I like the idea of a small composter, I know you can get them cheaply through the council bins people. However I am really really paranoid about getting rats. This happened to my parents in two different houses when they had compost heaps, I remember one of them was in an open box type structure. They never used cooked food only garden waste and peelings, but still got rats. How can I do it in a fairly small space and exclude rats? Do I have to get one with a bottom in? Will I have to turn it?

You lot are quiet. You must be having a really busy Christmas!

Chicken wire underneath. Keeps the rats out.
:)

We have one and no rats (i dont think!). If you get one where you get the composted stuff out the bottom and put the fresh in the top I dont think you have to do anything to it? Or at least we dont! No expert tho...

We're a 6 composter family & never seen a rat yet :thumbsup:

Adjacent to farmland too :nod:

I have a composter at the top of my garden, which I got via the council, I have it stood on a plastic base with slits in which also came from the council, and I have had it for 2 years and dont have a rat problem.
SamMT I put new stuff in the top and get compost out the bottom, but I still give it a good stir every now and then, not sure that it helps much though!
I also have 3 composters made from pallets on the allotment and I have not seen any rats in the vicinity.
But then I'm biased anyway as I had a pet rat who used to sit on my shoulder and watch television with me. She is now in ratty heaven.

This morning I lobbed a ton of stuff into my composter which filled it up to the top.
I took a spade and started to ram it into the composter to stir it all up and make more room, but a three foot long sprout stalk that was in there was waiting for me. As I rammed the spade in, it hit the end of the stalk, catapulting a load of rotting, stinking old food and garden waste straight into my face.
Actually it was mildly better then the aftershave i use.

I have a composter at the top of my garden, which I got via the council, I have it stood on a plastic base with slits in which also came from the council, and I have had it for 2 years and dont have a rat problem.
SamMT I put new stuff in the top and get compost out the bottom, but I still give it a good stir every now and then, not sure that it helps much though!
I also have 3 composters made from pallets on the allotment and I have not seen any rats in the vicinity.
But then I'm biased anyway as I had a pet rat who used to sit on my shoulder and watch television with me. She is now in ratty heaven.

So the plastic base is worth paying extra for, as a rat deterrant?? Because if I have to buy wire netting I might as well just buy the base.

Yep..............

This morning I lobbed a ton of stuff into my composter which filled it up to the top.
I took a spade and started to ram it into the composter to stir it all up and make more room, but a three foot long sprout stalk that was in there was waiting for me. As I rammed the spade in, it hit the end of the stalk, catapulting a load of rotting, stinking old food and garden waste straight into my face.
Actually it was mildly better then the aftershave i use.

They would be the new strain of attack-sprouts then?

I remember reading somewhere that rats will only settle in sites that they consider safe, so if you just regularly turn the compost over or tap on the side of the bin with your spade etc whenever you pass the bin, they are unlikely to take up residence there.

I remember reading somewhere that rats will only settle in sites that they consider safe, so if you just regularly turn the compost over or tap on the side of the bin with your spade etc whenever you pass the bin, they are unlikely to take up residence there.

I would like to say I could set my cats on them, but they cant be a*sed to get up out of their beds these days.

Well its been delivered, but minus the base! Have phoned up and they said the bases were probably out of stock so give it 28 days! (Wasnt convinced by this as she didnt actually check up). Has anyone else had this problem?

BTW, when I went back onto the website to check the phone number, I found the price of the composters have actually gone up, theres no free kitchen bin, but a new type of kitchen bin available for £2.50 only when you order your composter!

Sorry to hijack your thread Yellowrose, but has anyone got any suggestions to stop my soon-to-be-sited compost bins from blowing away while they are geting established?

My garden is always very windy, particularly at the moment, and the compo bins are rolling about continually, even after being secured witha few bricks round the base. I'm worried about having to keep scooping up semi-rotted compost every 5 minutes. :gag:

So the plastic base is worth paying extra for, as a rat deterrant?? Because if I have to buy wire netting I might as well just buy the base.
I thought the idea of a compost bin is that the bottom is in contact with the soil so the worms can do their work .

V I K I N G !!! ^^ Hey up matey! Glad to see thee back :thumbsup:
Sorry to hijack your thread Yellowrose, but has anyone got any suggestions to stop my soon-to-be-sited compost bins from blowing away while they are geting established?

My garden is always very windy, particularly at the moment, and the compo bins are rolling about continually, even after being secured witha few bricks round the base. I'm worried about having to keep scooping up semi-rotted compost every 5 minutes. :gag:

Feargal, I have the same prob! I tend to dig a 2 inch trench around my composter bin (using it's own botty as a template).
Then wiggle the composter into the ring & replace the soil on the inside in 4 piles ie/ North East South West inside/ up against the composter bin walls & pack it down as firmly as poss.

For added measure a couple of bricks on the lid always helps.

Never had a Composting Mary Poppins experience to date :hihi:

Excellent idea Don_K! I shall pay more attention to it's botty immediately. I've slightly rethought the site too, so hopefully it'll be more sheltered.

Altogether now... "lets go fly a composter"! :D