do you have a mulch barrel? if not, a large screen about two feet off the ground will work. this takes about a year, but is well worth it, imo.

basically, you throw your plant trash (ie, grass, hedge clippings, old veggies, fruits...) in the barrel or on the screen. the key is aeration and agitation. mix about once a week, the compost will rot, and you'll end up with very fertile mulch.

keep in mind that 100% mulch is too hot for pot plants. mix about half and half with a good potting soil or soiless mix (perlite, vermiculite)

i've been composting for more than 15 years now if you forget about it for six months, no sweat!, just mix and let sit and mix again, and you're good to go.

if you do the screen thing, your final product will be what falls under the screen. you can scoop it out with a shovel.

kp