How To Compost in Winter (even EXTREME COLD)

[@openhearts3466]

You were busy building your beautiful greenhouse so no wonder it fell off the schedule. Building up my pile in fall is one of my favourite gardening activities. No bugs, not hot but not yet freezing and I've been missing gardening for a bit. My pile was still at 140 a few days ago but I haven't checked yet today. It won't be long before it cools right down. Winter is coming to the prairie! ❄

[@PrairiePlantgirl]

You are making the most of the days left. We’ve had two snowstorms already. Happy composting.

[@TEPO--]

Hardy people gardening is an art, science and love that may be quite challenging for those in mild environments. It's November 10th for me now, no deep snow yet although I've had to come indoors to warm up from frigid yard work and the Autumn tasks for over a month now. I just wanted to say I appreciate your winter composting techniques, thank you. Also I just wanted you to know that I LOVED when you went to set the thermometer into the ground to get it out of the way and the soil in that spot was frozen at first. I completely understand and relate, but I found it so funny, giggled a bit and giggled some more thinking of our hardy spirits and love of gardening, cold fingertips and all..... As winter is nicking at my door, smiles to you

[@regenerativegardeningwithpatti]

Hey there Praire Girl, I am just south of you in eastern Montana. I just found your channel! I love composting with leaves too. Have you tried composting in a Johnson Su bioreactor? I set up 3 of them this year and posted a video on how to set one up. I moved the most finished compost into my root cellar and added worms to it, looking forward to seeing what it looks like in the spring. How cold did you get down to this last week? We set the record low of -50F. I am looking forward to following your channel, good luck with the rest of the winter. Take care

[@PrairiePlantgirl]

Welcome to the channel. I have never used a bioreactor. We were cold here, but not nearly as cold as you had. We were down around -33F plus wind. It was the wind that made it dangerous. That made it feel between -40 and -50F.

[@BG-ep1bm]

great video! looks like summer there! we're buried in snow here in N. Central Sk.

[@PrairiePlantgirl]

Yes our first big snowfall melted and I recorded this in the days before the next one. We are covered in snow again I’m sure nothing like you have there.

[@ajwiebe9652]

I just came across your channel. Great video on winter composting! I’ve composted in winter too but didn’t do the leaf layer in winter. I think I’ll keep a bag of leaves handy. Good info! I’m a prairie girl too. Where are you located?

[@PrairiePlantgirl]

Welcome. I’m in Southern Saskatchewan

[@murraycorbett9460]

From Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. Glad to hear from you.

[@PrairiePlantgirl]

Welcome to the channel!

[@valoriegriego5212]

Howdy Prairie Plantgirl!👋 It's nice to see you bundled up in that cold. Another good post...love hearing about the measures gardeners have to take in different climates. You have a sweet stack of bags with compost in them.👍 Stay warm! Howdy to loveable Buster!🐕 Maybe next year do a vid on things we can grow for our fur babies?

[@PrairiePlantgirl]

Interesting idea. Thank you.

[@a760541]

Interesting how you deal with the lower temps in Sask. The black colour on your bins should help on the cold but sunny winter days. What i do with our bins (pallet sized) is put a floating polyestyrene internal lid inside the bins. Something you can raise put the latest compost offerings in then close. Ot does work as it keeps the heat up maintains humidity through the condensation it causes and of course perpetuates composting. Did this on one bin & not on the other - makes a difference.

[@PrairiePlantgirl]

That is an interesting solution you have. Great idea!

[@michaelfoster8530]

I gave up composting. My wife couldn't get the concept of covering it with dirt, to avoid the fruit flies. Then I could never remember to water it, so it got too dry and attracted red ants to nest. I now use red wiggler worms to dispose of my food waste.

[@PrairiePlantgirl]

I had the opposite trouble and never gave my worm bins the attention needed. I prefer composting. It is great that there are so many options so we can all find what works for us.

[@UT33200]

Alot of good methods and info. Our bins are frozen right now but hoping to flip them next warm spot we get to. Lots of great soil being made for next season. Thanks for the share!

[@PrairiePlantgirl]

This cold blast has really put a stop to some of our fall garden time. I hope you get a bit of a reprieve soon.

[@DavidMFChapman]

I think we have the same basic approach to winter composting, but you have much more challenging conditions. Here in NS we still have not had a hard frost. It’s the warmest fall ever! A friend even heard spring peepers! I’ll continue to add kitchen scraps and leaves to my composter, but I don’t expect much action. In effect, it’s a huge insulation blanket for my worm colony that will congregate in the centre, which gets cold but never freezes.

[@PrairiePlantgirl]

Yes, I’m sure I could work to build a really big pile and try to keep it going more over winter. I just don’t want to be out there in the depths of winter turning a pile and messing around with it. This works well.

[@TonyMcCartney]

What do you do with the compost in the bags that you took out of the composter?

[@PrairiePlantgirl]

I saved them over winter and used them as mulch

[@mikecain6947]

Would boiling water or an electric blanket bring the compost pile back to life in the winter?

[@PrairiePlantgirl]

Insulating the outside of the bin might keep it warm enough to keep the compost happening in the middle. It really depends how cold your area gets and for how long. It is currently -30C where I am. Boiling water would likely kill the organisms that do the composting and create the heat. I would not pour boiling water on my compost bin contents.

[@mikecain6947]

@@PrairiePlantgirl Thank you. We are about minus 8 here.

[@PrairiePlantgirl]

Building an extra big pile or insulating it would likely keep it going through that.

[@mikecain6947]

@@PrairiePlantgirl thank you.

[@_thasoldier]

Bigger the better 😅

[@JS-jl1yj]

Do rats ever find their way into your compost bins?

[@PrairiePlantgirl]

I don’t have rats in my yard. I used to have mice occasionally get in, but since I’ve started hot composting, stirring it more, keeping the moisture up I don’t have them.