How to compost in cold weather?

Business DON'T MISS‘ How to compost in cold weather, When it gets cold, especially the kind of cold we get up here in Maine, it is more difficult to compost — but not impossible, if you follow a few simple steps. This story was originally published in October 2020. Composting is a great way to return minerals from waste back into the earth. However, composting is a hot process that requires the activity of microorganisms in order to create the byproduct that is useful in gardens. When it gets cold, especially the kind of cold we get up here in Maine, it is more difficult to compost — but not impossible, if you follow a few simple steps. “Backyard composting during the winter months in New England is definitely challenging,” said Anna Mello, office manager at Garbage to Garden, a curbside composting service based in Portland. “Most home composters do not have large piles; this leads to the piles freezing.” Here are some tips to maintaining your composting habit throughout the cold winter months.Size matters In the winter, you need to make sure your compost pile isn’t too big or too small. “Most compost piles that are less than one cubic yard in volume will tend to freeze solid and they don’t have a ton of activity in the winter,” said Mark King, organics management specialist at the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. King uses lobster trap wire, about 12 feet long by 4 feet wide, and turns it into a cylinder by overlapping and locking the edges. He uses that to trap the compost together. “By keeping it together, it holds it in a mass that maintains its heat,” King said. “Because the squares are about an inch in diameter all the way around, it has 100 percent aeration which is really beneficial to the compost process.” To cover or not to cover It might seem like a good idea to cover piles as a windbreak or to keep excess moisture from getting in, but it’s not required. A large, activity compost pile will be able to withstand the winter weather without this protection. “If the compost pile is at temperature, it will melt away the snow that piles on top of it,” said Davis Saltonstall, co-owner of ScrapDogs Community Compost in Rockland. “It won’t melt everything around the sides, but it will at least melt the top. If it doesn’t melt the snow, it’s probably cold or frozen, in which case you can continue adding to it and try to get your pile back to temperature. Trying to make sure you have consistent access to the pile is the key.” As the weather gets colder and the snow deeper, routine chores like taking the weekly household compost out to the bin become more difficult. If you are concerned about insulation for the hot activity, you could consider a cover.“In terms of insulators, black tarps can help as they conduct more heat from the sun than the average blue tarp,” Mello said. “That being said, the best insulator is more compost! The bigger the pile, the more likely that the core will stay warm.” In fact, King said, it is better not to cover the pile for aeration. “A plastic tarp that won’t let air pass through will kill the activity,” King said. “Tarps are no good, wrapping it with plastic is no good. Trust in the size of the pile and allow mother nature to do its thing.” There are breathable tarps available on the market, but they are not usually appropriate for small-scale composters. “If you keep it covered with a tarp that’s a big, impervious, non-breathable surface, it’s likely you’re going to create an anaerobic environment for bacteria,” Saltonstall said. “It’s hard to find breathable covers for compost piles, but there are some out there. Not many of the homesteaders reading this will be at that scale.” If you are composting indoors, say in a greenhouse, make sure the area has proper ventilation, as carbon dioxide, a byproduct of composting, can be a breathing hazard. Be pickier with your materials Though you do not have to change the ratio of green to brown material in your compost pile in the winter... Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window)Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)