By Jcoframsgate
United Kingdom 
When I moved into this house last autumn, there was a composter already pretty full. I do not know if it has been properly started. I have been putting stuff in ever since, and it never seems to get any fuller. It is all very black and moist in there, and lots of little white things fly out when I open it. I do not detect any leakage from the little hatch at the bottom, but I do not know how long it takes to mature, not how to get the stuff out. I have been putting all the weeds (with seed heads) in, but fortunately avoided the ivy that I cut down. These leaves are now all dead as I left them on the path until there was space in the bin, so can I put them in now? When is a good time to put the compost on the garden if I can get it out. Thank you for any suggestions or information.
25 Jul, 2010
Answers
You may find that the bottom is ready to use but the top isn't rotted down enough. Just put anything that isn't ready to use aside and put it back in when you've taken out the stuff that's composted satisfactorily. Add the things that have been waiting on the path for space to be available in the composter. You can use the compost to mulch around favoured plants after it's rained, or failing that, after you've watered them thoroughly.
25 Jul, 2010
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If it is all lovely black compost inside - empty it from the bottom if you can and save or spread on the garden when you like. Sounds ready to me. I've just emptied mine but it is an old dustbin and I had to get it out from the top. I riddled it first (put it through a garden seive) to keep out the big bits that hadn't rotted down.
25 Jul, 2010