I have a compost bin and from the get go I put wire underneath it, consequently I have had no rodents inside. Instead they snack on my capsicums and tomatoes ( healthiest rats in Adelaide).. I don’t use poison but I have used traps which I put around where they are eating and inside my little compost systems that I’ve made for around the garden. Little buggers chew through and pop inside to eat the scraps, so I popped the traps just inside the opening and have caught them
On the persistent herbicide issue. I do a simple bio-assay on ALL inputs including commercial bagged ones. Before use, I fill a couple of pots with a mix of known good mix and the new item, and one with just good mix. Plant a couple of peas or beans in each pot and see how they grow. If there are any deformities or nothing grows, I don't use it. The pot with just good mix is a kind of control/comparison. Cheers!
I do bokashi/ compost. I used to get rodents, but since I started to sprinkle bokashi bran over kitchen food scraps a couple of years ago (all kitchen scraps inc meat and bones) I don't get any. In fact I felt so confident I removed the mesh from the bottom of the compost bins. I add mulched autumn leaves every time I add the contents of the bokashi bin. This really makes the compost hot. It's also important to drain the bokashi bin before you add it to the compost other wise you will burn the worms with the acidic liquid. I also stir the compost weekly with a compost aerating tool you can get from the hardware store. This ensures clumps get broken up and composts quicker.
Many thanks- a calm, balanced and informative q&a
Thank you so much for this video.
I have a compost bin and from the get go I put wire underneath it, consequently I have had no rodents inside. Instead they snack on my capsicums and tomatoes ( healthiest rats in Adelaide).. I don’t use poison but I have used traps which I put around where they are eating and inside my little compost systems that I’ve made for around the garden. Little buggers chew through and pop inside to eat the scraps, so I popped the traps just inside the opening and have caught them
They chewed through your compost bin?? Wow that’s impressive
On the persistent herbicide issue. I do a simple bio-assay on ALL inputs including commercial bagged ones.
Before use, I fill a couple of pots with a mix of known good mix and the new item, and one with just good mix.
Plant a couple of peas or beans in each pot and see how they grow. If there are any deformities or nothing grows, I don't use it.
The pot with just good mix is a kind of control/comparison. Cheers!
Thanks for the comment! Agree doing a bio-assay is a great idea 💡
I do bokashi/ compost. I used to get rodents, but since I started to sprinkle bokashi bran over kitchen food scraps a couple of years ago (all kitchen scraps inc meat and bones) I don't get any. In fact I felt so confident I removed the mesh from the bottom of the compost bins. I add mulched autumn leaves every time I add the contents of the bokashi bin. This really makes the compost hot. It's also important to drain the bokashi bin before you add it to the compost other wise you will burn the worms with the acidic liquid. I also stir the compost weekly with a compost aerating tool you can get from the hardware store. This ensures clumps get broken up and composts quicker.
Thanks for sharing your method!
Great video
Wally to eat the rats! 😻 Also love the reference to Charlie ha!
Might have to stop feeding him for a bit haha 😛