can i start a compost in winter in the midwest its about......?

Question

20 degrees right now. I have a ton of dried leaves in the garage. There is snow on the ground, about an inch. Would it be worth starting or should I just hold off till it warms up?

Answer 1

Here's how to compost in the winter:
An insulated compost can is made with a 32-gallon plastic garden can with a lid, four bales of straw or hay, a shovel, a drill with a one-inch drill bit, and a utility knife.
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/gl_soil_water_mulch/article/0,1785,HGTV_3634_1435196,00.html
While even an insulated can can't compost as quickly in winter as in summer, the temperature in the can should stay above freezing and gradually "cook" the material.

You can also make a simple Worm composter out of wood, plastic, an old dresser drawer, shipping crate, or barrel to make fertilizer from your leaves & food scraps all winter:
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/homecomposting/worm.html

Even if you don't do anything else & just layer the leaves with manure, & food scrapes... there will be some activity going on underneath the pile. When spring comes, your pile will have a head start & heat up quickly.

Good Luck! Hope this is helpful.

Answer 2

You can start a compost pile at any time- though right now, it won't do much cooking.

Now, a few years ago I build a raised bed and threw a bunch of leaves and things in it. And they did manage to compost and even stay warm during the cold of the winter- though it never got as cold as what you're seeing.

Answer 3

It will freeze shortly after you place it outside. So, as long as you won't be needing it for a few months or more, you'll be fine. It's too cucking fold up where you are for your compost to deteriorate enough for it to produce something you can use. You wouldn't be planting at this time of the year, too. *shrug* Go ahead and do it when you can find the time because once it DOES get warm, the LAST thing you will be wanting to do is THIS job!

Answer 4

Right now is the best time for your compost to get primed for the spring I would wait for it to warm up before I put it my soil. The cold would just kill the bacteria in it and then it would be pretty useless for the garden.

Answer 5

Theres no time like the present. It won't make any difference if you wait the decomposition won't speed up until summer anyway. This way you have it started already.
Good Luck!

Answer 6

i would start the sooner the better as long as you have something to start with.