diy roof for compost bins to collect water

the bottom of my allotment has 3 compost bins in a row. I've had an idea of a sloping roof made of pallets covered in plastic running in to an old bath. Any ideas please?

one of the main problems is liely to be wind - I tried roofing a shelving unit I inherited on the plot with some of that corrugated/twinwall plastic they make big estate agent signs from...lasted 1 day and the wind ripped it off despite plenty of nails...and the lovely Edible Pavilion on our site (try googling it) has lost most of its clear corrugated sheet in the storm the other day...

savbo

It's a great idea Rachel, and we've done something similar, but as pointed out, three round (presumably), bins are tricky to tie a sheet or panel down to.

Can I suggest that you actually make the wooden pallet frame as a free-standing structure to square up the area of tarp, or plastic, first? That way, you at least have something firm and flat, from which you can wedge one end to get a fall into the bath.

Here's a pic of our bath and metal panel, which is propped up at the far end and falls down into the end via a 'Growster Gutter', (that bent bit...)! Because this is heavy steel sheet, it stays secure, but yours would need to be tied down as it will be bashed about by the wind eventually.



As Sol says, you should try and cover the bath, and by putting another sheet/frame on that as well, you can increase your water catchment a bit more. Let me know if you need any more help anyway!

If you have the water running into an open bath it will get very green and slimy in summer unless you cover it.

Interestingly, our open bath doesn't get green and slimy as the water is regualrly being dipped out via cans and replaced with rain.

Gets a few water boatmen, and mosquito larvae make an appearance occasionally, but other than that --- it's good