Simple Checks for compost maturity

Compost should be dark,crumbly,with no recognisable food.
Compost should have an earthy smell.

..but these two indicators alone are not enough!

If you know your compost is already a year or two old, you don't have to worry. But if you are trying to get compost into your garden quickly, it's best to take a little time to test it further. Two additional tests are described below