How To Get Started With Winter Composting

The term composting is one that most people are familiar with by now. When you compost you are recycling certain materials, organic matter, and using it to create a compost pile. There are plenty of uses for compost and it is a way of doing our part for the environment to protect it as best we can. However the issue of winter composting is one that confuses many people.

What are you supposed to do with that compost bin once the weather turns cold? It is very simple to continue on with your composting even when it is winter time. There are just a few steps to take to get your compost prepared for the winter. Keep in mind that the decomposition process will take a lot longer during the colder months so usually you will have less compost to work with during the winter.

The majority of people who compost prefer to keep their compost bin outside and this is not always the best idea during the winter. When you move it to an indoor area for the time being you know it will be better protected and will not freeze up entirely. If you have room in your garage or shed you can store your compost bin here and may even want to set a heater up in the room to keep it at the right temperature. Of course you will have to pay for the heating costs but this will be minimal and it will save your compost from being damaged.

Using a compost thermometer will help you keep track of the core temperature of your compost and ensure it is at an appropriate level. Or if you wanted you could buy a different compost bin which you can use right on your kitchen counter. There are some pretty fancy compost bins you can find today and which are not at all disgusting to look at. Whether you go with stainless steel or any other material, make sure you check it over before buying.

Take time and consider all your options before making any decisions. The lid should feature a lock down so it can close and stay locked tightly until you go to put more in it. Winter composting can be very successful and then as soon as the hot weather returns you can go back to composting as you normally would. It is nice to know that you do not have to give up composting every winter.