H E L P ! ! !
When I opened the hatch on my above-ground compost tumbler the entire
bottom of the thing was squirming and writhing with what I first took
to be worms. But on closer inspection I believe that these are mostly
some kind of an insect larvae-- possibly cockroaches-- and there are
thousands of them. I really don't want the composter to become the
breeding ground for a pest infestation. Is there anything I can do to
kill the buggars without ruining the compost?

I've used mostly vegetable scraps, rotten fruit and coffee grounds in
this batch...

The composter is in the shade all of the time. Do you think that
placing it in the sun (It is made of black polypropylene) would cook
them?

Thank you,
--Max

Max Krippler wrote:
H E L P ! ! !
When I opened the hatch on my above-ground compost tumbler the entire
bottom of the thing was squirming and writhing with what I first took
to be worms. But on closer inspection I believe that these are mostly
some kind of an insect larvae-- possibly cockroaches-- and there are
thousands of them. I really don't want the composter to become the
breeding ground for a pest infestation. Is there anything I can do to
kill the buggars without ruining the compost?

I've used mostly vegetable scraps, rotten fruit and coffee grounds in
this batch...

What else that's not "mostly"? What you describe is probably
maggots... you probably put some meat in your composter

The composter is in the shade all of the time. Do you think that
placing it in the sun (It is made of black polypropylene) would cook
them?

Composting occurs best with heat, that's why most composters are
black, or of some dark color... place it where it will recieve full
sun. Above ground composters don't work very well regardless,
especially not in zones where freezing occurs.

My neighbor just bought a new above ground tumbler composter
(Autoflow), cost like $600, looks very formidable, but I doubt it will
work very well. Proper composting incorporates mostly micro-organisms
and earthworms, composting really needs contact with the ground,
ideally moist ground.

If what you have is maggots, and you very likely do, then you are not
composting... maggots do not process vegetable matter, only meat.
Whatever vegetable matter you place into that tumbler will just turn
to slime, not compost. I suggest you dump your tumbler composter and
get one that sits on the ground.

I have this one: http://www.composters.com/docs/bins_p4.html#sm

It's the only one I've seen that has a 25 year warranty... most have a
one, two, three year warranty and are built very flimsily... this one
is built very solid. I've been using it about ten years now and it's
just like new. It's so simple but it works like a charm... I just
keep filling it and and it takes care of itself, produces fantastic
jet black humous. I bought one of those aggitating tools but long ago
stopped using it, I do nothing but fill at the top and empty from the
bottom.

Sits in full sun right next to my vegetable garden: http://i17.tinypic.com/663is0j.jpg

"Sheldon" wrote in message
ps.com...


I have this one: http://www.composters.com/docs/bins_p4.html#sm


Yep. That's the one I have. It's excellent. With the right mix of dried
leaves and layers of green stuff, it sometimes keeps composting right into
late December.



Sits in full sun right next to my vegetable garden:
http://i17.tinypic.com/663is0j.jpg


Has that fence been enough to keep deer out? Some shmexperts say deer will
jump fences as high as 6 feet when tempted by the appropriate snack.

On Jul 14, 8:44?am, "JoeSpareBedroom" wrote:
"Sheldon" wrote in message

ps.com...



I have this one:http://www.composters.com/docs/bins_p4.html#sm

Yep. That's the one I have. It's excellent. With the right mix of dried
leaves and layers of green stuff, it sometimes keeps composting right into
late December.



Sits in full sun right next to my vegetable garden:
http://i17.tinypic.com/663is0j.jpg

Has that fence been enough to keep deer out? Some shmexperts say deer will
jump fences as high as 6 feet when tempted by the appropriate snack.

So far no deer have jumped in, and this is the fifth year since I
fenced that garden. The deer have plenty to eat around here in the
fields, even in winter because the farmers leave plenty of hay in
those huge round bales. And deer are not so dumb to jump into small
enclosed areas, they seem to know if they need a running start to jump
in they'll measure to see if they can get the same running start to
jump out. I actually see them checking out my garden, they go all
around surveying but decide it's not worth the risk.

