finally I find a cold climate garden channel. tho I am not zone 3, I am 5a but, in Western Montan sub zero temps are part of winter every year and single digits are the norm.
My first year composting and it’s doing great! I can’t wait for spring BUT I’m in Cleveland and winter is coming 😅Thanks for the tips! I’m going to make some adjustments, add a second bin this weekend or next so I can keep it going ❤
Thank you! I'm really trying to be responsible with my resources and to me, composting was step one! I live in a small town with no composting facilities so its up to me!
For browns you can use any paper item, including cardboard, you just need to cut it up into small pieces, and make sure paper items don’t have grease or oils or glue on them. You can use untreated pine shavings and chopped straw that you can buy at a farm store and you’ll get a lot for very little money.
@@katieskorner8164 it doesn’t hurt any. and when you have warmer days and the sun is shining, it’d break down somewhat. It does get funky smelling eventually if you don’t have vents, though. What I don’t like about this is that can will be heavy by springtime! Can you imagine dragging it out to the pile? I just decided to slog it out to the compost.
I also live in Minnesota. All this winter I put my compost in cat litter buckets and shut the lid (around 7 so far). The are frozen now but when they thaw i plan on using dry sawdust as my brown. It should also absorb extra water. I normally just throw away kitchen scraps in the winter. This is my first year doing it this way. Good luck to you.
Hi. Just starting my home compost and I was wondering if you still stir your compost during winter … but if it all frozen in a big clump I guess you can’t?
You should try bokashi. You have a compost bucket right inside your house, no smells, no mess. You actually use a inoculant to ferment the compost. I'm trying it for the first time this winter.
I was impressed how long my pile stayed hot here near Toronto. 140F in mid-December, 130F in early January, 120F in mid-January for the core of the compost pile (other sections were much cooler though). However with the big snow fall we got on January 17 and below seasonal temperatures this January, it's been dropping steadily and is now only 40-45F in the core, with a 1ft thick outer layer of frozen compost. I wonder when it'll warm up again. We're supposed to get above freezing tomorrow and the day after so we'll see if that helps, or if I'll have to wait until late February to mid March when we can expect more sustained above freezing temperatures.
Got it to thaw in late Feb/early March btw. And hit 160F+ in April-May. This year I'll be giving it another go, taking into account some lessons learned from last winter, and see if I can keep it hot through the whole winter.
First things first, thank you for this very insightful video; however there was one issue that you mentioned when composting inside. Please stop using peat moss, while much of the United States does not have acres of land where peat moss naturally occurs, the places that do are heavily irrigated for consumers in other countries. The problem that arises when obtaining peat moss is that when you buy peat moss you continue to incentivize countries to continue selling peat moss; this is problematic because when we unearth the peat moss (which is the largest sequestration of soil carbon), leading to the release of carbon dioxide. IF YOU DO NOT BELIEVE, PLEASE DO LOOK IT UP!
I wanna do this right, on my balcony, to prepare soil for the next spring. I did it before, burring scraps on the balconym but not sure if I did it right. The winter in Ontario isnt that cold, it changes all the time...
finally I find a cold climate garden channel. tho I am not zone 3, I am 5a but, in Western Montan sub zero temps are part of winter every year and single digits are the norm.
My first year composting and it’s doing great! I can’t wait for spring BUT I’m in Cleveland and winter is coming 😅Thanks for the tips! I’m going to make some adjustments, add a second bin this weekend or next so I can keep it going ❤
Finally real winter composting!
Thank you! I'm really trying to be responsible with my resources and to me, composting was step one! I live in a small town with no composting facilities so its up to me!
Me and my family appreciate you so much...
For browns you can use any paper item, including cardboard, you just need to cut it up into small pieces, and make sure paper items don’t have grease or oils or glue on them. You can use untreated pine shavings and chopped straw that you can buy at a farm store and you’ll get a lot for very little money.
Great job- very clear, calm, to the point.
Love the garbage can just outside the door idea. Our compost bin is about 50 yards from our house, and it ISN’T easy to walk out there every day.
Yes!! So much easier.
@@katieskorner8164 it doesn’t hurt any. and when you have warmer days and the sun is shining, it’d break down somewhat. It does get funky smelling eventually if you don’t have vents, though. What I don’t like about this is that can will be heavy by springtime! Can you imagine dragging it out to the pile? I just decided to slog it out to the compost.
Thank you, this was a big question for us we live in zone 4 Minnesota it’s our first year trying to compose. Extremely helpful!
I also live in Minnesota. All this winter I put my compost in cat litter buckets and shut the lid (around 7 so far). The are frozen now but when they thaw i plan on using dry sawdust as my brown. It should also absorb extra water. I normally just throw away kitchen scraps in the winter. This is my first year doing it this way. Good luck to you.
We're in zone 5, and battle the same problem. Not much can be done. Thanks for posting.
Hi. Just starting my home compost and I was wondering if you still stir your compost during winter … but if it all frozen in a big clump I guess you can’t?
Thank you from northern maine 3b
Great points! Thanks for sharing!!
Shredded newspaper is good if you don't have peat moss to add to the bin.
Thank you, that's a really good tip!
You should try bokashi. You have a compost bucket right inside your house, no smells, no mess. You actually use a inoculant to ferment the compost. I'm trying it for the first time this winter.
they wouldt like cold outside, do they? I heard, u can dry them up for the later use.... not sure if thats true.
Thanks we are in zone 3
Do you dump it on snow covered pile or clear snow off!
I was impressed how long my pile stayed hot here near Toronto. 140F in mid-December, 130F in early January, 120F in mid-January for the core of the compost pile (other sections were much cooler though). However with the big snow fall we got on January 17 and below seasonal temperatures this January, it's been dropping steadily and is now only 40-45F in the core, with a 1ft thick outer layer of frozen compost.
I wonder when it'll warm up again. We're supposed to get above freezing tomorrow and the day after so we'll see if that helps, or if I'll have to wait until late February to mid March when we can expect more sustained above freezing temperatures.
Got it to thaw in late Feb/early March btw. And hit 160F+ in April-May.
This year I'll be giving it another go, taking into account some lessons learned from last winter, and see if I can keep it hot through the whole winter.
Does it make a difference if I cover my compost with a tarp?
It might keep the heat in a bit longer, but it will eventually freeze.
@@ShiftingRoots That's what I figured. Thank you
How do you stop mice, rats, raccoons from eating your compose?
No cardboard in winter for you!
First things first, thank you for this very insightful video; however there was one issue that you mentioned when composting inside. Please stop using peat moss, while much of the United States does not have acres of land where peat moss naturally occurs, the places that do are heavily irrigated for consumers in other countries. The problem that arises when obtaining peat moss is that when you buy peat moss you continue to incentivize countries to continue selling peat moss; this is problematic because when we unearth the peat moss (which is the largest sequestration of soil carbon), leading to the release of carbon dioxide. IF YOU DO NOT BELIEVE, PLEASE DO LOOK IT UP!
Yes, I’ve since learned about this since I made this video a few years ago, but thank you for mentioning it! It is a huge issue.
I didnt see one wiggling wriggler ..
This is not what I was looking for. I'm trying to compost through winter
peat moss? NOOOO, worst suggestion ever. Don't support this nature-harming, destroying exploitation of peats!
I wanna do this right, on my balcony, to prepare soil for the next spring. I did it before, burring scraps on the balconym but not sure if I did it right. The winter in Ontario isnt that cold, it changes all the time...