband’s help, we pick up the tarp of unfinished compost, and throw that back into the bin or pile for next year.

Follow steps 1-3 to harvest compost.

In spring I used the finished compost in my small vegetable garden and also add it to any potting soil I save each year for my pots of annuals.  I also mix organic fertilizer  to my pots of annuals and veggie garden, since annuals and vegetables are heavy feeders. 

Finished compost. Earthy, dark and good for the garden!

BTW: Native plants do not need compost unless you have horrible, compacted soil that needs improved drainage or aeration,. Another example where compost may come in handy with native plants is something like a  redeveloped brown field that’s been sitting lifeless for many years.  Native plants prefer lower fertility, make their own organic matter  and nutrients over time.    For clay soils, I prefer to select native plants that do well in clay soils than tilling in organic matter. Tilling sometimes brings up many weed seeds, alters soil microorganisms and is a lot of work. Please share with us your easy harvesting tips for compost or if you found this helpful by entering a comment below. Thank you.

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