"Sheldon" wrote in message
oups.com...
On Jul 14, 8:44?am, "JoeSpareBedroom" wrote:
"Sheldon" wrote in message

ps.com...



I have this one:http://www.composters.com/docs/bins_p4.html#sm

Yep. That's the one I have. It's excellent. With the right mix of dried
leaves and layers of green stuff, it sometimes keeps composting right
into
late December.



Sits in full sun right next to my vegetable garden:
http://i17.tinypic.com/663is0j.jpg

Has that fence been enough to keep deer out? Some shmexperts say deer
will
jump fences as high as 6 feet when tempted by the appropriate snack.

So far no deer have jumped in, and this is the fifth year since I
fenced that garden. The deer have plenty to eat around here in the
fields, even in winter because the farmers leave plenty of hay in
those huge round bales. And deer are not so dumb to jump into small
enclosed areas, they seem to know if they need a running start to jump
in they'll measure to see if they can get the same running start to
jump out. I actually see them checking out my garden, they go all
around surveying but decide it's not worth the risk.


I may try it, then. I'm tired of caging individual stuff, although it does
keep the rabbits away. I was concerned that if they jumped in, they'd do
more damage by trampling small stuff. This week, it's the daylillies they're
interested in. I just caged them so at least I get to enjoy a few flowers
this year. Last year, they munched all the buds. I have a couple of plants
that are like the common roadside ones, so I'm going to un-cage it today and
hose it down with the foulest smelling onion-garlic stuff in the universe.

Meanwhile, there's a rabbit which I thought was cooking up a way to get
under the cages. But, observation revealed that it's eating one of the
weeds. Lots of them. So for now, the bunny has escaped the stove. For now.

On Jul 14, 2:41 am, Max Krippler wrote:
H E L P ! ! !
When I opened the hatch on my above-ground compost tumbler the entire
bottom of the thing was squirming and writhing with what I first took
to be worms. But on closer inspection I believe that these are mostly
some kind of an insect larvae-- possibly cockroaches-- and there are
thousands of them. I really don't want the composter to become the
breeding ground for a pest infestation. Is there anything I can do to
kill the buggars without ruining the compost?

I've used mostly vegetable scraps, rotten fruit and coffee grounds in
this batch...

The composter is in the shade all of the time. Do you think that
placing it in the sun (It is made of black polypropylene) would cook
them?

Thank you,
--Max

Spread it out to dry in the sun, or add dry wood ashes.

On Jul 14, 2:41 am, Max Krippler wrote:
H E L P ! ! !
When I opened the hatch on my above-ground compost tumbler the entire
bottom of the thing was squirming and writhing with what I first took
to be worms. But on closer inspection I believe that these are mostly
some kind of an insect larvae-- possibly cockroaches-- and there are
thousands of them. I really don't want the composter to become the
breeding ground for a pest infestation. Is there anything I can do to
kill the buggars without ruining the compost?

I've used mostly vegetable scraps, rotten fruit and coffee grounds in
this batch...

The composter is in the shade all of the time. Do you think that
placing it in the sun (It is made of black polypropylene) would cook
them?

Thank you,
--Max

On second thought can you get some fress grass clippings to mix in and
bring the temperature up? No larvae will survive 150+ degrees a hot
compost would make, I am imagining a slimy mess that is too moist
tight now,

"beecrofter" wrote in message
ups.com...
On Jul 14, 2:41 am, Max Krippler wrote:
H E L P ! ! !
When I opened the hatch on my above-ground compost tumbler the entire
bottom of the thing was squirming and writhing with what I first took
to be worms. But on closer inspection I believe that these are mostly
some kind of an insect larvae-- possibly cockroaches-- and there are
thousands of them. I really don't want the composter to become the
breeding ground for a pest infestation. Is there anything I can do to
kill the buggars without ruining the compost?

I've used mostly vegetable scraps, rotten fruit and coffee grounds in
this batch...

