Topic: Compost bins, how many??

[slippy fly]

I am just planning my allotment and was wondering how many compost bins do fellow plot holders have? I have 2 black plastic ones and am thinking of building some more made out of pallets.
Also does anyone have any experience of growing plants directly on top of a compost bin as the compost rots down.I was thinking of maybe planting a pumpkin on top of my rotting pile.

[Merry Tiller]

Depends how much waste you have to fill them. Can't have too much compo

[Hyacinth]

Fly, don't know how many bins, don't 'do' bins, do compost piles. Last year, forked over a finished pile and planted courgettes on top. They loved it. Squashes/pumpkins would do the same, I reckon. :D

[supersprout]

Depends how much waste you have to fill them. Can't have too much compo

Seconded!

[Columbus]

Hi Slippy, Hi all  :D

My pumpkin patch is on the heap I made when I started to clear my plot topped up with leaf mould and manure. This year I`m planning on growing pumpkins directly on top of my leaf mould cages which now also have a layer of manure on top. These get very warm and I thought I`d use the space.

I`m using my dalek for rotting horse manure this year - last year I used it for stuff from home and hard to rot stuff. (my horse muck is a bit sawdusty)

My new compost heap is about one pallet by two pallets, which I hope will see me though the year, if not I`ll add height later. So it depends, as people have written, on how much compostable material I have.

Col

[Roy Bham UK]

I have 3 darleks and one pallet bin and a builders sack but plant cucumbers, courgettes, marrows and pumpkins on my heap of cow muck, it puts a rocket up their u know whats it does. :P :o ;D

Some councils have a limit on how many bins you can have, I think ours do [size=06pt]but keep it quiet.[/size] ;D

Might be worth pointing out to some of you that some water boards do extremley good offers on compost bins, Severn Trent who supply us are doing 330 ltr darleks for £6 inc delivery :o 8) check your local water board now. ;)

[Hyacinth]

Roy, can I ask your advice about the 7 Trent offer on Daleks? They're £6, but a base is £5. I was thinking.....because of where I live and never very far from rats - in fact found a (fortunately dead) one in the garden just last week, I  decided to stick with my poke-able compost heaps......thought that rats might be more inclined to set up home in a dalek if they can burrow into it?  What do you reckon? Never had a dalek before. :)

[Robert_Brenchley]

I've had mice, voles and bumblebees in my daleks, and once rats. A bit of poison soon sorted them out, but I'm unashamedly murderous whenever rats appear. I have four of the daleks, and could do with another four. I may get some more this year.

[Roy Bham UK]

Roy, can I ask your advice about the 7 Trent offer on Daleks? They're £6, but a base is £5. I was thinking.....because of where I live and never very far from rats - in fact found a (fortunately dead) one in the garden just last week, I  decided to stick with my poke-able compost heaps......thought that rats might be more inclined to set up home in a dalek if they can burrow into it?  What do you reckon? Never had a dalek before. :)

Hi Lish, I dunno what the base is all about or if it's worth a fiver ??? my Darleks are plonked on the ground I've only had e'm a year so not sure if rats have moved in, but I thought rats were only interested in food that was cooked ??? I never put cooked food in my compost bins.

Might be worth pointing out that if you are wild life friendly and put food out for the birds, squirrels, badgers, fox's etc: then the rats will move in and set up home under your compost bin, shed or anywhere there is a void and beat the wildlife to their rewards. :o

Hope this helps. ;)

[slippy fly]

;D Thanks all for the advice seems like I can't have enough bins or piles (not haemoroids)  :P

[nittynora]

We have a rat currently living in our compost dalek in the garden and we never put cooked food in it just peelings etc but he seems happy enough.... if only he'd eat the poison....will be getting a base asap.

[tim]

4+2 = 6

[dirtyfingernails]

stupid question - but how do you fix the pallets together to make a compost bin? I thought about driving in some posts (but where do you get them from) and screwing them to it, or just fixing them together with bits of wood or wire - how's everyone else done it?

[Merry Tiller]

String

[glow777]

cable ties are good as are 6" nails!

[kippers garden]

I had a rat that set up home in the winter in my compost bin.  My dad told me to empty the contents (it was half full so i spread it over a small area of ground nxt to my bin ) and leave for two or three weeks....seemed to work, he didn't come back.

Alan Titchmarsh tells you to empty your compost bins every autumn/early winter....to avoid rodents seeking the warmth....i bet he doesn't though!

[supersprout]

cable ties are good as are 6" nails!

One of mine is held together with string, and it's fine too ;D

[Roy Bham UK]

One of mine is held together with nylon rope, and it's fine too and doesn't rot. ;D

[bupster]

I got bored, and started to basket weave one out of bamboo sticks and brambles. It was in 'close to the veg'. It's going to take forever, but looks great  :)

[telboy]

Our local Council has launched this year offers.
'Darlek £6, waterbutt kit £35.
Bought those two. Already have two 'Daleks' on the allotment & one at home.
Need to do a 'cycle system' at home, hense the second one.
Have built a 6'/6' pallet compost system for stable manure (unrotted) on the plot. Took 14 trailer loads to fill it. Now needs 14 trailer loads to top it up!
It's steaming well - luvely jubbly!