It’s official. The compost heap has reached 70°C for the very first time. It was the combination of fresh grass cuttings, shredded beech hedge clippings, old leaves from under the hedge and hardy Geranium prunings that did it.

Sadly, that is 5° too hot for optimum microbe activity but it will certainly be killing the weed seeds and toxins. Last year’s heap has now been turned several times and is totally cold and ready to apply in the autumn. That one had plenty of horse manure and comfrey. The fresh heap is a weaker mix and mainly grass and shredded prunings from the spring flowering shrubs. However, the recent lush greens and cardboard seem to be doing the trick.