Summer is a great time of year to compost at home. The higher temperatures will speed up the composting process. This is why placing your compost bin in a sunny spot in the garden helps the process.
Those warm summer days will ensure your compost bin works hard over the next few months. The heat activates microorganisms to breakdown your compostable material even faster. It may even be enough to kill any weeds accidentally placed in your compost bin.
The warm weather may dry out your compost bin too much, or you may find ants on the surface. This is a good indicator that your compost bins need a little more moisture. Try adding grass clippings or fruit and vegetable peelings in the first instance. If you find the contents are still too dry you can add a little water.
In contrast, if there are summer spells of heavy rain your bin may become waterlogged. This means that you will need to protect the micro-organisms. You can do this by covering the bin, or keeping the lid on. You can also add dry materials, such as shredded paper and cardboard.
Watch our series of home composting videos on YouTube