October 20, 2025, 11:00 am | Read time: 4 minutes
Compost is not just a topic for the warmer months of the year. Even in the cold season, it requires care so that it is ready for use in the spring. myHOMEBOOK explains what is important when covering, turning, and storing garden waste.
Organic fertilizer is a great helper in the garden. It ensures fertile soil, faster growth, and can increase yield. The best part is, you can make it yourself. To be able to use your compost directly in the spring, you should give it proper care in the winter.
Why It is Important to Make Compost Winter-Proof
In winter, it’s not just about protecting the compost from snow and rain, but also actively supporting the decomposition of organic material, advises the German Agricultural Industry Association (IVA). Three things are crucial for this: the right amount of moisture, warmth, and suitable waste. To achieve these three things, we can support our compost.
1. Turn the Compost One More Time
A well-aerated compost decomposes better. Before winter sets in, you should turn the compost pile one more time. This allows oxygen to reach the organic materials, making it much harder for mold to thrive in the damp winter months.
2. Use the Smallest Possible Garden Waste
For garden waste intended for compost, the rule is: the smaller, the better. Branches or other large wood should be chopped up before composting. This allows the decomposition process to start more quickly.
Also interesting: Properly Winterize the Vegetable Bed Now
3. Keep Hard-to-Decompose Material to a Minimum
Not every kitchen waste is suitable for compost. Especially in winter, we eat a lot of citrus fruits. However, the peels decompose very slowly. It is therefore recommended to dispose of the peels of mandarins, oranges, and the like in the regular trash.
Tip: You can place the peels on a windowsill until they dry out. They emit a festive scent.
4. The Right Mix Is Crucial
A good compost needs green and brown waste, ideally in equal parts. Green waste includes grass clippings or kitchen scraps, which are nitrogen-rich and moist. Brown waste consists of dry and woody material.
In winter, however, more brown material often accumulates. To prevent the pile from drying out, IVA expert Regina Fischer recommends storing excess brown garden waste in compost bags. These can then be mixed either “gradually over the winter with green kitchen waste or from spring with new green garden waste like grass clippings” and continuously added to the compost.
What You Can Put on the Compost–and What You Can’t
9 Typical Composting Mistakes to Avoid
5. Cover Compost to Ensure a Better Climate
Temperature is a critical factor in winter. A breathable cover, such as cardboard or straw mats, helps retain warmth inside the compost. Avoid using plastic sheeting, as it can impede oxygen supply.
6. Use a Turbo in Winter
A compost accelerator can ensure that decomposition happens much faster after a long winter. It then takes only a few months or even weeks to get finished compost instead of the usual ten to twelve months. Such a compost accelerator typically consists of natural ingredients. In addition to fungi and microorganisms, it often contains potassium, nitrogen, lime, and horn meal.
For the accelerator to work well, the right composition in the compost is crucial—sufficient moisture is important, “because the product only supports the ongoing process,” says Fischer.
With material from dpa