The following dates of activities are approximate for the Grand Junction and Palisade Colorado area. Other areas in Western Colorado will need to adjust their dates accordingly. Many of these topics are covered in fact sheets from Colorado State University . The early emergence of tulips and other spring flowering bulbs can sometimes be delayed by watering to cool the soil and then applying a layer of chopped leaves, straw or other organic mulch to help hold in the cold. Covering the pile with several inches of leaves or straw or covering the pile with a tarp will help hold in heat.
Bacterial activity is what creates the heat of a compost pile.
Lawn areas that did not receive adequate snow in December and January may need to be watered. This is especially true with turf having a south and west exposure. If your lawn was damaged by mite activity last spring, a watering now will help reduce the mite population and reduce the amount of damage the lawn may experience this spring. Do not add wood ash to the compost pile, lawn or garden areas. Wood ash should be allowed to cool and sent to the landfill along with other debris.