Compost bin question

[Mamsoth]

I'm thinking of getting a compost bin for the garden. It will be going in a nicely sheltered part of the garden, no concrete just straight on the ground.

I'm wondering what the pros and cons of getting a base plate would be? I would have thought that if Im not putting it on concrete (or somewhere I'd have to worry about it blowing away) then it would be better to go without one, to let the worms get in?

So what would make for better compost, base plate, no base plate, or doesn't make a difference?

Thanks for looking

[SarrissUK]

I have two and they are on concrete without a base, but that's only because I don't have room to keep them where there's soil. My garden is tiny. It seems to work very well, even with very little turning.
I don't use bases on them to make it easier to turn the compost in progress.
If you can place them on the ground, without a base, I think that's the ultimate way to keep them

[Squingy]

Pest control? My bin backs onto a field, and I put mine straight on the ground. Furry field rat(s) burrowed under and got in.

Then again I was foolish enough to put old bread in there, thought no meat, fish etc and would've been okay but apparently not. Haven't put kitchen scraps in anymore and no crits.

[Mark_Riga]

I've had rats go in with or without a base plate. No cooked food of any sort should go in. A good watering seems to help deter them.

[Mr Bones]

We have a dalek in the garden, direct onto soil, without a base. There had never been any kind of compost heap anywhere near but the brandling worms found it in next to no time. They're in there now, thousands of them, chewing it all up and making compost

[mcdood]

I have some direct onto soil and others I have now put a base on mainly due to the fact that bindweed found it's way in through the fence. It's not a lot of fun picking a 100 yards of bindweed roots out of your beautiful new compost

[Small pumpkin]

We have a dalek in the garden, direct onto soil, without a base. There had never been any kind of compost heap anywhere near but the brandling worms found it in next to no time. There in there now, thousands of them, chewing it all up and making compost

Same here

[fishpond]

All of my Dalecks are direct to the soil, I have put wire mesh underneath some of them to stop rodents.
I will do the others when I am able to.

[rary]

If its possible put your compost bin on your garden, that way any liquids coming from it will go into the garden soil where you can then plant courgettes

[Derbydal]

If its possible put your compost bin on your garden, that way any liquids coming from it will go into the garden soil where you can then plant courgettes

Rary I plant my courgettes in the darleks ! they grow over the sides ,I just chuck a bucket of water in every few days and the jobs a good un. atb Dal.

[Speed Gardener]

I have both types down at the allotment, with and without bases, and I think you'll get more worms with no base. I also get rats in both, they either burrow under to get in or just chew themselves an entrance down by the hatch. They even dig a trench between daleks. The only way to get them out is to move the bin regularly, although I just did that and there was a big pile of dirts on the top of the veg waste inside the dalek within a week of moving it!
I think it's a case of if they want to get in, they will!
What with the rats and the moles, I'm surprised there are any worms left!!

[bikermike]

I have a dalek, it's on a base of paving stones.

I had a post-and-wire heap for many years with no rat problem. Then just before my lad was due to be born we found a hole and one or two bits of rat poo.

I went for dalek and base on the basis of it being better to err on the side of safety.

I think the rat was from a neighbour some doors down who failed to replace a broken manhole cover. Environmental health and one of my neighbours persuaded him to replace it, and since then, no rats.

Not had a worm problem, but then I put wormy compost in it from the outset.

Also, the rat appeared after we put a load of orange peel in, so we've not repeated that.

The heap at the plot has no base and I've only once seen a rodent in it.

[sarah9786]

My dalek is direct on soil. Does best for the worms but I keep an eye on the nearby bindweed. Never had any issue with rodents until this morning when I was watering the compost.. and a startled mouse just under the lid got an unexpected shower 😂😁