K wrote:

I know that's the theory, but I'm not sure that in practice most
gardeners can achieve the heat levels required, and also get all of the
material to that temperature (not just the bit in the centre). It's
easier to do in a big heap.

agreed, but the conical plastic Dalek, and the way the material shrinks
from the sides and falls into the centre seems to compensate somewhat.

Weed seeds are ubiquitous in soil, so it's not a major benefit to remove
them from the compost.

it is if you're using it to make your own potting compost :-)



I'd say a cold heap made in the summer will be ready for use next spring
- the poster advising the hot heap was giving much the same timescale -
it surprised me, as I though hot heaps were faster than that.

That was me, they are, but a single Dalek will take all summer to fill
as the volume decreases dramatically with each 'hot run'. The first lot
will be ready much sooner but there won't be much of it! I put many more
batches in, each on top of the other, each running 'hot' and rapidly
leaving room for the next. By spring you have a (nearly) full Dalek of
usable material. Hope that makes some sort of sense!

The only things I wouldn't put i a cold heap are perennial weed roots
(dandelion, bindweed) and diseased material - but I'm not sure that most
people would put those in a hot heap.

agreed.