Compost Bin

[dianer29]

Does anyone have a tried and true compost unit that was made perhaps out of free wooden pallets/skids? My husband is going to look around and see if anyone wants to part with them for free. We need to get a compost pile made that will work for next to nothing,be properly maintained (airated), temp where it needs to be,keep animals away, a well balanced bin. We live in the tropics . We get alot of rain,do not have dry brown leaf debris to add. Any suggestions on how to build one and maintain one here in the tropics? We found a few earthworms in our garden . Do we add some worms to layers in the bin?

 

[patandchickens]

If by "critters" you mean "rats" then the only way I know to keep them out is to sheathe pretty mcuh the entire bin in gnawproof materials, either wholly or largely 1/2" hardwarecloth (1/2x1/2" galvanized welded wire mesh).

Pallets wired together at the corners, with or without additional pieces of pallet spliced in to make the sides more solid-ish, make a very good easy bin; however rats will go right on in. Dogs and raccoons too, if they happen to feel like it, unless you have a strong lid on which often-but-not-always keeps them out.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[dianer29]

Pat: Do you have a better idea we might try? We would like to see if we can keep it down in cost to free or close to free?

 

[Ldychef2k]

What I have is nowhere near as nice as what you are looking for, but it does work for what I need.

I found a wooden shipping crate in an alley and my SIL reinforced it for me, He also wrapped the bottom and three sides with 1/4" heavy gauge "rabbit wire" as he called it. VERY heavy. Here's the thing: Mine has no top and the bottom half of the front, so it is all out there for whomever wants it. Like mice and rats that I finally got rid of. I live in town so that's the main critter concern.

Maybe you could find an appliance store or a shipping and receiving area of some kind that would have wooden shipping crates. Mine was about the size of a stove or a washer or dryer. I outgrew it pretty fast because I have nine deciduous trees on my lot. (Just took out five others.)

 

[patandchickens]

Are you asking about a ratproof bin? If so, all I can say is that you need to scrounge a sufficient amount of hardwarecloth or other comparable small/strong metal mesh (e.g. that 'expanded metal' stuff, or anything else that would keep rats out). Try auctions, the dump if yours allows the public, the curb on garbage day, Habitat for Humanity ReStores if you have one in your area, etc. You can make up part of the bin with sheet metal or *thick solid* wood/plywood (keep an eye on it for gnawing), but much of the bin needs to be mesh.

If you are just wanting dog/coon-proof, not ratproof, then yes, you can use pallets -- just wire 4 together in a square and put plywood on top with a coupla cinderblocks or a rope or something to keep the top on.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat