Yes, You Can Keep Composting All Winter — Here’s How
For many gardeners, winter feels like a natural pause button. The wind is too cold, the snow too deep, the driveway too slippery… and the compost bin suddenly feels miles away. Even the most dedicated composter can lose momentum when temperatures drop.
But here’s the good news: you don’t have to stop composting in winter—especially if you use a continuous, insulated hot composter like the HOTBIN, which is designed to keep working even when outdoor temperatures plunge. With just a little know-how, you can continue turning kitchen and yard waste into nutrient-rich compost all year long.
Below are a few winter composting cues to help keep things going strong.
DO: Keep Composting!
Decomposition naturally slows down (a lot!) during the winter months. But even under snow and layers of frozen kitchen scraps, microorganisms are still doing their job. A continuous composter like HOTBIN keeps heat inside the unit, encouraging active bacteria to stay productive well into the cold season.
DON’T: Bother Flipping Your Pile
Traditional compost piles often freeze solid in winter and flipping them can release what little heat they’ve built up.
With a HOTBIN, you never need to flip or turn your compost—the insulated design and aeration system keep oxygen circulating without any manual mixing. In traditional open piles, frequent turning can actually let heat escape, expose scraps to wildlife, and slow decomposition. With HOTBIN, just mix each batch of waste with the recommended amounts of shredded paper and mulch all year round to maintain airflow, then open the lid and feed your composter.
DO: Keep Your Compost Covered
If you’re using an open bin, place a tarp over the top to reduce moisture and temperature swings.
If you’re using HOTBIN, simply keep the lid closed—the seal helps maintain internal heat and prevents rain, sleet, or melting snow from soaking your materials.
DO: Shred for Success
Smaller pieces break down faster—it's simple science. Chop, rip, shred, or crumble your kitchen scraps before adding them. You’ll create more surface area for microorganisms and help keep the process moving even in cold weather.
DON’T: Add Too Much Wood Ash
Can Wood Ash be Composted?
Yes, pure wood ash can be composted in the HOTBIN in small quantities each time, as long as you have used a 100% natural ingredient-based fire lighter. Many fire lighters sold today are made from sustainable wood and natural waxes and so are 100% natural; these can be safely added as part of the ash into the HOTBIN.
A little bit of clean, untreated wood ash can add beneficial potassium. But too much can raise the pH of your compost and make it overly alkaline. Use sparingly,and skip ash from treated or painted wood entirely.
Others however unfortunately still contain some ingredients which are not 100% natural such as Kerosene. If your fire lighters list any other non-biodegradable ingredients on the back of the packet, we would advise against adding the resulting wood ash into the HOTBIN to prevent the composting material from becoming contaminated.
Winter Composting Made Easy With A Continuous Composters
So bundle up and keep feeding your compost! Sticking with your routine through winter not only sets you up for an abundant spring garden—it also reduces what goes to the landfill at a time when household waste is typically at its highest.
A continuous composter like the HOTBIN helps you:
- Keep composting year-round
- Avoid turning or flipping frozen piles
- Maintain higher internal temperatures
- Reduce odors and wildlife access
- Produce rich, usable compost faster
If you’re ready to keep the “garden gold” cooking, even in January, a continuous composter might be your perfect winter companion.
Cold weather doesn’t mean composting has to stop. With HOTBIN and a few simple winter habits, you can keep producing rich compost all year long—cleanly, easily, and without the hassle of frozen piles. Visit us at https://hotbincomposting-us.com/