[JCloth]

Hello,

If I decide to have a compost bin, is it inadvisable to put it right next to the veg patch?

I'm wondreing about the pests it will potentially attract that might be harmful to the veg plants. Hopefully not rats or anything, I mean flying pests.

Thanks!

[paintedlady]

Well a compost bin might attract slugs and snails as well as harmless fruit flies (rotting fruit etc), but you don't want a bin located too far away from the veggie plot otherwise you'll be doing an awful lot of walking back & forth.

A good compost bin shouldn't be attracting meat flies unless you have been putting something in there that isn't suitable.

[Trillium]

And if you're setting up a bin at home, careful how close it's set up to the neighbours. Some people really object to this item without understanding it. If things like rats are an area problem, then they're valid in their objections. If it's a lotty setup, then definitely close to the patch. If rats are a local problem, (ask others) I strongly suggest a base
'mat' of weldmesh to keep rats from burrowing into the bin and reproducing.

[muntjac]

in the sunshine

[JCloth]

Thanks for your replies.

I'm not aware of there being a rat problem around here but to be on the safe side I think I'd like to get some weldmesh (whatever it is!).

Where do I get it from? Is it a Garden Centre product or a builders merchants? Or neither?!

[paintedlady]

Where do I get it from? Is it a Garden Centre product or a builders merchants? Or neither?!

All of the above, but try a builders merchants as its bound to be cheaper, or you never know what you might pick up in Freecycle (or your local tip if they allow it)  You don't want anything too expensive and the idea is to have a small metal mesh so rats can't squeeze in (you'll be utterly surprised just how small a gap a rodent can squeeze through :shock: )

[JCloth]

Oh no that's gross - almost makes me not want to have one!

I'll go in search of some mesh. And when I get some I literally just lay it on the ground and put the bin on top?

Thanks.

[Trillium]

Weldmesh resembles chicken fencing, but is squared and the openings are much tighter together. The metal is also thicker and stronger. Builder's merchants should offer it by the linear foot (or hunt/phone around until you do find someone who sells this way). It's not cheap but the headaches/heartaches it saves is worth every penny. We used weldmesh on our pigeon lofts and we've had every type of critter try to get in...and the pigeons are still happy. Chicken wire is simply to keep chickens in; it's not to keep anything else out, especially things that burrow or have claws.

JCloth, a closed compost bin is what you'd need, with a weldmesh base to keep the beasties out.

[Beetroot queen]

Ours in is our back garden half way along a bed, no problems with nasty bugs just ones we like.

We have just dug ready to place rhubarb in next to it, hopefully it will feed the rhubarb so we get a good crop in the future  

[JCloth]

Excellent, thanks for all your help.