The open base design allows micro organisms and worms from the soil to access the bio mass to speed composting.
We sell a soil fences/grates that are designed to keep rodents out and allow micro organisms and worms from the soil to access your bio mass to speed composting. Made for any open bottom composter. They are 32″ x 32″ and 38″ x 38″. Or you can put hardware cloth or a wire mesh underneath the composter to keep the rodents for tunneling into the composter.
We sell replacment parts for the composters. Contact our customer service (512) 407-8500 or fill out the “Contact Us” form on the bottom of this page. If rodents are a problem you can wrap hardware cloth around the bottom and sides if you need. Putting the Aerobin on a solid base also prevents the rodents for getting to the bottom edge where they can start chewing.
The material in your composter should be as damp as a wrung out sponge. You should be able to squeeze a handful of it and it should hold together. If it doesn’t, it’s too dry and you need to add more nitrogen rich materials ie, vegetable scraps with a high water content. If you live in a hot dry climate you may have to sprinkle water in your compost bin from time to time to maintain the moisture level.
When adding material to your composter, premix your brown and green material together before adding it to your composter. This way you have a diverse and balanced mix of organic material. Nitrogen rich items such as green grass clippings, coffee grounds and chicken manure can be a catayst for composting.
No, the average backyard composter does not get hot enough to kill pathogens which can spread diseases. Feces from grass eating animals, such as cows, chickens or rabbits is ok but it has to “cure” for several months or it will burn your plants.
