[RosieMay]

I gave up on my old 'compost heap' due to problems with rats nesting in the bottom of it    But now I'm really getting into doing more gardening and trying to be more green I want to have another go!  I've got to try and sort this out myself as hubby is too busy to build me anything   I'm looking at buying either the 'dalek' type plastic ones from the Council waste scheme which are on offer at the moment so I could have 2 and have one composting down whilst filling a second, or buying a wooden slatted side one.  So ... some questions I could really do with having answered and sorry if I sound a bit thick having to ask them ...

I like the idea of the plastic one because I can afford 2, think the rats may struggle to move in, I can get the compost out of the door at the bottom and I can move it easily if necessary - but wonder if I will end up with a horrible mess due to lack of air circulating?

If I go for a wooden one, once its full up do I have to wait until the whole thing has rotted down, because the nice stuff will all be at the bottom - so how do I get to it otherwise.

What do you use and what would you recommend?

Hope that makes sense .  Thanks 
 

[arugula]

We have both wooden home-made and dalek. Be assured, the dalek ones work really well as do home built wooden ones.

[fatcat1955]

The rats will still get into the dalek's. Buy a trap and dispatch them.

[JayG]

After 10 years; Daleks = 3, Rats = 0 

If they are stood on a flat surface there is no way rats can access them if the lids and hatches are kept closed, and I find that, magically, there are plenty of worms even in the one stood solely on concrete.

If you want to increase the air supply you can always drill some holes round the edge near the bottom (no bigger than 1/2" diameter though.)

[Trillium]

Compost needs to be turned rather than just left for several years to decompose. If you can pull out the contents, stir it up a bit, then toss it all back in, repeat twice more in a season, you should have some great stuff by season end - provided you stop adding to that pile early in the season and start using a 2nd (or 3rd or 4th).

A simple solution against rats is to line the bottom of a wood bin with weldmesh, about 1/2" thick. It's too strong for rats to tear or bite through. If the side slats are wide, line the inside as well with weldmesh and tie the corners so they don't flop open and allow entry. Be sure there's a strong cover they can't pull off. Mice and other critters can't get either, but worms can and those are helpful.

With daleks, you can place a square of weldmesh on soil and place the dalek on top.

This video is quite explanatory even if the presenter is a bit slow:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1559893974030277248#

[sion01]

I have two wooden compost bins side by side so I can turn the compost easily from one bin to tuther.This results in quicker composting and I don't know if it's because I turn the compost often,i've never had a problem with rats.I'm flirting with the idea of puting in a third bin and one for leafmold and one for manure and one for seaweed

[compostqueen]

I have loads of bins of various types but I really like the daleks as they're relatively cheap and easy to get as they're delivered to the door, which is a big help  They also compost very quickly if placed in a sunny place in the garden and stirred regularly.  I water mine if it becomes too dry.  I really dislike the "soil saver" available via the council scheme and I would never get another

I keep leaves completely separate as they take much longer to rot down in an airy wire bin.  Four wooden stakes with some chicken wire wound around them makes a very good bin.  I'm not very handy to didn't bother with an opening front so I just scoop out the resulting leaf mould or climb in and shovel it out 

[RosieMay]

Thanks so much for all your replies.  Think I'll go with a couple of 'daleks' as you seem to have found them easy and successful.   I've got some heavy mesh I can stand them on and as they arrive complete I won't have to have any help putting anything together 

I know the rat problem sounds disgusting but I keep bantams so unfortunately it goes with the territory 

[willowish]

i have 4 pallets, lashed together with cable ties....and a Jack Russell for the rats! 

[compostqueen]

I've got a bin made of four pallets which I use for the big thuggish stuff. I lined it haphazardly with black plastic compost bags to try and keep the heat in and I always keep it covered.  It takes an age to rot down mind you but it does eventually 

I too used to have a very useful JR, who was a real boon on the plot - vermin wise - but sadly he's now chasing rabbits in heaven 

[penninehillbilly]

I use both daleks and pallet bins, feeding after the first turn from the dalek into the wood bin. I found either mice or voles nesting in the daleks esp. It upset me to put the fork through the nests, now I use plastic coated 1/2" chicken wire underneath. stops everything but worms (and slugs proably )

[RosieMay]

Well I've ordered 2 daleks so hopefully I've done the right thing!  My dog is Jack Russell x Cocker Spaniel - unfortunately she has no ratting mentality 

[joyfull]

put some mesh underneath them - sadly I have had rats in mine when I forgot to do that.