Verdun In my experience in the past I've found cosy rats nests in compost heaps that have been covered over the winter - the interior of the heap has been quite dry. I stopped covering the heaps and stopped finding evidence of rats nesting in them. Then last autumn my MIL had new flooring fitted and gave us a piece of old carpet to cover our compost heaps, and we've just found evidence of rats overwintering in there I won't be covering the heaps again - i shall let the winter weather keep the heaps damp in the middle, not dry and inviting.
Last edited: 01 March 2017 08:29:58
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I agree with Dove regarding not to use carpet, but it is up to the individual who asks the question to decide which advice to take. It is only our own experiences that we can share with others, we all have different circumstances. However in our case carpet enticed vermin and kept the compost too dry. In an ideal world we would turn our compost every few months, but my OH works full time and I don't have the strength. However after a year the compost has rotted down and is fit to use on our soil.
Joyce was asking about insulated, lidded compost bins, which seem to be the answer as the compost is ready in just a few short months, however we would need half a dozen for the amount of compost we make over a year - too costly.
I should have thought the problem with rats in carpet-covered compost bins was more to do with the dryness than the carpet. If you can make sure the centre is damp - turn, then water, your composting material before covering - would that not be distasteful to the rats?My plastic dalek bin, for "maturing" compost, occasionally got invaded by a rat. As advised, I sited it on soil; the rat burrowed in from below, between the bin and the wall so I couldn't see. Sneaky so-and-so! Now I put it on a layer of chicken wire before I fill it.
Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
This is interesting because I'm a bit fanatical about keeping my bins turned and I've not seen evidence that that chap above goes in them. He/she lives under the ancient shed and goes hunting on the field (as I've said, I don't add veg waste to them).
I keep the compost moist and I can confirm that it's hot in winter because sometimes I lift the lid and it steams (imagine how happy that makes me!).
I try to adhere to the green/brown mix too and so sometimes have shredded household paper/loo rolls in bags waiting for the next mowing session (it's all a bit quiet in winter so I have stacks of bags at the mo).
I use those plastic cheaper type daleks - my first one being subsidised by the council but I don't think that happens anymore. I confess I do actually have half a dozen of them and only one is empty because it's covering a post-hole in the ground that I don't want hedgehogs to fall in and get stuck - one day I'll put a post in that post-hole, just waiting for better weather ... or something!
Posts
Found a pic. In this snapshot from a video we have my wee friend doing what looks like a little wee on my swede!
How rude!
He does look a well fed chap
They don't stop to have a wee ... They dribble constantly
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Verdun
In my experience in the past I've found cosy rats nests in compost heaps that have been covered over the winter - the interior of the heap has been quite dry. I stopped covering the heaps and stopped finding evidence of rats nesting in them. Then last autumn my MIL had new flooring fitted and gave us a piece of old carpet to cover our compost heaps, and we've just found evidence of rats overwintering in there
I won't be covering the heaps again - i shall let the winter weather keep the heaps damp in the middle, not dry and inviting.
Last edited: 01 March 2017 08:29:58
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Absolutely agree Verdun - it's helpful to know if what we've advised hasn't worked in some cases, and rewarding to know if we've been able to help
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I agree with Dove regarding not to use carpet, but it is up to the individual who asks the question to decide which advice to take. It is only our own experiences that we can share with others, we all have different circumstances. However in our case carpet enticed vermin and kept the compost too dry. In an ideal world we would turn our compost every few months, but my OH works full time and I don't have the strength. However after a year the compost has rotted down and is fit to use on our soil.
Joyce was asking about insulated, lidded compost bins, which seem to be the answer as the compost is ready in just a few short months, however we would need half a dozen for the amount of compost we make over a year - too costly.
This is interesting because I'm a bit fanatical about keeping my bins turned and I've not seen evidence that that chap above goes in them. He/she lives under the ancient shed and goes hunting on the field (as I've said, I don't add veg waste to them).
I keep the compost moist and I can confirm that it's hot in winter because sometimes I lift the lid and it steams (imagine how happy that makes me!).
I try to adhere to the green/brown mix too and so sometimes have shredded household paper/loo rolls in bags waiting for the next mowing session (it's all a bit quiet in winter so I have stacks of bags at the mo).
I use those plastic cheaper type daleks - my first one being subsidised by the council but I don't think that happens anymore. I confess I do actually have half a dozen of them and only one is empty because it's covering a post-hole in the ground that I don't want hedgehogs to fall in and get stuck - one day I'll put a post in that post-hole, just waiting for better weather ... or something!