Keeping your compost pile going during the summer is a cinch; there's lots of natural sunlight and heat to warm up the organic material and keep the microbes going strong. During the winter, however, it takes a little extra effort to keep your compost going. As the temperatures drop, the bacteria that break down your compost material become less active, and the decomposition process slows to a crawl.
The good news is that you compost pile generates a bit of heat on its own, so if you can keep it insulated, the center of the pile will stay warm enough to continue breaking down the material effectively. The outside will likely stop decomposing, but that outer shell will help insulate the inside for now, and as soon as the warm weather comes it will resume actively composting once more.
But how do you keep the center of the pile warm and keep your compost pile from becoming a cold, hard rock in the winter? It's all about keeping your pile insulated, adding the right kind of compost at the right times, and keeping the moisture level just right. Here we'll teach you how to prepare your compost for the coldest parts of the year and keep it going all winter long.
Balance Your Winter Compost Ingredients
Usually during the spring and summer you are supposed to use equal parts “green” and “brown” organic matter in your compost bin. Green matter is the food scraps you save from your kitchen, while brown matter is the yard waste (dead leaves, straw, and other plant debris) that you collect mainly in the fall.
During the winter, you will actually want to put a higher ratio of brown material in your compost pile, which gives you a great use for all those leaves you raked up during the autumn. You can set the leaves aside in a dry spot to add to your compost heap each time you add extra green matter in, to make sure you keep the right brown/green matter ratio all winter.
Cutting up your organic matter into small pieces before adding it to your bin or pile will also help keep the decomposition going through the cold season. The microbes in your compost can digest small pieces more easily, so shredding your compost ingredients can really speed up the process.
Insulate Your Compost Pile Over Winter
If your compost pile gets to cold during the winter, it could stop all the activity of the microbes that are responsible for breaking down the material. You need to keep the pile warm in order to keep the activity going. Often simply moving your compost pile or bin to a warm, sunny area of your yard can be enough to keep it actively composting. Digging a hole for your compost pile can also help insulate it from winter winds and benefit from the shored warmth in the ground.
The simplest way to keep the active part of your compost insulated is to insulate it with brown matter. Simply keep the active, green matter in the center of your compost pile and surround it with brown matter like dry leaves, straw, or even cardboard. Often times this plus a sunny location is enough to keep the center warm and active through the winter. If it needs extra insulation you can build a small insulating shelter around the pile or stacking straw bales around your compost pile or bin.
Shelter Your Compost
Especially when your compost is already struggling to stay active in the cold, it's important to protect it from the rain and snow. If your pile gets too moist (or too dry), microbe activity will slow or stop altogether. This is an issue that mainly affects ground compost piles, and it can be solved by keeping it covered with a tarp to shelter it from rain, sleet, and snow. And if you notice it getting too dry, just add a little water (as long as it's not just going to freeze and cool your compost further!)
If you use a sealed compost bin or tumbler, then your compost is already sheltered from water and you will only have to worry about excess moisture if it is very humid or your compost ingredient ratio is incorrect. In either case, adding extra carbon materials, like dry leaves, can help absorb excess moisture in a compost bin or pile.
Indoor Composting
If you want to skip the hassle of dealing with the seasonal changes and inconvenience that comes with outdoor composting, you could try one of a couple indoor composting methods. You can buy or build an insulated, sealed composter or even a worm composter to use in your garage or indoors.
Check out some these other useful winter composting resources:
Image credit: steaming compost pile by Andrew Dunn
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