Compost lid.

[grannyjanny]

OH has spent all day making a composter for the plot. Does it need a lid to keep the heat in or is it best to put something on top of the materials in the bin.
Janet

[grannyjanny]

[manicscousers]

one of ours has a big piece of cardboard then a tarpaulin on, the other has bags of leaves, soon to be taken off, replaced with weed control and my potimarron squash in it  ;D
Ray swears by covering, he says it encourages the worms  :)

[grannyjanny]

Hi MS. Do you just put it on top of the stuff in the bin or on top of the bin. There won't be much in it to begin with. They are huge, I shall be knocking on doors soon begging for stuff. OH wants to make a hinged lid?
Janet

[Emagggie]

I use a bit of old carpet with a woven base - not the rubbery sort- and a few bricks on top to hold it down.

[Eristic]

I use the Moriati bags and while a bag is in the receiving position it is left open. Once the bag is stuffed full it is covered with an empty bag or a bit of carpet. New material is then placed in the next bag in the line.

Not sure if covering the heap is absolutely necessary but it stops cats and foxes digging holes in it. A well made heap will generate all the heat it needs with or without a cover as it will make its own cap anyway.

[Al37]

I am with Emaggie,
Carpet directly ontop off the stuff in the bin :)

[terrier]

I use the Moriati bags and while a bag is in the receiving position it is left open. Once the bag is stuffed full it is covered with an empty bag or a bit of carpet. New material is then placed in the next bag in the line.

Not sure if covering the heap is absolutely necessary but it stops cats and foxes digging holes in it. A well made heap will generate all the heat it needs with or without a cover as it will make its own cap anyway.

My main heap holds about 4cu.m. If I don't cover it (I normally use cardboard and old carpet), I find the rain just makes it into a cold soggy mess and it takes a lot longer to decompose. Also covering it deters grass and weeds from growing on top.

[tim_n]

grannyjanny: In short

No

Does it look tidy and keep the rats out?

Probably not if it's without.

Personally I think they're much better without.  Compost heaps need water to aid the breakdown process - a moist compost is a happy compost.  A soggy compost heap goes rotten and slimy if aerobic bacteria start-a-breeding, so there is a limit to how much water you want in it.  If you leave it without a lid and just let the process occur naturally over a year, you'll end up with perfectly find compost.  If you want it dead quick, you should listen to someone else.

[manicscousers]

ours is on top of the stuff in the bin  ;D
don't worry about not having too much in there, by the time the beans and taters are done, you'll have loads, we mix in all our shredded junk mail and the straw off the strawberries, plus, if we can get it off keith, the grass from the bowling green  ;D

[grannyjanny]

Thanks everyone. MS we have a gardener across the road from us & he has said we can have garden waste from him anytime & they have just got some chickens. If I put their poo in will it be very smelly also a friend works in an office & she brings me shreddings.
Janet

[manicscousers]

Ray puts lots of chicken poo in the heap, we have 2, the other is 'cooking', it's a bit smelly but it doesn't half warm it up  ;D