Responsible homeowners know the importance of having organic fertilizers all year long. Compost is the best way to treat your lawn, landscape, and garden. Unfortunately, while in spring and summer you can enjoy the “cooking” of your compost with the help of solar heat, in winter things slow down to the point of stopping altogether. If you care about your winter compost, our team of experts in lawn care in Clarkson Valley MO are here to share with you their tips and advice on how to manage your heap to keep it active.

Experts in Lawn Care in Clarkson Valley MO Share Tips on Winter Compost Management

Cold and humid weather, freezing temperatures, wind, and other environmental conditions can put a halt on the beneficial bacteria decomposing the organic matter inside your compost pile. Moreover, due to the cold temperatures, the bacteria need a boost from your part to continue their activity. Here are some tips offered by our lawn care company in Clarkson Valley MO:

• Keep the heat going: while there is some warmth inside the pile, its surface is probably cold or freezing. To promote decomposition and beneficial bacterial activity, you should cover the compost heap with a layer of dry leaves and an impermeable tarp that is black. The dark color of the tarp attracts sunray, while the insulation of the stack keeps the bacteria happily cooking during the cold season.
• Insulate the pile: add straw bales or wooden crates all around the compost mound to protect it from the wind. Make sure, however, that you have easy access to the pile, as you cannot leave it unsupervised all winter long.
• Turn the pile as regularly as you can: some say you should not turn your compost in winter as you cool it off. However, our team of lawn care Clarkson Valley MO service providers recommend you to turn it from time to time, to allow oxygen to reach the core bacteria and help them work. Good, solid compost needs to achieve the perfect balance between water and air – hence, you should aerate it regularly. If you cannot commit to winter shoveling of fertilizer, insert long PVC pipes here and there, allowing oxygen to reach different levels in a pile.
• Make sure you monitor the water: besides a thermometer, you should also invest in a moisture monitor. If you do not know how to pick one, ask our lawn care Clarkson Valley MO company to help you choose the best device for the job. Managing moisture is crucial for the efficiency of your compost, as too much water renders the fertilizers smelly, slimy, and useless.
• Keep the balance between the greens and the browns: if you have too much moisture in a heap, add some browns to absorb it. Nevertheless, keep the balance between the greens and the browns and make sure the fertilizer gains the best from the addition of nitrogen and carbon.

Before we let you care for your compost pile, we want to remind you that our specialists in lawn care in Clarkson Valley MO can help you with suggestions about compost amendments during the winter, also giving you some tips on how to make the best organic fertilizer for next spring!