On Sat, 09 Sep 2006 17:54:50 GMT, "Jane"
wrote:

I have a pile of fresh horse manure brewing on my allotment. The heap is
cold. Isn't it supposed to be hot? Advice?

Many thanks.

Mix in a much vegetable matter as possible. The bigger the heap the
better.

Build it as high as you can manage - the taller the better. I find that
95% of compost heaps in my local allotments are wider than taller -
which is wrong - and I never tire of telling the gardeners that! - they
must take me for the compost bore of all time.

By all means water it if it seems dry. Add a table-spoonful of sugar to
about a gallon of water (that'll get it going quickly). You can also add
some compost starter; but shouldn't really need it if you have horse
manure rather than old stable hay.

The trick it to keep it insulated at this time of the year and build it
as high as possible - so that heat generated is not lost. At the very
least put a polythene sheet or old carpet over it.

Don't worry if it doesn't seem warm, if it's moist it's still
composting. What is the temperature like on the inside? Say, 12 inches
into the heap?