[Paul Canning]

..... Im wondering if I should put some holes in the cardboard to aerate the compost a little or will it be ok?



I used some cardboard from a couple of flat screen tv boxes picked up from the local currys, but they also had some of the white aeroboard / stryofoam and was wondering if i can use this too by putting it between the pallets too?

any thoughts on either would be most welcome.

[Aunt Sally]

Goodness me - glad that's not on my plot    It's a bit of a mess dear 

It will collapse when you get it filled with compost as you don't have anything tying the front together.

[EddieJ]

Goodness me - glad that's not on my plot    It's a bit of a mess dear  

Being a lady, you can get away with saying things like that. I'll just keep quiet!!

Absolutly no help at all, but I'd be tempted just to put a sign over it saying "welcome to New Orleans"

[Aunt Sally]

Sorry sweetie, you're talking in riddles.

Yes, ventillation is usually a good idea for making good compost but the darlek type don't have air vents.

[grendel]

mine so far looks pretty similar, minus the cardboard, plus a front, I now have 4 more pallets to build the next bays with, I am going to just cover it over and let the air in the sides.
Grendel

[Aunt Sally]

A piece of old carpet on the top will keep too much rain out and stop it getting wet and sour.

[Paul Canning]

Goodness me - glad that's not on my plot    It's a bit of a mess dear 

It will collapse when you get it filled with compost as you don't have anything tying the front together.

LOL, I've got pallets for the front now, just need to sort a way to fix them on :-)

[Paul Canning]

Absolutly no help at all, but I'd be tempted just to put a sign over it saying "welcome to New Orleans"

?

[Paul Canning]

A piece of old carpet on the top will keep too much rain out and stop it getting wet and sour.

hmmmm you could be right, though we don't get a huge amount of rain here in kempston, i could cut some slits in the carpet I guess, though as you also mentioned that theres no vent holes in dalek type composters, there's also no holes in the lid so no rain gets in them either ?

[joyfull]

try looking on freecycle/freegle /freerecyclers for carpet - our local ones often has carpet on there 

[Aunt Sally]

Goodness me - glad that's not on my plot    It's a bit of a mess dear 

It will collapse when you get it filled with compost as you don't have anything tying the front together.

LOL, I've got pallets for the front now, just need to sort a way to fix them on :-)

Phew...  I use cable ties to keep the fronts on my compost bins.

[Lastcast]

Hi Paul,
I,ve made one similar on my allotment, could you put a pallet covered with wire mesh on the ground to raise and allow air flow into the bottom of the compost bin ? ( the mesh is to help keep rats out ) I would keep it covered and the rain out, you can then add moisture when you wish. Putting the polystyrene between the slats on the pallets would certainly help the compost activate and keep your compost inside the bin.

[JayG]

Yes, ventillation is usually a good idea for making good compost but the darlek type don't have air vents.

Mine do!

Two of them have shuttable access holes near the bottom (useless for getting the compost out but they do let some air in!)
They also stand on a few old slates (enough to allow air and worms in but not rats!)

The third one is an old water butt which I cut the bottom out of then bored some half-inch holes in round the base for ventilation.

[noshed]

If you can get hold of some fence stakes or bits of old pipe, drive them into the end pallets just to keep them steady. I'm lucky, I can tie mine to the fence.
This time of year I would pile everything in and cover it with a bit of old carpet, plastic etc, weighted down with bricks or something. In the spring give it a good stir or better still, shovel the compost from one bin to the other and it will rot down better.
Personally I wouldn't worry what it looks like, it's a compost bin on an allotment.

[Paul Canning]

Yes, ventillation is usually a good idea for making good compost but the darlek type don't have air vents.

Mine do!

Two of them have shuttable access holes near the bottom (useless for getting the compost out but they do let some air in!)
They also stand on a few old slates (enough to allow air and worms in but not rats!)

The third one is an old water butt which I cut the bottom out of then bored some half-inch holes in round the base for ventilation.

neither of mine do nor the one that i inherited on the allotment... mind you they are all 3 different manufacturers and I suspect there's loads of others too. They all seem to work though.