Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Chatting => Design and Construction => Topic started by: cammi on September 01, 2014, 16:44
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For cheapness I am looking at making a row of three compost bins out of pallets. While googling this I came across one idea, where they staple chicken wire on the inside and then stuff the cavity of the pallet with straw for insulation. Sounds good in principle, has anyone tried this idea? Would I just be making a cosy rat house? Currently use a black darlek type, no rat problems.
Also these bins made out of pallets look huge, will they be too large to actually heat up and work. There will be kitchen compost from a family of four, chicken poo and bedding and shrub cuttings, but we have no grass clipping. Could put in loads of weeds, lol, but not sure if thats recommended or not really.
Thanks in advance, for any pearls you wish to share
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I tried pallets stuffed with cardboard without much success, not heard about using straw. I now have a large compost bin made using metal sheeting, so I don't think the size is the issue. The heap needs layering with green and brown material, green is veg matter and brown being paper type. I have used cardboard and shredded paper for the brown material and found it works well. I tend to find towards the end of the season there is plenty to compost and when I add it to the composting stuff, that's when the heap gets quite hot. Providing the heap gets hot weeds can be used, minus the roots on though :-)
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We have compost bins made form pallets and lined with some wire mesh we had from the chicken house we dismantled. It's worked ok for us without having to fill the gaps with straw or cardboard. The compost pile benefits from a good turning over every one and again too which helps to speed up the composting :)
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If the straw layer was thick enough to provide effective insulation it would probably also seriously restrict the amount of air getting into the compost material, and air is essential for fast, aerobic, hot composting however well you chose the ingredients.
I'd use a crowbar or similar to poke some holes through the gaps in the pallets right into the middle to improve aeration, and re-poke at regular intervals to make sure they were kept open.
Annual weeds are OK, but if they have gone to seed you are taking a risk if the heap doesn't heat up enough to kill them.
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Bob Flowerdew's little book on composting recomends:
Pallet sides with slats facing downwards
Newspaper scrunched up as loose insulator
Snug fitting top as heat rises and to keep rain off.
The single most important panel is the top as this covers the very core of the heap. Even with no insulation around the sides more heat is lost upwards (like from our heads). Carpet lets water through and so isn't great. A purpose cut board with polystyrene underneath and a plastic sheeting on top to ensure water runoff works a treat
Oh and bigger heaps are always better as the are naturally more insulated and have a larger core. Get yourself a crosscut shredder an use every paper you get - envelopes, bank statements. Bren complement this with scavenging ALL green wast from your kitchen. And remember to cut it up small - small = more surface area = more room for composting bugs :D
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I keep my pallet bin covered by a many folded up tarp sheet held down by bricks. I keep it prodded and water it if it gets dry :)