Composting through the winter?

AJB

Hi, had my first compost bin this spring, and have put 1st lot of compost onto garden. Should I still put stuff into the bin during the freezing weather when it's obviously too cold for it to rot down or start again next spring? I have pet rabbits so have plenty of droppings/straw/shavings to get rid of.

nutcutlet

I haven't got a bin but I put everything on the heap through the winter. It is slower but there's nothing to lose and you've got to put the stuff somewhere.

AJB

Ok, thanks, I have use of a wheely bin provided by the council for garden/food waste which is still collected through the winter, but I'll continue to fill my compost bin.

jo4eyes

Yes you can still add to a bin. You will need to keep it mixed/stirred. It will speed up again once the weather warms up.J.

 

stephanie nash

I have composted successfully for some years using bins.  I put everything in that can rot down and regularly turn bins out on to plastic sheet to mix everything up.  Suggest yoiu don't put in potato peeling as is those peeling have any blight etc. it can pass in to your ground and affect your future potato plants.

Dovefromabove

We have two slatted wooden bins.  The first iwas started early last summer and is full of nearly made compost to mulch the garden with next spring.  The second is half full (runner bean haulms take up a lot of space but will rot down when the weather warms up).  Both bins are covered with layers of cardboard packing and a tarpaulin over the top to keep the rain/snow off.  We are still adding to the second bin with household waste - veg peelings, cabbage leaves, apple cores, tea leaves, coffee grounds etc etc and we also tear up the brown paper bags we buy our fruit and veg in from the farm shop and add those.  

It's a bit more hassle in the winter to peel the tarpaulin back and lift the cardboard off to add the contents of our kitchen composting box every day (says OH ) but it'll make lovely stuff 

homebird

We keep adding to the compost bins throughout the winter. We have also dug out a trench where we put the been row and started filling that with kitchen waste and paper ready for moisture retention next year.

Janyce

I also have lots of animal waste - our 2 guinea pigs produce poop all year round, but it is so much slower in the winter.  I have just bought some beasties from Wiggly Wigglers to help chomp though it all over the winter - they seem to have settled in well.  but I have just started to fill my third compost bin with piggie poop, I hope to be able to do away with one of my bins if the worms are succesfu asl I only have a small garden.

Dovefromabove

Guinea pig poo is wonderful in compost - my colleague brings me all her piggie poo in plastic bin bags (they do not garden) and I add it to my compost bins - it is a superb activator!