If your compost does freeze solid during the winter that means it is much too wet for the aerobic bacteria to work it properly. However, that compost could be spread on your garden now and then a cover crop should be planted to protect the soil from the ravages of the sun, wind, and rain.

If this compost is intended for the garden anyway, I'd spread it, and till it, in the fall if I had a choice. Waiting for the soil to thaw and dry in the spring is a good time for the soil microbes to be working on the material and gives it a head start.

In some climates, compost freezes no matter how good the mix is and at 70% completed, there is likely not enough available energy left to sustain it during a prolonged cold spell below freezing.

Lloyd

Lloyd said "In some climates, compost freezes no matter how good the mix is and at 70% completed, there is likely not enough available energy left to sustain it during a prolonged cold spell below freezing"

Yes, that is the climate I am in.

Thanks for all the replys. I think I will spread and till. This is this gardens first year, the area was all sod when I started this spring. I have a thread here from earlier in the summer where we talked about Central Oregons poor volcanic gravel. I have already tilled in a few yards of silty loam, some local sedge peat, and then finally two or three yards of semi composted horse manure.

This soil is already starting to look some something decent.

Now I will till in this last bit of compost I have made from leaves, grass clippings, weeds, garden waste and kitchen scraps and hope for a MUCH better yield next year.

I believe earthworms prefer "unfinished " compost.
The worms are also much squirmyer ~~~

"I believe earthworms prefer "unfinished " compost.
The worms are also much squirmyer ~~~ "

I don't seem to have any earthworms to speak of----well, I do, but only in my potato tires, stacked up 3 or 4 high. The dirt in those got moved this spring from floodplain, worms came with it. Black loam. Lovely dirt too. I put a couple inches of it over my whole garden, but the potatoes got straight loam. I know worms got moved into the rest of the garden, but apparently thry rither died or moved into thr better dirt in my spuds.