The composter is in the shade all of the time. Do you think that
placing it in the sun (It is made of black polypropylene) would cook
them?

Thank you,
--Max

On second thought can you get some fress grass clippings to mix in and
bring the temperature up? No larvae will survive 150+ degrees a hot
compost would make, I am imagining a slimy mess that is too moist
tight now,


This compost pile sounds nauseating. :-)

For the OP: For obvious reasons, do not scrape the dinner plates into
whatever you use to transport scraps to the composter. No meat juices, no
gravy, no butter, no egg residue, no egg shells (and I don't care what
anybody tells you about this). Just vegetable stuff which has not come into
contact with any of the aforementioned stuff. Besides maggots, the scent of
these things can attract raccoons. They'll even go for banana peels, but why
make it more interesting?

Max Krippler wrote:
H E L P ! ! !
When I opened the hatch on my above-ground compost tumbler the entire
bottom of the thing was squirming and writhing with what I first took
to be worms. But on closer inspection I believe that these are mostly
some kind of an insect larvae-- possibly cockroaches-- and there are
thousands of them. I really don't want the composter to become the
breeding ground for a pest infestation. Is there anything I can do to
kill the buggars without ruining the compost?

I've used mostly vegetable scraps, rotten fruit and coffee grounds in
this batch...

The composter is in the shade all of the time. Do you think that
placing it in the sun (It is made of black polypropylene) would cook
them?

Thank you,
--Max

Roaches have what's called a gradual life cycle...little roaches look
pretty much like adult roaches so you probably would recognize them easy
enough. You probably have something in the fly and gnat family eating
the probably soggy decomposing vegetable matter (such as fruit flies
attacking rotting fruit in the house). I would think you would want your
composter in the sun anyways to help with the composting.

Lar

A good read.


Bill

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Composting

--

S Jersey USA Zone 5 Shade
http://www.ocutech.com/ High tech Vison aid
This article is posted under fair use rules in accordance with
Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, and is strictly for the educational
and informative purposes. This material is distributed without profit.

On Jul 14, 9:24?am, "JoeSpareBedroom" wrote:
"Sheldon" wrote in message

oups.com...





On Jul 14, 8:44?am, "JoeSpareBedroom" wrote:
"Sheldon" wrote in message

oups.com...

I have this one:http://www.composters.com/docs/bins_p4.html#sm

Yep. That's the one I have. It's excellent. With the right mix of dried
leaves and layers of green stuff, it sometimes keeps composting right
into
late December.

Sits in full sun right next to my vegetable garden:
http://i17.tinypic.com/663is0j.jpg

Has that fence been enough to keep deer out? Some shmexperts say deer
will
jump fences as high as 6 feet when tempted by the appropriate snack.

So far no deer have jumped in, and this is the fifth year since I
fenced that garden. The deer have plenty to eat around here in the
fields, even in winter because the farmers leave plenty of hay in
those huge round bales. And deer are not so dumb to jump into small
enclosed areas, they seem to know if they need a running start to jump
in they'll measure to see if they can get the same running start to
jump out. I actually see them checking out my garden, they go all
around surveying but decide it's not worth the risk.

I may try it, then. I'm tired of caging individual stuff, although it does
keep the rabbits away. I was concerned that if they jumped in, they'd do
more damage by trampling small stuff. This week, it's the daylillies they're
interested in. I just caged them so at least I get to enjoy a few flowers
this year. Last year, they munched all the buds. I have a couple of plants
that are like the common roadside ones, so I'm going to un-cage it today and
hose it down with the foulest smelling onion-garlic stuff in the universe.

Meanwhile, there's a rabbit which I thought was cooking up a way to get
under the cages. But, observation revealed that it's eating one of the
weeds. Lots of them. So for now, the bunny has escaped the stove. For now.

