Are there 'bad' bugs that you don't want in your compost? If I see a grub, I take it out. I've had ants, and I know they are not a prob and how to get rid of them. but, I have some very strange bugs in my compost. It was getting dark, so I didn't get a pic this evening. my camera works best in some bright sunlight. maybe I can get some shots tomorrow. some of the bugs looked like a cross between a doodle bug (pill bug) and an earth worm. I had some type of bettle bugs in there, and even a couple of spiders. I added some chopped garlic. I know that will deter the ants. but, I have no idea what these others are and what eggs they might be laying in my 'dirt'.
Cricket
Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it. ~Russel Baker
any bug in your compost bin is fine. they help break down the compost into soil. now in your garden is another story. that's part of the reason for sifting compost.
lol, I can see the expression on your face cricket and it is priceless. Yes I do sift my compost. I do it because I only have one pile and so everything goes in there constantly. Rather than having 3 where 2 are decomposing and I'm only adding to one. Of course now if I have enough raw material I may have a three pile system. Anyway, on about sifting. Because there is material in my pile that shouldn't be in the garden yet I sift it. Taking all the lumps and bumps and putting them back in the pile for further decomposing. Hope I made sense there.
about sifting. Because there is material in my pile that shouldn't be in the garden yet I sift it. Taking all the lumps and bumps and putting them back in the pile for further decomposing. Hope I made sense there.
I use the same method as you TK ! Just about every time I turn it. I sift it a little bit,, I use a rubbermaid trash can that I made holes in all sides and bottom so air can circulate.after I while I sift all large lumps I distribute thru out the compost, and lot of those I place on top as that is where I'm adding more greens and browns and it gets that top layer going faster as the lumps have already begun to decompose it can fuel the new add-ins, BTW Cricket I went to a restaurant supply store and got a Huge long handled Deep fryer basket as my sifter It works great but because it's so large I tend to put too much compost in it to sift and it gets heavy,, I still haven't learned not to fill it so full,, knowing it will tire my arm out quickly like that,,
Last summer I had a problem with ants reaaaalllly bad, I just put corn meal in it,, they eat the corn meal then POP they explode When I see worms in the compost I'm happy because as Jiffy said they help not hurt! Besides once the compost heats and cooks it will burn out most all the creepy bugs that may do damage!
"Grace without perfection is more to be desired than perfection without grace."
Besides once the compost heats and cooks it will burn out most all the creepy bugs that may do damage!
and any eggs they may lay?
Oh, I get it about the sifting now!
I have three very large buckets with holes in the bottom I use for compost. they're about 2 feet across and 3 feet deep. One bucket sitting, cooking. another bucket I put stuff in. and the third I use to dump one bucket in...then use the empty bucket to dump the other in. instead of stirring, ya know. it is the best system for that I've come up with so far.
Cricket
Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it. ~Russel Baker
that sounds like a good system to me. I'm old fashioned I guess. I still get out there with the rake and shovel and pull the pile apart and then pile it all back up again. I think I just like playing in the dirt.
I think I might be sifting my compost wrong but I'm not sure and I still get bugs in my soil and want to know if it's okay and if not what can I do to solve the problem that I have
Last edited by caligreenthumb; Feb 21st, 2012 at 02:44 PM.
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