On 11/11/2020 20:20, Jim Jackson wrote:
On 2020-11-11, Jeff Layman wrote:

I've no idea. The "science" of composting remains a mystery to me. My
composting is done in two adjoining wooden square containers, each of
120 x 120cm. The pile inside can get to 100 cm high - maybe even 120 -
before rain and time slowly allows it to sink. I fill it with grass
mowings, shredded leaves, herbaceous material, shredded woody stems,
occasionally fruit and veg peelings, and soil and commercial growing
compost from old pots.

It /always/ exists in one of two states, dry and cold or wet and cold,
depending on how much rain we've had. In the 8 years since I built it,
the contents have never been warm.

I'm gob smacked. My compost heaps are that size and a similar mix - in
spring summer it is always hot - in winter it varies. Do you cover your heap?

No. We are in a dry part of the country (south central Hampshire). The
usual problem is that the compost heap is far too dry; covering it would
keep rain off. We had barely 100 mm of rain through May, June, and July,
yet last month we had almost 250 mm! So far this November we haven't had
much - just 25 mm. In the last few days I've put about 150 litres of
barely damp shredded leaves on the heap. Today I put 40 litres of water
on it. It's pretty full now.

--

Jeff