How to keep them in winter

Best option: rainproof storage with ground contact

When the gardening year draws to a close, the question arises as to how the remaining compost soil should be properly stored. With the beginning of autumn and winter, permanent wetness in the form of rain and snow is the biggest problem for organic natural fertilizers.

Under the influence of too much moisture, rot and mold are inevitable. A watertight storage prevents the shortcoming, but puts microorganisms in trouble, which make themselves useful in the compost soil. This is how you solve the problem of winter storage of compost soil with flying colors:

• Remove weeds, stones and dirt from the garden area
• Spread the compost on the surface
• Place water-repellent, frost-resistant compost fleece over the compost soil
• Alternatively, spread black foil over the organic material
• The margins weigh down with stones or earth

Your valuable compost soil is protected from continuous rain and snow under the fleece or foil cover. Microorganisms, earthworms and other helpers in the rotting process have access to the soil, so that they can retreat there in severe frost.

Storing compost soil in containers - tips & tricks

In small gardens, the storage of compost that comes into contact with the ground often fails due to a lack of space. This is no reason to expose the rich natural fertilizer defenselessly to cold and wet winter weather. We have compiled the following ideas for space-saving storage options for you:

• Disused sheet metal garbage can with a perforated bottom and lockable lid
• Old Rain barrel without a bottom
• Close-meshed baskets under a rainproof canopy
• Tear-proof plastic bags with perforated underside

Regardless of the container in which you store compost soil for the winter. The linchpin for value-preserving storage is that the organic material is not denied access to oxygen.