Do fabric covers offer a benefit to the process?

Fabric covers, because they help control the process, offer a spectrum of benefits to raise quality, consistency, and predictability in the finished compost product. Those benefits include:

• Moisture management — If the climate is wet, excess moisture is kept out of the windrow; if the climate is dry, moisture is retained within the row.
• While shedding rain, gaseous exchange is still permitted.
• Nutrient retention is higher in covered compost than uncovered.
• The compost cycle will finish sooner.
• Ultra-violet ray damage is minimized.
• Covered compost retains temperature levels better than uncovered. In freezing conditions, covered compost does not freeze as deeply during winter and warms faster in spring.
• Leaching is significantly reduced when compost is covered.

You may want to visit the McGill University study regarding compost covers which can be found on our University Research page.