Skip to main content

How to store compost: Tips and tricks you need to know

So, you’ve learned how to make compost. It’s ready for spreading, but your garden can’t hold all that compost at once. What do you do with the extras? If you’ve run into this problem, you can relax now. This is everything you need to know about storing your compost.

Difficulty

Easy

Duration

40 minutes

What You Need

  • Tarp

  • Plastic bags or storage bin

  • Dry organic material

  • Shovel or pitchfork

How to store compost

There are a few ways to store compost.

Store compost in a bin

You can store it in a bin, or even in the same bin it was made in, as long as you don’t need that bin to start making another batch of compost.

Store compost in a pile

You can store your compost outside in a pile. This is a good solution if you are consistently making compost, as you can add more to the pile at any time. Worms can also naturally find your pile this way, giving you the benefits of worm composting without any of the actual work. If you store your compost this way, place a tarp over it to keep extra moisture out of it. However, this takes up a lot of room, depending on the size of your pile and is unsightly.

Store compost in a bag

Storing your compost in plastic bags, garbage bags, or a cheap empty garbage can take up less room and can be stored out of sight. Just make sure it stays moist and that it’s somewhere secure so it doesn’t tip over and spill all over your floor. If your compost starts to dry out, lightly spray it with plain water and mix the compost with a small shovel or garden fork, depending on the size of your storage container.

A kitchen compost bin
Thomas Holt/Shutterstcok

How long can you store compost?

You can store compost indefinitely, but the longer it’s stored, the more nutrients it loses. Compost is at its best for three to four months after it is completed. However, compost can be used even after that. Over time, the nutrients in the compost break down further or escape the compost. This process occurs rather slowly, so you likely won’t have to worry about it too much. As long as you use your compost within a few years, you won’t notice any difference.

Where should you store compost?

If you have the room to store compost outside, that’s where you should store it. It’s best if you store it under a tarp or in some sort of container with a lid. If you need to store your compost indoors, here's what to do:

Step 1: Find a location that is dry and has a relatively mild temperature.

Heat speeds up decomposition, and cold slows it down. If your compost isn’t entirely finished, you can use temperature to your advantage. Otherwise, you want somewhere mild, to keep the evaporation rate consistent.

Step 2: Place the container somewhere secure, flat on the ground or, if it’s on a shelf, away from the edge.

Step 3: Check to see if there’s anything that could fall onto it or knock it over.

This includes storing it somewhere away from pets and small children. While compost generally isn’t harmful for people or animals, there is bacteria in it. Also, if it spills, it makes a big mess, and, if the container itself is heavy and falls over, that could hurt someone. A shed or closet would be an excellent place to keep it.

Two large canvas bags of compost and grass clippings

How can you tell if compost has gone bad?

Trick question! Compost doesn’t go bad. Compost begins losing nutrients after four months of storage, but it doesn’t lose enough to majorly impact your plants until a year after completion. After a year or two of storage, you may notice that your compost is shrinking ever so slightly as it breaks down further. This doesn’t mean it has gone bad, but it does mean that you should use it fairly quickly.

If your compost starts to smell like it’s gone bad, that means that your compost is off-balance, too wet, or too compacted. Add more brown material, such as dry leaves, straw, hay, and newspaper, then turn it with a shovel or pitchfork. This helps add air into the compost, soaks up excess water or allows it to evaporate, and rebalances the levels of green and brown material in your bin.

Once you’re done with your compost, you may be left wondering what to do with it. Now that you know how to properly store it, you can keep your extra compost for a few months to a year without worry or fear! Your garden will thank you in the spring.

Editors' Recommendations

Cayla Leonard
Cayla Leonard is a writer from North Carolina who is passionate about plants.  She enjoys reading and writing fiction and…
Want to avoid itchy rashes this spring? Here’s how to get rid of poison ivy from you garden or yard
Steps on how to rid of poison ivy safely
Poison ivy sprouts surrounded by fallen leaves

When you’re out in your yard or garden, there’s always a risk of encountering an irritating plant. Whether the irritation is emotional, as with stubborn weeds, or physical, like accidentally grabbing a thorny vine, it isn’t fun. One particularly irritating plant is poison ivy, which is both stubborn and can irritate your skin. If you need to know how to get rid of poison ivy, this is the guide for you.

Read more
What is landscape fabric, and why would you need it in your garden?
Everything you need to know about the pros, cons, and uses of landscape fabric
Person planting into landscape fabric

Landscape fabric — it's a tool that gardeners and landscapers either loathe or swear by. While landscape fabric can be limited in some respects, it definitely has uses in a garden, and there are different types of landscape fabric. If you're deciding if it can be helpful for your outdoor space, here's what you need to know about using and installing landscape fabric before you order it online or pick it up from your local nursery.
What is landscape fabric, and what are its benefits?
In its simplest definition, landscape fabric is a physical barrier that prevents weeds from growing. When people use landscape fabric, they're often using it for perennials rather than annuals — annuals need to be replanted each year, so removing the landscape fabric every season can be a hassle. Here are some advantages to consider as you're deciding to use landscape fabric for your garden.

Helps with weed control: It can be helpful for allowing water to pass through but will inhibit competing weeds. It can also keep soil-borne pathogens out of your crops as well.
Keeps soil warm: During the colder months of late winter and early spring, it helps keep soil warm.
Helps with water retention: For particularly thirsty crops, the fabric aids with moisture retention.
Reduces the impact of erosion: During rainy seasons, landscape fabric may be helpful for keeping soil from moving around. Erosion control can especially be important if you have plants sitting on a hill.
Makes it easy to transport gravel: Those who have gravel in their gardens may find it easy to remove gravel later down the road by simply pulling up the fabric underneath instead of scooping up the gravel.

Read more
Are sprinklers good for your garden, or could they be damaging your plants? Here’s what you need to know
Should you use sprinklers to water your garden? Find out here
A small lawn sprinkler spraying water

If you’re interested in gardening, there’s a good chance you also appreciate proper lawn care and landscaping. Lawn sprinklers are a common tool in lawn care, but how do they impact your garden? If your plants are close enough for the sprinklers to hit, should you move them, or can sprinklers actually benefit your garden? Here’s what you need to know.

Read more