How long does compost need to rest?

Depending on what you have composted, compost needs to rest for a few months before you have fresh humus.

How often should you turn compost?

Ideally, you should turn compost every two to three months, but less often is OK – the minimum is once a year. If you turn the compost over frequently, it will rot down more quickly and you will more often obtain fresh compost soil to use as a garden fertiliser.

When should compost be turned?

To obtain fresh humus in time for the start of the season, you should turn the compost for the first time in the year just before spring or in early spring, for example February, choosing a frost-free and dry day. A key rule of thumb here is once the compost pile has collapsed and become fine-grained, it’s time to turn it.

Is it necessary to turn compost?

Yes, you should regularly turn your compost to keep it loose and air-permeable. If the compost is re-mixed from time to time, you avoid mould formation and speed up the decay of your organic waste.

Turning compost – how to do it

To obtain valuable finished material, you should turn your compost regularly. Read our guide and get started right away!

21.11.2025

A woman with a ponytail turns compost with a shovel — Turning compost regularly leads to a valuable final product.

Definition: What is compost?
Why turn compost?
when and how often?
Materials and tools
Instructions: Turning compost

Overview: Turning compost

Turning compost reduces compost volume and produces fresh humus
Proper composting speeds up rotting processes
Turn compost from early spring to autumn, ideally every three months
Create a second compost pile, sieve compost and re-layer any material that hasn’t rotted

Definition: What is compost?

Compost is the product of a cycle in which organic material, such as leftover plants and kitchen waste, is broken down by atmospheric oxygen and soil organisms. Minerals are released during this process, which make compost a valuable fertiliser. A healthy compost heap provides optimal conditions for efficient composting.

Mixing the compost speeds up decay.

Why you should turn your compost

For proper composting you should regularly turn your compost – there are good reasons to do so: Re-layering loosens your compost and provides it with more oxygen, which protects against mould formation and accelerates decomposition by micro-organisms. Re-mixing the individual compost components also speeds up decay.

In addition, turning compost reduces the compost volume so that your compost pile remains manageable and does not become overfilled. Last but not least, it means you acquire fresh humus that you can use on growing beds or to fertilise your lawn.

What is humus?

The term humus refers to the entirety of the dead organic soil substance. Good humus is dark, finely crumbled and smells like forest soil – it contains many valuable nutrients.

Turning compost: when and how often?

To obtain useful humus at the start of the garden season, the first time of the year you should turn your compost is before spring or in early spring, for example February. Ideally, you should then turn the compost every three months until autumn – this will also speed up the rotting of your garden waste. Compost should be turned once a year as a minimum.

Mature compost is dark brown, finely crumbled and reminiscent of forest soil – when you see that, it is time to grab the shovel. Make sure that there have been a few days without rain before the compost is turned, so that the compost does not clump or stick to the shovel. You should not turn compost in frosty weather.

Materials and tools you will need

Mature compost heap
Second rapid composter or compost container
Pass-through sieving screen
Wheelbarrow
Shovel

Instructions: How to turn compost

In just a few steps, you can turn your compost to prevent mould and obtain fresh garden fertiliser – put on a pair of work gloves and get started!

Make sure you have a second bought or homemade composter near your compost heap. The lowest layer of the new composter should be made up of a loose layer so that water can drain freely. For example, add shredded branches or coarse shredded material to the base of the composter.

A woman layering dry branches in a wooden composter — Water should be able to drain freely from your composter.

Now use a shovel to take out the old compost material layer by layer and pour it through a screen into a wheelbarrow. Repeat this process several times and discard any remaining stones, branches and root pieces. These should not get onto your beds.

The wheelbarrow should now contain fresh humus. You can recognise this by the fact that it disintegrates and is finely crumbled.

A woman leans over a drawer full of freshly sieved humus, with a shovel in her left hand — Fresh humus has a fine crumbly consistency.

To turn your compost, pour the immature compost collected in the sieve into your new composter.

STIHL tip: Layer a few shovels of humus on the new compost heap. This provides the compost with valuable micro-organisms and accelerates decomposition.

Woman folding back the sieve containing immature compost — The immature compost is placed on the new compost heap.

Thoroughly water your finished compost to initiate rotting processes. Now cover it with leaves or twigs.

Woman pouring leaves onto a wooden composter — The compost is covered with leaves.

With the finely sieved, mature compost in the wheelbarrow, you can fertilise your garden to provide it with valuable nutrients and for soil improvement. By the way, potted plants will also appreciate a little compost as fertiliser.