How to Keep Rats out of your Bokashi and Compost

It seems common knowledge that if you have a compost bin in your backyard or garden, attracting rats is top of mind.

The thing is with Bokashi or 'pickling food scraps', provided the lid on your bucket is kept sealed airtight and your food scraps are pickling nicely, pests such as flies or rodents literally can't get into your bucket.  

That said, when emptying your finished pickled scraps into a compost bin or garden this is when it can get problematic. While rodents usually don’t like bokashi because of its acidity; preferring foods that are rotting - if they are hungry & food is scarce (especially in the colder months) they will eat anything - even bokashi!

They also like to make homes in an under compost bins to seek warmth as well.. 

So if you think you might attract rats or have a rat problem in general, check out the following tips to keep nasty pests such as rats from a-knockin'.

Make sure your home compost is rodent proof

Rat proofing requires galvanised wire mesh with holes small enough that mice & baby rats don’t squeeze through (Aviary mesh is the best to use!) and cable ties.

To learn how to rat proof your compost bin, check out the page on ‘Predator Free NZ’ for instructions.  

Setting rat traps

If rats are burrowing underneath your rat proofed compost bin - it’s time to set traps.  Predator Free NZ stock the Victor Professional and T-Rex traps - the most economical and effective IMO.

Plus they have great instructional videos on how to set them and catch the pests!

Bury pickled food waste at least 30 cm deep in the garden

If you have space in your garden and/or lawn dig at least 20-30 cm deep to bury your pickled scraps in.  This is a great way to introduce lots of fertility if your garden or lawn needs it! The pickled scraps will disappear within 2-3 weeks (depending on the season) and the soil can then be ready to plant into. 

Make a Soil Factory (if you have no garden or compost bin)

Don’t have a garden but want to compost food scraps? Look no further than using a storage container as a ‘soil factory’ to process your pickled scraps.

A soil factory is a place where you can make high quality nutrient rich soil using existing soil + finished bokashi.

 

For steps on how to to do this check out the blog on 'How to make as Soil Factory' - coming soon!