Ants in the compost bin?
Question:I'm new to composting only been at it for a few months, I have a plastic compost bin that I acquired from a previous tenant. I have a large ants nest in the bin, I left them as I understand that they are quite good for the soil, now I have large flying ants as well.They have taken over my grow bags with beets in them, They are driving me nuts. Any other suggestions other than powders appreciated
I don't want to use chemicals
Answers:
A usual problem...especially with compost bins...of course there are ant powders on the market that are organic and one that I sell at the garden centre I manage is Growing Success Termin8.
Another alternative is to use nematodes that are available from various companies, one in particular is Just Green.
These will destroy your ant problem and can be used around vegetables.
To stop this happening again keep moving your composted matter around in your bin and try and use a compost accelerator to increase the turn over in the bin like i.e. Garotta.
Red hot water is supposed to work.
Yeh go for hot water treatment - good luck
hot water will NOT do anything to ants,,, if you activate your compost the ants will leave on their own as a good compost will be too hot for the ants eggs and larvae! if your compost is not hot then you do not have a compost but a pile of garbage which ants love!!!
you could try powdering them with talc powder
or spray them with orange peel oil
powdered borax and caster sugar 50 50 mix put it in a way thay can gather in and take back to their nest
lol
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