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Still have questions? In the winter months, insulate your compost system by covering your bin in straw bales, or adding a wooden lid to help keep your compost from slowing down in the winter. The hydration of your compost will be left up to the whims of Mother Nature and will depend on how rainy or sunny the weather is each day. Once the container is full or after a couple of days empty the contents (including the liner) into your compost bin. All rights reserved. You may even just be composting in a pile somewhere in a back corner of your garden. Otherwise, if it’s exposed to the elements, the compost will break down further and lose nutrients as they leach into the surrounding soil. I'm not aware that they cause any problems. Read on to find out when you should keep a lid on your compost. From composting indoors in garbage cans to maintaining haphazard outdoor heaps, different approaches to … It’ll take a whole lot longer to get from a heap of food scraps and garden debris to the final product without a lid on your compost bin simply because you won’t be able to effectively manage the moisture level of your materials. Yes! The best lids for compost bins are raised to create a pocket of air on top of the compost. Other reasons to cover your compost is to protect your heap from receiving too much rainfall, which can waterlog the compost, which creates a lack of airflow in your pile, causing your compost to become slimy and stinky. Jul 15, 2020 - QUESTION: Does a compost bin need a lid? Maybe. QUESTION: Should a compost bin have a lid?– DJ F. ANSWER: Having a lid on your compost is not a requirement, but it does help you to regulate and maintain temperature and moisture levels within your compost system.If your compost bin doesn’t have a lid, you can add your own by using a piece of old, Hessian backed carpet (not foam-backed carpet to function as a lid. In aerobic composting, oxygen is needed for decomposition. But it will help. The reality is that the microorganisms which decompose the organic matter in your bin, heap or pile have been at work since long before compost bin lids were invented. 0. QUESTION: Should a compost bin have a lid? What do you think of the answers? – Joanna C ANSWER: As you’ve seen on the market, it’s not absolutely essential for your com… Empty the contents of your kitchen caddy or your Bokashi bucket into your compost bin. You should definitely cover finished compost. Even the most meticulously managed compost arrangement is bound to produce an unpleasant odor occasionally, as a result of too much moisture or too little oxygen. If you do choose to cover your compost pile, it’s important to use the right kind of cover. A simple wood box with a removable (and dishwasher safe) insert makes it easy to compost. Only three things are necessary for effective composting: air, water and a blend of brown and green material. Instead of using layers to measure equal volumes of greens and browns, why not just balance each bucket of kitchen waste with a bucket of cardboard or straw for example. Also, to get the decomposition working really fast you need to retain heat within the pile. Without sufficient oxygen to fuel the composting organisms, the process slows. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *. – DJ F. ANSWER: Having a lid on your compost is not a requirement, but it does help you to regulate and maintain temperature and moisture levels within your compost system. The microorganisms at work will generate their own heat but by having a cover you can help retain more heat. So the TLDR is - no, you don't need a lid on your compost bin. In How To Make A Compost Bin I described how I'd finally built a decent sized free (... What is "How To Compost"?