With a HotBin (other hot composting bins are available), it is possible to continue the hot composting process throughout winter. Some mollycoddling may be required (e.g. the use of hot water bottles and an extra blanket when there are frosts) due to limited internal heating from easily compostable green waste (e.g. lawn cuttings) at this time of the year.
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| Photo 1: HotBin Composter with Ivy Overhang (December 30th 2024) |
I'm not sure how old my HotBin is - probably somewhere between 8 and 10 years old. It is looking a little worn and battered (mainly on the inside) but still fully functional (Photo 1). On the penultimate day of 2024, the lid thermometer is registering 52 ℃ (Photo 2) with the top 50 cm of material ≥ 42 ℃ and the top 10 cm ≥ 58 ℃.
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| Photo 2: Built-in Lid Thermometer on HotBin (December 30th 2024) |
As you can see in Photo 1, I have a ready supply of evergreen ivy right next to my HotBin. This can be trimmed and shredded throughout the winter season to supplement the 'green' waste from my kitchen caddy. I don't like to take too much as this ivy bush is also home to a large number of sparrows.
The other main source of greens are foliage and flowers from churches as they regularly change their floral displays. Mary brings me the 'waste' from her church and a former neighbour continues to supply me with faded greens from her church. Naturally at this time of year there is a fair bit of holly and ivy mixed in with conifer trimmings, roses, chrysanthemums, bits of floral Oasis, the odd plastic flower/greenery, the occasional sweet wrapper and bits of tinsel. The amount of inorganic waste (especially Oasis) was a lot less this year, thankfully. After shredding the green waste, I store it in one of my Supercomposters (Photo 3 and Photo 4) if it is not in use ...
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| Photo 3: Supercomposter |
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| Photo 4: Supercomposter filled with Shredded Flowers/Greenery |
... because the shredded waste starts to compost and warm up (30-40 ℃) in the insulated Supercomposter. Adding warm and partially composted shredded waste to the HotBin makes it much easier to maintain its temperature in the 'Goldilock's' region between 50 ℃ and 60 ℃. Generally, I will be adding 6 - 10 L of shredded waste per day.
The addition of easily-compostable waste from the kitchen caddy provides a temperature boost to the contents in the HotBin; I will typically add between one and two caddies of kitchen waste (2L to 4L) per week. If the HotBin needs a temperature boost after a particular cold spell, then I will add one or two hot water bottles. Excess moisture in the compost can be an issue in winter due to the lower running temperatures - just add shredded card or paper. If I'm adding lots of dry 'brown' waste such as twigs, dried leaves, etc., then I will include up to 200 ml of liquid (e.g. comfrey tea). The final ingredient is biochar added at the rate of 30 g per 10 L of waste material.
[Note: I first started adding biochar to my Hotbins about 6 years ago using a rate of 60 g/10L of garden waste. The improvement in soil quality (structure, nutrient content, water retention) was phenomenal. At a rate of about 800 L per year of home-produced soil improver (i.e. compost), I reckon it took about 4 years to reach peak soil performance for my 100 m² kitchen garden plot. To maintain soil quality, I just need to add biochar at half the original rate.]
On Black Friday, I treated myself to a new HotBin which is waiting patiently in the Summerhouse for the right moment to get up and running. Possibly this spring with the first cut of the greensward.
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| Photo 5: New HotBin Keeping Warm in the Summerhouse |
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