Zero nitrogen in compost

I tested my compost a few days ago and it registered no nitrogen. It seems ready; only a few twigs are recognizable.  It is full of happy, wiggly worms.  Why??? My tests are over a year old-could that be it?  do I leave it for another season?  

Compost shouldn't contain much nitrogen and the older it gets the less it will have, which is why we compost manure to reduce the N content before using it. On top of that most of the N left in compost is bound up in other molecules so your test probably can't detect what is there.

What type of test did you use?

Skandi Rogers wrote:Compost shouldn't contain much nitrogen and the older it gets the less it will have, which is why we compost manure to reduce the N content before using it. On top of that most of the N left in compost is bound up in other molecules so your test probably can't detect what is there.

How embarrassing.  You can see why I posted in "Gardening for Beginners" section.  I need to reread evetything about compost.
Thank you!

Gray Henon wrote:What type of test did you use?

Just the rapitest; nothing  super high quality.

Susan Mené wrote:

Gray Henon wrote:What type of test did you use?

Just the rapitest; nothing  super high quality.

Just out of curiosity, have you tried it on some putrified grass clippings or some other known high nitrogen organic matter?

Gray Henon wrote:

Susan Mené wrote:

Gray Henon wrote:What type of test did you use?

Just the rapitest; nothing  super high quality.

Just out of curiosity, have you tried it on some putrified grass clippings or some other known high nitrogen organic matter?

That is such a logical, obvious thing to do. I'm embarrassed I posted my question without having taken that obvious step.  I must have stared at your question for a full minute before laughing out loud at myself.  
I am generally a creative problem-solver/see the whole picture/think-outside-the-box type of person.  Clearly, my brain had temporarily gone on vacation.

Susan Mené wrote:

Gray Henon wrote:

Susan Mené wrote:

Gray Henon wrote:What type of test did you use?

Just the rapitest; nothing  super high quality.

Just out of curiosity, have you tried it on some putrified grass clippings or some other known high nitrogen organic matter?

That is such a logical, obvious thing to do. I'm embarrassed I posted my question without having taken that obvious step.  I must have stared at your question for a full minute before laughing out loud at myself.  
I am generally a creative problem-solver/see the whole picture/think-outside-the-box type of person.  Clearly, my brain had temporarily gone on vacation.

No worries!  That is why we are here!