Compost done?

I started my compost back in April - I made my own enclosed bin by drilling a million 0.25" holes into a large plastic trash can, and have kept the lid on most of the time to hold in heat. I would say that I've kept a pretty good (though not perfect, I'm sure) mix of greens & browns, have kept it moist most of the time, and I typically turn it about once a week. It does look & smell very "compost-like," but I'm not sure if it's done...

I can still see some of the browns - though they are broken down further than they were when I put them in. When I first made my pile (my 1st attempt at composting, btw), I added quite a few pine needles (I have A TON of them in my yard!), which, I later learned, decompose quite slowly... they have broken down quite a bit (most are no longer than 1" now), but obviously, they haven't COMPLETELY broken down into something unrecognizable. There are some leaf "pieces" that fall into that semi-decomposed category as well.

The texture of the compost is a bit "clay-like," for lack of a better word! It's not too wet - it just seems to settle into little "lumps" a lot, much like clay soil will do sometimes. I'm not sure that I'd call it "crumbly," which is what everything I've ever read on compost says the texture is supposed to be like.

I've got a lot of critters in the pile - some that I know are "good," and some bad... specifically, ants! The ants have really started multiplying in the top section of the pile for about a month or so - what gives, and does that matter? Does having a lot of ants mean that the compost is done, maybe? I'm also getting a TON of seedlings sprouting in the pile (probably seeds from the veggie scraps I've mixed in... I'm guessing) - does that mean anything?

Sorry for the long post - just don't want to put any compost into my new beds that hasn't been fully cooked! Thanks!!

Hi,

It sounds a bit like you may be getting too much anaerobic decomposition, due to lack of enough ventilation in the bin or too wet of a pile, so you may have a mudlike consistency.

I does sound like aeration is the problem. Is there any way you can just leave it on the ground, covered, for a while? It sounds like it's on its way. From your description, it's doing what my Envirocycle compost tumbler did. Made what looks like little green dogs droppings. I've put two batches in the real compost pile so far. I'm reassigning that tumbler to be a dirt mixer. I have no idea what the "droppings" would do for (or to) a garden.

You didn't mention Worms - get some from a bait store and toss em in! They will help to turn your Green thingys to dark brown! My friend gave me pint of red wigglers several years ago, I put them in my tumbler and they had lots of babies - I never take all of them out.