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Temperature Too High?

Posted by raymadigan (My Page) on
Thu, Sep 30, 10 at 3:09

It rains too much here so I have a cover over my compost pile. The contents are strictly horse manure. I measured the temperature at a spot about a foot deep in a three foot pile. It wasn't in the center, but close and the meat thermometer read 170F. I have had other piles go to 155F, it kills all the bugs, etc. Is 170F too hot? Does anything go wrong at such a high temperature?


Follow-Up Postings:

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RE: Temperature Too High?

horse manure will get extremely hot for a while. You aren't damaging anything.


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RE: Temperature Too High?

Do you add anything to the horse puckey? That sh** gets really HOT!


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RE: Temperature Too High?

If that temperature keeps rising your pile of manuure may self combust. Generally when the temperature tops 135 it is time to turn that material.


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RE: Temperature Too High?

Depends on the size of your pile.

The general opinion is that smaller piles such as a typical backyard pile of up to 5' by 5' wide by 3-4' high do not go much past 160F in the core.

Industrial and windrow temp.s can go quite a bit higher, and that is where most or all of the concern lies.


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