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Lots and lots of bugs!

Posted by Jebeld17 none (My Page) on
Mon, Nov 14, 11 at 17:56

There are lots and lots of bugs in my compost pile, mostly ants and gnats! Are these okay to have around my pile, or should I get rid of them as soon as possible? If so, how I do get rid of them?

Also, can anyone please share me their "secrets" to composting, please? I am very new to composting and it seems that most of my compost is simply, well, dirt now! Please help me :)

Thanks,
Jeb


Follow-Up Postings:

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RE: Lots and lots of bugs!

Bugs are good. Those particular bugs are probably around because of the food source your compost pile provides. If you want to get rid of them, try covering your pile with more browns like dead leaves.
Secrets? There aren't any, really. I've found a common mistake many beginner composters make is to not use enough browns in their pile. Kitchen scraps are green, and will break down into practically nothing. So go find yourself some leaves; the more the better. And then, wet them down and stack and pile them up. The rest is up to you. Leave them there and do nothing, and it should break down in a couple of years. Turn it and water it whenever necessary, and you'll make compost quicker.

Here is a link that might be useful: Here is more info


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RE: Lots and lots of bugs!

I live in Florida, so we don't have many brown leaves. Can I use tree and plant trimmings instead to replace that?


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RE: Lots and lots of bugs!

The gnats are there because of high moisture levels, let the material dry out some and they will go away. The ants are there because they are looking for a food source and that is a handy source. This tutorial on composting might be of some help.

Here is a link that might be useful: Compost Tutorial


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RE: Lots and lots of bugs!

The secrets are hidden in the 478,000 posts in this forum. The more you read, the more you learn!


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