{"id":2865,"date":"2024-01-05T08:37:57","date_gmt":"2024-01-05T08:37:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gardendad.co.uk\/?p=2865"},"modified":"2024-01-05T08:39:09","modified_gmt":"2024-01-05T08:39:09","slug":"how-to-compost-in-the-winter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gardendad.co.uk\/how-to-compost-in-the-winter\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Compost In The Winter?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Composting is a wonderful thing – it stops too much wastage, plus it\u2019s really good for the garden and it can help to grow the next year\u2019s crop of flowers and vegetables too!<\/p>\n

However, winter can be a tricky time in the garden – nothing much grows, and everything freezes. How to compost in the winter may be on your mind – and it\u2019s on ours, too!<\/p>\n

How To Compost In The Winter<\/h2>\n

\"how<\/p>\n

Compost is a wonderful thing<\/a> – it uses up lots of garden leftovers, plus it\u2019s great for feeding other plants.<\/p>\n

However, compost likes to be warm to allow the microorganisms, bacteria and fungi to get to work. As such, how can you compost in the winter?<\/p>\n

Well, there are a good few things you can do to keep your compost going during the colder months, so that it\u2019s ready to go when it gets warm again.<\/p>\n

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  1. If your compost heap is open, cover it with a tarp or cardboard to keep as much of the warm in (and as much of the wet out) as possible.<\/li>\n
  2. Try to avoid turning it too often in the winter, as this can release the heat that the process needs to keep going.<\/li>\n
  3. Keep an eye out for rats, which might seek out the warmth of the compost and tunnel through it, again releasing the heat.<\/li>\n
  4. If you have a closed compost bin, site it where it gets most of the sun in the summer, so that it can be as ready as it can be for the colder months.<\/li>\n
  5. Ensure that the lid is watertight, so that the black gold inside doesn\u2019t get diluted or colder than it needs to be.<\/li>\n
  6. Continue to add to the compost even in the winter – go for a 50:50 brown:green waste as you normally would.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Here\u2019s a useful little article<\/a> explaining about winter composting.<\/p>\n

    What Temperature Is Too Cold For Compost?<\/h2>\n

    We all know that a compost heap likes to be kept warm, for the decomposition process to take place.<\/p>\n

    But what about the winter, when temperatures can get seriously low? What happens to all your precious compost then?<\/p>\n

    Well, it will actually be fine. The only time the process will actually stop is if the temperature drops below freezing.<\/p>\n

    Because of the heat generating by the composting process, the inner parts of your heap, at least, should stay warm enough to stay alive.<\/p>\n

    Of course, the composting will slow down considerably in the colder months, but it will not stop completely.<\/p>\n

    Keeping your compost insulated, whether you have an open pile of a bin, is one of the best ways to keep everything going.<\/p>\n

    If you have a bin<\/a>, keep it in the warmest part of your garden in the summer, so it can build up the heat to keep it going through winter.<\/p>\n

    For an open pile, you can insulate with fleece, cardboard or plastic, to keep the warm in and the rain off.<\/p>\n

    How Can I Speed Up My Compost In The Winter?<\/h2>\n

    Although the temperatures are dropping and you may be concerned about your compost pile, there are things you can do to ensure it still lives its best life in winter.<\/p>\n

      \n
    • Increase nitrogen<\/strong>. Adding nitrogen-rich foods to your compost pile will help the bacteria – things like coffee grounds are great for this.<\/li>\n
    • Turn it<\/strong>. Turning the pile regularly will distribute the nitrogen all over – just make sure you don\u2019t do this too often as the pile can get cold.<\/li>\n
    • Increase the volume. <\/strong>Topping up your pile once in a while can help the bacteria to generate more heat to keep them going.<\/li>\n
    • Keep it moist<\/strong>. Compost does best when it allowed to get humid, so adding a sprinkle of warm water, or adding \u201cbrown\u201d materials like pine needles, can really help.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Here\u2019s a good video which can give you tips on speeding up your compost:<\/p>\n