Cover it up
The autumn and winter months usually mean colder and wetter weather. If you have a cold composting system (e.g. plastic or wooden bin), make sure that your bin has a cover to keep rain out and heat in. if too much rain gets in, it could cause your compost to become waterlogged and slow down the composting process.
Chop and shred
Chop up and shred materials (especially woody ones such as trees and twigs) before adding them to your bin. This creates more surface area so organisms in your bin can break the material down faster.
Keep it balanced
Keep the balance of green and brown materials right - this should be about 50/50. There tend to be fewer green materials over the winter months so make sure you don’t overwhelm your heap with too much brown material as it can cause it to dry out.
Unsure about what materials to use? Find out more on our compost recipe blog.
Turn it
Air in your compost heap is crucial to the composting process. Turning your compost allows more air to enter your heap and helps boost organism populations that decompose the materials.
You can turn it with garden tools or by emptying out your bin and refilling it.
Insulate
Cover your bin with flattened cardboard boxes, straw, old carpet, and other insulating materials to keep your bin warm in colder weather. This will help the organisms that break the material down in the composting process to be more active.
Different methods to try in cooler weather
There are some other methods of composting you can try in colder weather months.
1. Trench composting- This is like an underground compost bin. It is easy to start, just dig a hole in the ground when nothing is growing on it and bury your compostable material. You can time this to fit in with your crop rotation and if you do it in the autumn/winter months, the ground will be perfect for growing on in the spring.
2. Leaf mould- Is formed by decaying leaves. This method can take a long time but provides a valuable soil conditioner. Collect leaves and place them in a bin liner. If the leaves are dry, moisten them first. Pierce holes in the bag and tie the top loosely. This can take up to 2 years to decompose fully.
3. Hot composting- This method requires a special insulated container which can be bought online and in garden centres. It breaks down compost materials at higher temperatures (40-60 ᵒC) meaning that you can create compost from waste in 30-90 days (compared to 9-12 months for cold composting methods).
Find out more about home composting
• Composting 101
• Methods of composting
• Common composting concerns
Let’s keep South Yorkshire composting—even in the chilliest months! 🌱