Do I Really Need To Cover My Compost?

On many site consultations I conduct I see people who have spent the time, money and energy building fantastic compost systems only to see them left uncovered and therefore not working properly.
Covering your compost pile/system is not only required according to Waste Management regulations in most areas of our province for environmental reasons, it is necessary in order to control the moisture content of your pile/system.
The type of microorganisms you need to break down the raw materials are aerobic, that is, they need air to survive. If you allow your system to get saturated with water, all of the air space is filled with water and essentially drowns out your good "bugs".
Wet systems/piles will not compost and will begin rotting, a process involving anaerobic microorganisms, that cause odour and attract insects.
Letting the occasional rain shower hit your pile/system during drier times of years is not a bad idea as moisture is required for the composting process to occur however, letting winter go by without covering is not.
To ensure you have the right moisture content, conduct the "squeeze test" on your compost described in our Compost Management Guide located under resources on the website.
If your pile is too wet, you can correct this by aerating it (turning or adding perforated PVC pipes), adding dry material, and of course....keeping it covered!