I’ll cover my pile with a tarp if I’m not going to touch it for a while, but that’s just to keep rain out of it in case we get a major downpour.
perenniallandscapist
The only way it matters to insulate it is if you plan on working out through the winter. I turned mine once a week and kept temps at 150-160°F, so insulating helped. There’s no sense in it if you’re not going to keep a hot pile.
77Den
in the forest no one covers the humus and… everything goes on as usual. no need to complicate if you’re not in a hurry
MobileElephant122
🎼Let it snow, let it snow let it snow 🎶
avdpos
Insulate it just as the leafs on the ground.
As in nothing at all
thereelkrazykarl
Snow
Badgers_Are_Scary
Huh? No, that’s not a thing. Let it overwinter man.
biggetybiggetyboo
Well because it’s this community.
Step 1, pee on it
Step 2 , insulate with more compost material
Step3, pee on it
All kidding aside , I used to throw mulch on my piles for winter, but I started just creating a new one for table scraps for winter.
EveryPassage
Leaves are a great insulator, I make sure to load up on all the leaves I can gather in the fall.
Armigine
The first picture looks a little like you live in a fairy tale
jstuckey
It’ll still compost without insulation. Winter will just slow it down. Unless you have a deadline you don’t need to.
atombomb1945
I have the exact same compost bin at home.
I just let mine sit out uncovered over the winter months. It’s going to get cold, it is going to freeze, and it is going to be part of the process that breaks things down.
Think of it this way. Your pile is wet (should be at least) and when it freezes all that water turns into millions of tiny knives per square inch. The ice will literally shred the material in your pile for you. When spring comes and things thaw out you will see the pile fall apart into dirt for use. Best suggestion is to give it a good toss before the freeze, and again when things thaw out.
UnicornSheets
No insulation necessary. Add more greens and browns.
bradpittman1973
I keep piling on my kitchen scrap bucket all winter it doesn’t do much till spring when it gets nice and hot for a few weeks after it starts raining. There’s usually plenty of brown material already present from the fall. Just turn it and water if needed in the spring.
madeofchemicals
Chop and drop where you ultimately want the compost.
Savings-Kick-578
It isn’t going to go bad on you. It’s just going to keep composting.
FamousPussyGrabber
Add more compost on top. Leaves are good.
Gold-Librarian9211
Throw some straw on it
Fast_Reply_1181
Mix & flip that bitch for crying out loud for starters
weggles91
Sit on it and roost for 3 months. Your body heat will keep it warm. Some will say it’s overkill but it’s the only way.
Pomegranate_1328
Mine froze solid. I am what you call a lazy person. I let it thaw in spring. LOL. It is so freaking cold here no point in trying for me.
iandcorey
Straw bales.
Ubiquitous, cheap, easy to move, very insulative, and eventually they compost.
paulywauly99
Just put a load of compost over it. Then the autumn leaves over that. 😉
kemistree4
You can probably just throw some pine boughs over it. Get a layer dense enough and snow will build up on that. Decomp should keep the deeper temp warm enough.
26 Comments
Layers of cardboard works in a pinch.
I just let mine sit. Never had an issue.
Why do you think you need to insulate it?
I’ll cover my pile with a tarp if I’m not going to touch it for a while, but that’s just to keep rain out of it in case we get a major downpour.
The only way it matters to insulate it is if you plan on working out through the winter. I turned mine once a week and kept temps at 150-160°F, so insulating helped. There’s no sense in it if you’re not going to keep a hot pile.
in the forest no one covers the humus and… everything goes on as usual. no need to complicate if you’re not in a hurry
🎼Let it snow, let it snow let it snow 🎶
Insulate it just as the leafs on the ground.
As in nothing at all
Snow
Huh? No, that’s not a thing. Let it overwinter man.
Well because it’s this community.
Step 1, pee on it
Step 2 , insulate with more compost material
Step3, pee on it
All kidding aside , I used to throw mulch on my piles for winter, but I started just creating a new one for table scraps for winter.
Leaves are a great insulator, I make sure to load up on all the leaves I can gather in the fall.
The first picture looks a little like you live in a fairy tale
It’ll still compost without insulation. Winter will just slow it down. Unless you have a deadline you don’t need to.
I have the exact same compost bin at home.
I just let mine sit out uncovered over the winter months. It’s going to get cold, it is going to freeze, and it is going to be part of the process that breaks things down.
Think of it this way. Your pile is wet (should be at least) and when it freezes all that water turns into millions of tiny knives per square inch. The ice will literally shred the material in your pile for you. When spring comes and things thaw out you will see the pile fall apart into dirt for use. Best suggestion is to give it a good toss before the freeze, and again when things thaw out.
No insulation necessary. Add more greens and browns.
I keep piling on my kitchen scrap bucket all winter it doesn’t do much till spring when it gets nice and hot for a few weeks after it starts raining. There’s usually plenty of brown material already present from the fall. Just turn it and water if needed in the spring.
Chop and drop where you ultimately want the compost.
It isn’t going to go bad on you. It’s just going to keep composting.
Add more compost on top. Leaves are good.
Throw some straw on it
Mix & flip that bitch for crying out loud for starters
Sit on it and roost for 3 months. Your body heat will keep it warm. Some will say it’s overkill but it’s the only way.
Mine froze solid. I am what you call a lazy person. I let it thaw in spring. LOL. It is so freaking cold here no point in trying for me.
Straw bales.
Ubiquitous, cheap, easy to move, very insulative, and eventually they compost.
Just put a load of compost over it. Then the autumn leaves over that. 😉
You can probably just throw some pine boughs over it. Get a layer dense enough and snow will build up on that. Decomp should keep the deeper temp warm enough.