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Compost bay suggestions which keep out rodents

GervisLooper
Posts: 446 Forumite

I will start by noting this is an open field of a couple of acres to trying to manage the population does not seem feasible nor would I want to kill them. I only just came on the scene here so it is their territory. I just want to learn to get along with them side by side without them being too disruptive.
So far I had been just chucking stuff in an open pile with the mind that rodents are going to get to it one way or the other.
People say that it will encourage them but they are so many already, even before I started composting only a few weeks ago, that they seem to have plenty of food to keep up their numbers without the compost that the compost seems just a drop in the ocean so I doubt it would affect their population much whether they had access to it or not.
Even so I find a big pile unsightly and they also like to grab bits and run around and drop them so also make a mess so there are other good reasons to keep it contained.
I read up on different techniques and trench composting, although said to be slower, seems like a good easy way of dealing with it and keeping it out of sight out of mind. I don't doubt it would be quite easy for rodents to dig into the ground to get it but I did a test by burying a month's worth and filling it over and last time I looked did not see any signs of disturbance.
With that though I had left the pile build up in the open for a month before thinking what I should do with it as the pile got bigger but I think I could instead make the hole beforehand and just chuck it in as I go but get some kind of cover and weight it down.
This seems a very simple solution. I can either dig the holes where I might intend to plant some day in the future or keep one general area and keep track of where I bury it chronologically then dig up the hopefully mature compost after such a time as it would be likely to be mature.
Burying seems a more pleasant way to do it than having a steaming pile somewhere. Let all the unpleasantness take place underground.
While I don't think it would be 100% rodent proof, from that first test, they haven't been motivated that I could see so far in digging that one up. Probably have plenty other stuff above ground to keep them fed by the looks, or at least the evidence after the fact of gnawing and droppings, of the sheer numbers of them.
Even though underground would it still be better to place it in a sunnier area to speed up decomposition process?
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As far as my experience is concerned, the heap that has mostly garden waste doesn't attract rodents (any more than the garden does, anyway...). It's kitchen waste that you're 'adding' to the environment that's going to be a problem if there is one; And even that isn't going to be a significant attractor if you're growing fruit/veg IYSWIM?
I think the disadvantage of trench is that the composting is very slow and not really suitable for weeds (I have a hot composter and a spare water butt that I use for those to drown and 'cook' them).
When I was setting up my raised beds I did put some food waste in with the compost (in an attempt to attract worms), but I'm working them as 'no dig' beds, and it's a contained area that I'm going to be regularly topping up with compost/manure, so slow rotting won't really be an issue and it was only a relatively small amount of anything I was intending to compost anyway.I'm not an early bird or a night owl; I’m some form of permanently exhausted pigeon.1 -
ArbitraryRandom said:As far as my experience is concerned, the heap that has mostly garden waste doesn't attract rodents (any more than the garden does, anyway...). It's kitchen waste that you're 'adding' to the environment that's going to be a problem if there is one; And even that isn't going to be a significant attractor if you're growing fruit/veg IYSWIM?
I think the disadvantage of trench is that the composting is very slow and not really suitable for weeds (I have a hot composter and a spare water butt that I use for those to drown and 'cook' them).
When I was setting up my raised beds I did put some food waste in with the compost (in an attempt to attract worms), but I'm working them as 'no dig' beds, and it's a contained area that I'm going to be regularly topping up with compost/manure, so slow rotting won't really be an issue and it was only a relatively small amount of anything I was intending to compost anyway.Huh? Rodents love fruit and vegetables. Plenty of articles stating they will eat them right out the ground and off trees.As for my own experience I had thrown a partly bad orange out and would see it progressively eaten over a couple of days until it was just a neat shell of peel.Sure trench composting may be slower but if I have the space, which I do, I can just cycle and dig and dump and forget about it.0 -
You may misunderstand. It's not just slower but will possibily take over a year and unless you bury deep the wildlife will get it.I have a wooden compost heap with a lid and the rats don't go in.They do however stand on it to get to my apples - but that's my bad placement.Best compost heap I had was made of 4 posts and wire netting letting it breath. That's also what they use at the gardens near me.Have a plastic tub with lid and put fruit and potato pealings in that and in a couple of weeks they will be slimy and can go on the heap.
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GervisLooper said:ArbitraryRandom said:As far as my experience is concerned, the heap that has mostly garden waste doesn't attract rodents (any more than the garden does, anyway...). It's kitchen waste that you're 'adding' to the environment that's going to be a problem if there is one; And even that isn't going to be a significant attractor if you're growing fruit/veg IYSWIM?Huh? Rodents love fruit and vegetables. Plenty of articles stating they will eat them right out the ground and off trees.
And if you're growing fruit and veg, that will attract rodents (and other 'pests') - if you then compost that fruit/veg then it's not going to be any more attractive in the heap than when it was growing.
So the only attractor is any EXTRA food waste that you're adding to the garden.I'm not an early bird or a night owl; I’m some form of permanently exhausted pigeon.0 -
I've had compost heaps on farms and I've only found rats nesting in the heap because it's warm, not eating the stuff I chuck on there. They much prefer to eat at source, so they eat the veg and fruit before it goes on the compost heap. One way to stop them nesting is to turn the heap regularly. I have no idea what you're actually putting on your heaps, manure? kitchen waste? How much kitchen waste? I'd say have a look at charles dowdings bins and see if you can do something similar if you don't have masses and mases of compost being made. I must admit, I read your post and thought you were talking about industrial quantities...
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