Heating a greenhouse using compost

[andy]

Anyone tried it ? Having enough bacterial activity to actually help heat the GH ?.

Love to hear your thoughts, opinions and ideas.

[Jasmine]

Hmm.
I bought some horse manure back from the lottie in inside out compost bags - so black side outermost. During the day the heat coming off the contents was amazing. As soon as the sun went the bags of compost weren't warm at all anymore.

[Chuckles]

In theory it sounds like a plan to me but not sure about in practice Andy. I found this just having a quick gander on google attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/compostheatedgh.html

Something that did come to mind was grass cutting always produce heat very quickly. If I've not emptied the grass collection thingy on the mower until the next day it amazes me how soon it starts to break down and produce heat. Your question has now made me wonder if grass cuttings in an old compost bag sealed up laid flat in the GH would give enough heat for a long enough period of time to start seeds/cuttings off that need bottom heat, Mmmmm interesting thought.

I always turn my compo bags inside out Jasmine and use them for excess compo material that I have no room for in the compo bins. The black absorbs heat and helps start the process off and I guess thats why most plastic compo bins are black, saying that I've seen some dark green.