A big load of black dirt could be a nightmare, because it could be simply junk that you would not want. If your compost is not heating up there are really only two reasons and that would be a lack of Nitrogen or too much moisture. Greens are generally considered to be of high Nitrogen but most of us have far more browns than greens and most of us add some other source of N. Composted manure probably is not a good source of N, but you could use blood meal (around 7 percent N), and there are many other sourrces that are not too costly.

Compost won't hold heat for any length of time without continual feeding. When is the last time you added greens and/or brown? It's also possible if you just turned it last night that it hasn't heated yet- you might get a little heat by tonight or tomorrow. And are you measuring the temp with a thermometer, or just with your hand? How big is the pile?

Simply turning the pile, with no additions, will usually reheat my compost once or twice, but without more food, it eventually will just cold compost. Nothing wrong with that, it's just another, slower way to do it.

Karen

I checked my latest compost pile, semi-shredded leaves, and it was reading 120F in the center. Mostly oak, maple and gum leaves with enough moisture to heat up somewhat. Some of the bags were shredded before I got them, so there is at least a small % of grass.

I may use fresh grass or coffee grounds to keep it warm enough not to freeze.

Your info was lacking if you wanted a suggestion.

1) What is the size of the pile?
2) Are the leaves shredded? What kind?
3) Is the moisture enough?

Bob Z6 MO

"Compost won't hold heat for any length of time without continual feeding."

Really? I thought you were supposed to make it and leave it? How could it all break down if you are continually adding stuff to it? Why would you add more browns?

You can add stuff as long as you care to. At some point you do have to stop adding to allow it to finish, and start on a new pile.

I'd add more browns if I were also adding enough green nitrogen material that more carbon was needed to maintain the approximate the 30:1 optimum ratio.

Karen

After reading some of the advice from on here (gardenweb), I chose to put some urine in mine. I feel embarrassed to admit that even though it's not exactly much different than using cow or horse poop. Anyway, it works. I wouldn't go overboard or anything, though. It's a lot of moisture and the salts could build up. Don't know that for sure, though. Also, I use a lot of used coffee grounds straight from starbucks.

As far as adding to a pile: I tend to add to a pile as it breaks down for about two weeks. I don't think it significantly slows the process down. I prefer to be able to provide as much compost at once as I can in one application, so if I keep the size going for a couple of weeks I'll have a bigger load of compost.

Sounds like you need more 'greens' since you have 'very little kitchen scraps' and tons of leaves. My best scource of green/nitrogen is used coffee grounds (UCGs) which I get at a gas station up the road. They sell tons of coffee so the supply is endless. If I want to heat things up really fast though, I'll use some moist alfalfa pellets and mix that in with everything. They can be bought at a feed store real cheap.

We have been hovering around the -5C (23F) mark for the last four days and my piles - 2 of them - are still above 110F. They haven't been turned in over a week.

As long as there is a good food supply for the bacteria that digest your material, and a good source of Nitrogen, and just enough, but not too much, moisture, and enought air the bacteria that digest your material will keep on working and when they work they normally generate heat. however, too much moisture and not enough air will slow them down, and not enough N to supply the energy they need or not enough C to chomp on will slow them down.
Turning the pile, ie. remixing, may be all that is necessary, all else being equal, since you would be getting indigested material from the outside of the pile into the center of the pile where the bacteria would be most active, providing the turning was done that way.

Thanks for all the info. I'm sure I need more N. I have whole leaves and they are mostly oak. Will the dry molasses do anything? I thought I read somewhere it was a source of N. The compost is 3'x3' but not full now. I'm sure the leaves have smashed down. I'll go stir it today for oxygen. How much moisture is enough? I was just feeling on the temp. Will get therometer. I'm curious about the ratio. How is that measured, leaves aren't near the same as greens, coffee grounds etc. As you can tell I am a newbie to this.

I made two new piles yesterday. Two different sizes for comparison purposes.

One was a 30" diameter mesh bin 20" high. The second was the same height but was 40" in diameter. In less than 24 hours the core temp of 30" was 85F; and the 40" was 112F. The average temp the last few days was 40-45F. The material in both was mix of fresh cut grass and shredded leaves, with a sprinkling of rain water.

My experience, and what I read; indicates that a optimal compost pile will reach max core temp in two to three days from the start. The hottest part of the first pile was 11 inches from the top, and the second pile 15 inches from the top.

In previous winters I had piles which had 100F+ core temps but also had frozen outside areas.

Yes, ladycraft - dry molasses is the very best microbe food, second only to dry dog food as an 'accelerator'. And fire ants don't like it. Sprinkle 1 oz. per square foot on each layer (as you turn the pile and water-in each 4"-6" layer). Normally used only on the first turn (for a 2nd heat). 2nd heat is very important, whether using the continuous-add (CA) technique or the finish-to-harvest (FH) technique. Turn the pile prior to cooling beyond 110F to maintain microbe populatons. Keep the pile moist. Collect and use the 'tea' from watering runoff, but only as a soil drench (not as foliar spray) due to the sugars promoting mold/mildew/fungi on leaves.