On 11/11/2020 10:48, Martin Brown wrote:
On 10/11/2020 22:57, Stewart Robert Hinsley wrote:
Usually my compost heaps run cold, but I've currently got one running
hot. I've also got one built last autumn and winter which was a cold
heap, which has a lot of material (roots, grass leaves, even some
moss) that hasn't broken down. What is likely to happen if I mix some
of this in next time I turn over the hot heap.

Once a heap is hot you can mix other stuff into it and the combination
of heat and the enzymes sees it off pretty quickly. They don't stay hot
for very long and particularly not at this time of year.

It seems that the question is moot. I turned it over this afternoon, and
while there were a few hot spots left, most of it is now running cold.
For what it's worth I added some shredded paper. It had self-compacted,
and was rather wet, so perhaps the added aeration of the turnover might
give it a bit of a boost.

My experience has generally been that if you add enough stuff at once it
doesn't really matter what it is provided that you don't compact it then
it will go hot in 3-4 days. About 1m^3 in a single day does it for me.

Getting 1m^3 in a day is the difficult bit - I got mine hot this time by
adding that in a few weeks, rather than a few months (and shredding all
the material before adding it).

It has a very characteristic short chain fatty acid smell not unlike BO
when it really gets going. I have had mine smouldering internally a
couple of times over the years - which gives a small volume of grey ash
instead rather than a decent volume of compost.

It doesn't always go hot every time for me. I am lazy and really only
turn a compost heap when I absolutely have to. Twice a year at most.

I don't like leaves in my compost heap - I make leaf mould separately in
the green bin (officially for garden waste). Many common trees have
fungal inhibitors in their leaves so it slows down the heap. Worms and
creepy crawlies seem to do a better job composting leaf litter. YMMV

I have 3 2m cubic bins filling one, letting one mature whilst growing
courgettes on them. The 3 year old one is ready for use. Any thick
branches or bits that aren't quite gone get put onto the new heap.


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SRH