1. Protect compost
In covered compost heaps, waste heats up faster and composts better. Insulation with cardboard, reed mats, straw, jute sacks, or a thick layer of leaves protected by a fleece helps retain heat. A cover is also important to prevent the compost heap from becoming too wet in winter due to heavy rain or snow. This moisture can cause valuable nutrients to be washed out of the compost and thus lost.
2. Chopping and shredding
Larger branches and twigs are best chopped up with a chipper or shredder to facilitate decomposition by the microorganisms. The smaller the materials added to the compost, the faster they decompose and the sooner the compost is ready for use. This also reduces the volume.
3. Balance
The secret to perfect compost is mixing the right ingredients well. Dry, coarse, brown material like tree clippings and moist, fine, green, nitrogen-rich material like kitchen scraps or grass clippings should always be thoroughly mixed. In winter, green materials are scarce while brown materials are plentiful. Make sure you always add roughly equal amounts of brown and green materials to the compost heap. Therefore, store brown material in compost bags and mix it with wet kitchen scraps.
4. Move the compost heap
It's recommended to turn the compost once before the onset of winter to ensure all the components are well mixed and the compost heap is well aerated. The heat generated stimulates the decomposition process and reduces the likelihood of rotting during the winter. You can also take some compost and store it in a frost-free place in your garden shed so you'll have good compost for young plants at the beginning of the growing season.
TEXT: Victoria Wegner