All of my foundation plantings are fenced with 4' turkey wire... I
learned the hard way the first year that left unfenced during winter
the deer munched most of my shrubs down to nubs... some came back but
some needed replacing. All those very expensive smelly deer repellant
sprays, fox ****, bars of soap, human hair, all are myth... only thing
works is a fence... a strand or two of electrified wire won't keep
deer out either, you'd need to elecrify an entire wire fence, so if
you need to install a fence they won't jump over anyway you don't need
to electrify. I fence all my young trees too, some with turkey wire,
others with chicken wire. The rabbits can't get past my turkey wire
but the moles just dig under (for some strange reason they don't go
through the fence holes, turkey wire holes are certainly large enough,
perhaps they don't like surfacing any more then is necessary. They
eat some but I can't be bothered trying to keep everything out or I'll
go nuts, it's the country... as long as they leave enough for me I'm
happy. And then there're the birds, I can't net everything... who
cares if they peck a few holes in a cuke. I'm sure the hawks are
controlling the mole population all day, and the owls all night. The
birds are good, as long as they leave me a crap-free zone in my barn
to park my tractor.

"Max Krippler" wrote in message
...
H E L P ! ! !
When I opened the hatch on my above-ground compost tumbler the entire
bottom of the thing was squirming and writhing with what I first took
to be worms. But on closer inspection I believe that these are mostly
some kind of an insect larvae-- possibly cockroaches-- and there are
thousands of them. I really don't want the composter to become the
breeding ground for a pest infestation. Is there anything I can do to
kill the buggars without ruining the compost?

I've used mostly vegetable scraps, rotten fruit and coffee grounds in
this batch...

Might be the coffee grounds. We had one of those plastic ice cream tubs next
to the kitchen sink and put the daily coffee grounds in there til it got
full then we dumped them in the compost, and one time after leaving it for
way too long, there were maggots.

It isn't slimy,and the only non-vegetable matter we've added were some
(well rinsed) eggshells. I'll start by moving the thing into the sun
and put grass clippings in if I can find some clean ones. We used
alot of grass clippings in our compost last year and they must have
had weeds because a lot of weeds turned up in our tomato beds this
year. I've heard that if I can get it hot enough it will sterilize
the seeds...

And if these are maggots, they are the biggest damn maggots I've ever
seen. Some of them are an inch and a half long!!!

--Max

On Sat, 14 Jul 2007 06:42:53 -0700, beecrofter
wrote:


On second thought can you get some fress grass clippings to mix in and
bring the temperature up? No larvae will survive 150+ degrees a hot
compost would make, I am imagining a slimy mess that is too moist
tight now,

"Max Krippler" wrote in message
...
It isn't slimy,and the only non-vegetable matter we've added were some
(well rinsed) eggshells. I'll start by moving the thing into the sun
and put grass clippings in if I can find some clean ones. We used
alot of grass clippings in our compost last year and they must have
had weeds because a lot of weeds turned up in our tomato beds this
year. I've heard that if I can get it hot enough it will sterilize
the seeds...

Read more carefully. You need ***A MIX*** of green (like grass clippings,
lettuce discards, corn husks) and brown (like dried leaves). Obviously, it
may be hard to find dried leaves at this time of year. So, keep the layers
of grass clippings thin, and intersperse with whatever you can find.

If you can't find dried leaves, you could use shredded newspaper or brown
paper bags as a substitute for the brown ingredient.

"Max Krippler" wrote in message
...
It isn't slimy,and the only non-vegetable matter we've added were some
(well rinsed) eggshells. I'll start by moving the thing into the sun
and put grass clippings in if I can find some clean ones. We used
alot of grass clippings in our compost last year and they must have
had weeds because a lot of weeds turned up in our tomato beds this
year. I've heard that if I can get it hot enough it will sterilize
the seeds...

And if these are maggots, they are the biggest damn maggots I've ever
seen. Some of them are an inch and a half long!!!

--Max

On Sat, 14 Jul 2007 06:42:53 -0700, beecrofter
wrote:


On second thought can you get some fress grass clippings to mix in and
bring the temperature up? No larvae will survive 150+ degrees a hot
compost would make, I am imagining a slimy mess that is too moist
tight now,