Gardeners often assume outdoor compost piles stop working in cold weather, but beneficial microbes can continue to break down compost all winter. The problem is that composting takes much longer in ...

The holidays are fast approaching, and so a young man’s thoughts turn to … compost! Mike McGrath, host of You Bet Your Garden, will discuss whether it’s a good idea to cover your pile over the winter ...

Now that we’re getting more rain, I’m wondering if I should cover my compost bins? Yes, it’s a good idea to cover compost bins with a tarp or a piece of plywood or plastic. This will keep the ...

Though some folks are longing for snow, weather services predict a warmer, wetter winter than usual (whatever usual is anymore). Since Washington is still in deep drought, extra rain will be helpful, ...

Getting your compost ready for winter can feel tricky, especially when the cold slows down the natural breakdown process. If you want to keep your compost pile healthy and productive through those ...

The vegetable gardening season is coming to a close, or soon will be, for many gardeners. I look at this time, not as an ending of the season, but as a transition. For me, there is always a gardening ...

When compost is “finished,” the nutrients are readily available for plants to use. However, this also means rain can wash, or leach, out the nutrients. Try to use your “finished” compost soon or cover ...

Clean leaves early while they’re dry—wet piles get heavy, moldy, and hard to remove. Use tools like rakes, tarps, blowers, or mulchers to move, shred, and repurpose leaves efficiently. Compost or ...

Clarence Ford speaks to Ashraf Sirkhoth, Horticulturist/Permaculture Designer and Facilitator at SEED, a composting organisation in Rocklands, Mitchells Plain ...

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... When I cogitate on the methods and outcome of home composting, I often think of the title of the classic compost book, “Let it Rot” by Stu Campbell. The book ...