Rat Proof Compost Bin - ??

Hi,

Long story short, have an old wooden compost bin, as two 2ft x 2ft x 3ft tall bins joined together.

However the rats now seem to like it too much, though its only pure raw garden/ vegetable waste.

Is there a diy way to make a new rat proof bin, again a similar sized twin bin ?

Wondered if the large 220 ltr plastic compost bins are rat proof - do they chew their way though ?

 

They don'k gnaw through the plastic, but wriggle through the sides of the sliding access door at the base. If you sit them on a concrete slab and wire up the access door it keeps them out.

 

Think thats our biggest problem that the bins are just on the soil , so its so easy for them to get under.

Was wondering if the plastic bins were on concrete they would still try and chew their way in, even if the door was sealed.

Know what you mean, but think its all been replaced by the corrugated steel cladding sheets thats just 0.5mm thick, hard to buy in small take away quantities locally.



Its a real double edged sword dilemma, used wooden bins for years without rats, but for the last couple of years have used an electronic / water jet cat deterrent which has worked a treat, no signs of cats in the back garden, but seems without them the rats feel free to roam.

Whats worse, messed up boarders and seed beds, putting you hand in god knows what and picking crops that have been cat scented/sprayed or risking rats and their problems ??


If set on a concrete base, wondered if building a new solid sided wooden one but lined with some steel mesh like this would be enough ?

 

Never had a problem after wiring up the doors, just use some snips to remove when emptying and replace befor refilling.

Anti-rat mesh needs to be on the outside or they'll keep gnawing through timber until they get to it then try somewhere else. Rats seemed to go for my timber composter, but leave the (sealed) plastic 'Daleks' alone. I placed mesh on the outside of all vulnerable timbers on our hen run and had no problems, and they never tried gnawing their way through the plastic roof or perimeter guttering to gain access.

 

Thanks all,

Been measuring up for those 220ltr and 330lts plastic bins, but the base diameter of the 220 ltr is so large we could only fit one in, whereas our wooden rectangular one will take 800 ltr.

Think another wooden one will be better, but this time on a concrete base and as Scrungee says with the mesh on the outside; might look odd, but its out of sight behind a Bay bush.
Be a bit of work to do all that, but better than running down to the tip and queueing for ages.

 

Hi Again,

Been trying the methods of using the hose pipe on the compost heap along with pushing a metal bar down though the compost to disturb things as much as possible and it seems to have worked.

No signs of any holes or freshly dug soil and neither of the traps activated.

However, beginning to wonder if its actually worthwhile keeping a heap anymore for our relatively small front and back gardens and a more easier take on gardening in retirement.

Though gone for now, doubt it will not be long before they return, even with some newly built heaps on a concrete base.

Might just be simpler to bag it all an do a few trips to the councils recycling center each year.

Any thoughts ...?

 

Other way round for me - I don't have a car so a compost bin is definitely more convenient. One thing I would say, I started out with one 'dalek' but life is much easier with two because you can fill one, then swop to the other one, leaving the first to rot down. Once it's ready, usually in the spring, I just jiggle the bin around a bit until I can lift it right off, and redistribute its contents over the borders using a tub trug. Any unrotted bits can go into the second bin, then that is left alone and the first one begins to get filled up again. When I just had one bin it was much harder work because I had to excavate the good compost from under the more recent additions.

I rarely need to stir the contents of the bin around, one thing that does seem important though with plastic bins is to include a fair amount of cardboard or other dry material - it makes better compost, more quickly, and would also have the advantage of not being tasty to rats!

 

you actually get RATS? wow. we only see cute little field mice here. the cats deal with those. I have seen rats when I went to New Orleans once. the size of them are scary. no normal cat can deal with those things. you need one of those small dogs for them.

 

Think they say you are not more that a few yards away from a rat where ever you live in the UK !

Now wonder why next door got of these little dogs some years ago, trying to tell us something...

Lancashire Heeler Dog Breed Information, Pictures, Characteristics & Facts - Dogtime

 

yep, there is a breed called a "Rat Terriers" suppose to be breed to kill rats. Not very big, but quick.

 

Hi All,

With the busy time of year approaching for putting stuff into the heap, think what we will try is to seal off the compost bins and see if the rats try to return.

Will bag all the garden waste this autumn and see what kind of chore it is taking it down to the recycling center every few weeks.


Don't know what other areas are like but our council has now stopped taking soil and rubble /concrete/bricks etc.
They offer a collection service from your house at £5 per liftable small poly sack.

Seems so counter productive as it will likely cost them much more to clear up all the fly tipping it results in.