Composting in Winter

As the weather turns colder, you may wonder “Can I still compost in Winter?”

The answer is yes, but the cold temperatures can affect your compost pile. The bacteria which help us turn our yard waste into soil slowdown in the winter. However, if your compost pile is large and deep enough the composting process will continue under the ice and snow where the bacterial process heats up pile from the bottom up. The outer layers of compost may freeze and not break down at all if temperatures reach freezing or below, but the inner layers will remain active.

To add to your compost, you would break through the outer layers and add new material to the inside of the pile. Be careful not to add invasive material as the winter composting process doesn’t heat up enough to kill the seeds that can spread these unwanted plants. Make sure to add all those fall leaves to your pile and if you are able, break the materials you add into smaller pieces, so they break down faster. If it is too cold to go out and turn your compost, you can wait until the weather warms up to turn the pile.