Adding compost in winter

[PSU4ME]

I'm considering adding compost to an area of my property that has poor soil structure. I'm in the northeast so our ground is mostly frozen except for some of these warmer days that are still coming through when the top layer warms a bit.

Reason i'm adding it now is because:
1. I have time
2. I won't sweat my stones off doing it
3. I want to dormant seed and feel some compost could also benefit that

It's 7,400 sqft (just measured) and at .5" its 11 yards, .25" is 5.5 yards etc. Area is 95% level

So my questions are around is this a good/bad idea and should i looked to only do .25" or go for the .5" while i'm doing it?

Appreciate any thoughts/insights.

Thanks

[andy10917]

The microherd is asleep. Not much is going to happen.

[PSU4ME]

Yeah I wasn’t expecting it to do anything now but it should be beneficial once they wake up in the spring woukdnt you think? I want to improve the soil there and dormant seed so I thought adding the compost over loam now would help both situations

[PSU4ME]

Will I damage any of the composts herd by applying it now?

Also, I assume not all compost is created equal. I have two options to get it from, one is made from leaves and grass clippings and I’ll fibd out the make up the other tomorrow. My goal is some microbial activity and better water retention.

Is there a type of compost that’s better than another that I should be looking for?

The black earth composting place is close but it’s teive the cost per yard than these other two options so I’m not looking at that

[PSU4ME]

Ok so they are both leaf based.

Anyone see anything wrong with doing this? 3-5” of snow predicted for Sunday so this will get covered up quickly.

[andy10917]

I don't know if there is anything "wrong" with it, but there is very little data on applying compost in winter for no known advantage.

[PSU4ME]

Thanks Andy, I’m assuming that once spring kicks in the compost and microherd will begin to do its job.

[PSU4ME]

Well folks, 12 yards of compost has been spread. A mans job and one not to underestimate! Weather is supposed to get near 40 on Wednesday and the substantial snow on Saturday so I’ll dormant seed it on Wednesday afternoon.

Pics

[PSU4ME]

[PSU4ME]

[Green]

Whoa. 12 yards in the cold. I think I'd rather work in Spring!

You're teasing us with the snowblower on the pile. Can you elaborate on its role?

Also, is this the area you were asking about using Blueberry/Bedazzled on?

[PSU4ME]

Hey Green, yes this is the area we were talking about. It was really cold out but it wasn’t bad once you got working. I did 4 yards Friday afternoon when they delivered it and then the other 8 Saturday. Piles froze a bit which I wasn’t happy about but we made it work. The compost was 1/2” screened so I used the snow blower to fill up the wheelbarrow. Worked so good and saved me froze shoveling it in..... spreading with the rake was enough work.

I’m pretty happy with how it came out, hope the seed takes good enough.

[TimmyG]

The compost was 1/2” screened so I used the snow blower to fill up the wheelbarrow. Worked so good and saved me froze shoveling it in..... spreading with the rake was enough work.

Brilliant! Any chance you tried using the snowblower to disperse it?

[PSU4ME]

Hey TimmyG,
In order for that to work, I think you would need to lay out smaller, drier “line piles” and then it’s all dependent on your blowers power. Given that we were going through a pile that had some moisture to it, it would only throw so far.... enough for the wheelbarrow. I did 4 yards by myself Friday evening in 3-3.5 hours. Not having to shovel was huge and it also made for good spreading as well cause the compost was quite loose.

[PSU4ME]

Just an update on this. Weather here has been off and on but I’m happy to, as of yesterday,already seeing the dormant seeded kbg beginning to sprout. I’m not seeing it everywhere but in different spots throughout the roughly 8k sqft. Likely where it’s been able to harness some warmth given the fluctuations in temp. Hopefully the tenacity and early sprout get the holes filled in before the summer heat.

[Fullheadofturf1234]

I’m dead nuts serious about making a motorized compost spreader for regular applications.

Good work man!

Its easy to spread cracked corn or alfalfa through a spreader but lay down piles and piles of compost is serious dedication.

[PSU4ME]

Ecolawn has a pull behind and a walk behind that does it but it’s a bit expensive not to mention you still have to load it - rough without a bobcat.

“Hey honey, can I buy a bobcat?” Haha.