No, I would suggest you keep the hatch and if possible put something heavy in front to stop it being disturbed. Both rodents and badgers are known to be able to tear it off and rats sometimes use compost bins as a nest if contents are dry.
Thanks @Wayside. No vandalizing badgers here. I find the ones I use for compost making stay wet enough usually. With added grass cuttings it balances and stays wet. I think the same, they sort of sweat. Or if they are lady compost bins, glow
@tessagardenbarmy the worms are great aren't they, but how do you stop them getting squished when you put the lid back on?
I take a little watering can and bang the lid trying not to squash any, so they fall back in, then rinse the persistent ones back in over the bin and around the outer rim so they don't get squished. Bit of a game, but its horrible if you squish them.
@Lizzie27 Thanks. We did get an unwanted visitor one year. It never damaged the bin. I turned the bin out, got some chicken wire underneath, and (deep breath) not had a problem since. It came visiting from neighbours with decking, overgrown garden and rotting sheds full of junk.
@Rubytoo yup they congregate in the rim on occasions and it's very difficult not to damage them often just rest the lid on top to give them a chance to escape .
I have just one of those, we don’t use it to make compost in though as it’s not warm enough, so we compost in metre square wood bins that we can cover with carpet and tin sheets, then store in Dalek for the last process. I use the door at the bottom but OH just upends it.
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
The robin can help himself, he guilt trips me enough waiting on the top of the feeder pole for his suet pellets in the morning. I think he hears me open the blinds.
Funny how we all make compost differently despite it being basically the same. I guess it depends on the materials and volumes of that we have as individuals, in the garden and house.
I’ve recently got a Dalek bin, though I’ve made compost for years. I was fed up with taking kitchen scraps out to the compost heap and now have a Dalek one outside the back door, which is much more convenient. I’ve had it for a few months and wonder how long before there is usable compost. It’s not very full so far.
Based in Sussex, I garden to encourage as many birds to my garden as possible.
It's supposed to be ready to use within 3-6 months depending on the time of year, quicker in the summer but longer in the winter. The daleks tend to take longer than the big square open bins as there's a smaller cubic capacity and they don't heat up high enough. You can help things along with some manure or garden soil every now and again to get the organisms in and working. Is your new bin on paving or on the earth? It may be worth while to tie bubblewrap or an old carpet round it to keep the heat in. I have to say though that you usually only get a very small amount of usable compost at the very bottom which is a bit disappointing.
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I find the ones I use for compost making stay wet enough usually. With added grass cuttings it balances and stays wet. I think the same, they sort of sweat. Or if they are lady compost bins, glow
@tessagardenbarmy the worms are great aren't they, but how do you stop them getting squished when you put the lid back on?
I take a little watering can and bang the lid trying not to squash any, so they fall back in, then rinse the persistent ones back in over the bin and around the outer rim so they don't get squished. Bit of a game, but its horrible if you squish them.
@Lizzie27 Thanks. We did get an unwanted visitor one year. It never damaged the bin. I turned the bin out, got some chicken wire underneath, and (deep breath) not had a problem since. It came visiting from neighbours with decking, overgrown garden and rotting sheds full of junk.
Funny how we all make compost differently despite it being basically the same. I guess it depends on the materials and volumes of that we have as individuals, in the garden and house.