Efficient Composting in Rains – Monsoon Composting

One of the most common questions we get especially in high rainfall areas like Mumbai is, what precautions do I need to follow to ensure that the composting, using the Ekobin, is as smooth as it has been in the summer?

Composting in the monsoon is slightly challenging. The high moisture content in the air extends the time for composting. It also causes your waste to be wetter since the moisture is not easily evaporated away

Since the water removal is already difficult, ensure that no rain falls on your compost bin! Try to ensure there is a waterproof covering over your bin. You might to ensure water doesn’t fall on the sides also if your bin is in the open. Don’t cover it completely – you still need to let your compost bin breathe. Remember that the lesser the air, the more your bin will stink.

Do try to harvest your compost before the monsoons. Composting would be slightly longer and hence starting the monsoon with an empty bin would help you to avoid having to try to dry your slightly wetter compost in the monsoon and you can just leave it to mature in your bin for longer since you have more space.

Use the pre-monsoon showers to estimate how you can best protect your bin. Make all your minor adjustments before the big ones hit! Since removal of moisture is a bit more challenging, make sure you have a lot of browns and absorbent material going into your bin along with your greens. Since dry leaves may be a challenge in the extremely wet monsoon months, you may want to stockpile on dry leaves, garden thatch and dried grass and store it in a dry place. If you are unable to do this, use small pieces of waste paper as absorbent material – you can also compost all those Amazon cartons that don’t have plastic on them ( we are all guilty of lock-down shopping😊)

Make sure your compost bin’s bottom drainage and side holes are clear – in case some water is not absorbed inside the bin, you can always allow it to drain out rather than stay inside and make your compost pile soggy.

Finally if your bin inevitably gets drenched in the rain, all you need to do is empty it out, dry it for a couple of days and put it back in!

Now that you are all prepared to tackle the monsoon, once you have done all this, kick back, relax and watch nature at its finest while you enjoy the rains with a hot chai or filter coffee! Happy composting, Happy monsoons!