If it is cold outside, try building a larger pile to hold the heat. Sometimes you may have several problems to overcome. If you cannot get the pile to heat, all is not lost, because the pile will still break down by the slow method. If you are composting by the slow method, keep diseased plants and seed heads of weeds out of your compost pile. For any compost, avoid coarse, woody materials because they break down slowly and make the pile hard to turn.
Some plants contain compounds that slow microbial decay.
Western red cedar, often used for fence posts because of its resistance to decay, can break down slowly in compost piles. A compost pile will only ignite if it has a very hot zone next to a dry zone. Fires will not start in moist piles or in small, backyard piles. If you use fresh manure in a slow compost pile or directly in your garden, a small risk exists that disease-causing pathogens will contaminate garden vegetables. To reduce the risk of disease, allow at least 60 days between applying manure and harvesting any vegetables that will be eaten without cooking.