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#1
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do groundhogs eat compost
We recently bought a 90 gal capacity compost bin from Costco
http://tinyurl.com/2uxbnd We live in the country. Something (we figure groundhogs) are eating our compost. Now we say when we empty our uncooked vegetable scraps, "Wonder how much they ate today." Discouraged. Dee Dee |
#2
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do groundhogs eat compost
They aren't eating compost per say; they are eating the vegetable scraps you
are putting in the compost pile/bin. One way that worked for me to solve the veggie scavenger problem...I'd put my scraps in a blender and make "soup" to pour on the pile. This works two fold. The scraps break down faster and there isn't large enough morsels for the scavengers to be interested in. Then the only time I'd find digging ( I had opened compost piles, not bins) going on was when the critters who liked bugs and fat worms would dig in the pile for an easy nosh. How is this animal getting into that bin? I thought they were designed to keep the critters out. Val "Dee Dee" wrote in message ... We recently bought a 90 gal capacity compost bin from Costco http://tinyurl.com/2uxbnd We live in the country. Something (we figure groundhogs) are eating our compost. Now we say when we empty our uncooked vegetable scraps, "Wonder how much they ate today." Discouraged. Dee Dee |
#3
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do groundhogs eat compost
On Sun, 20 Apr 2008 09:06:03 -0700 (PDT), Dee Dee
wrote: We recently bought a 90 gal capacity compost bin from Costco http://tinyurl.com/2uxbnd We live in the country. Something (we figure groundhogs) are eating our compost. Now we say when we empty our uncooked vegetable scraps, "Wonder how much they ate today." Discouraged. Dee Dee Sometimes an animal will get into the compost. I dig a 1 foot hole on top of the compost heap and drop in a bucket of kitchen scraps. Covered, the compost will eat most of this in a day or two. During that time it is subject to varmint attack. An occasional animal disturbance is okay and perhaps helpful. You could put a screen or hardware cloth/chicken wire over the top. The only way I could effectively stop a groundhog is with an electric fence. Apparently, beating them over the head with a shovel handle doesn't work well. "Coons and possums can be problematic in these parts." Most animals won't eat compost, rather the varmints are eating the same thing as the compost itself. |
#4
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do groundhogs eat compost
Phisherman said:
The only way I could effectively stop a groundhog is with an electric fence. Apparently, beating them over the head with a shovel handle doesn't work well. Well, you were applying the wrong end of the shovel. The business end of a shovel or hoe can work wonders. I once hit a small groundhog just in front of the eyes with a hand-weeder like the Smith & Hawkins one pictured on this page: http://www.taunton.com/finegardening/pages/g00078.asp This was before I put in the electric fence and the groundhog and I ran into each other while I was quietly weeding. One good adrenaline-charged blow and it was over. -- Pat in Plymouth MI ('someplace.net' is comcast) After enlightenment, the laundry. |
#5
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do groundhogs eat compost
On Apr 20, 12:06 pm, Dee Dee wrote:
We recently bought a 90 gal capacity compost bin from Costcohttp://tinyurl.com/2uxbnd We live in the country. Something (we figure groundhogs) are eating our compost. Now we say when we empty our uncooked vegetable scraps, "Wonder how much they ate today." Baltimore County prohibits composting food scraps outdoors, instead recommending indoor worm bins so as not to attract vermin. You'll also end up with a much higher quality compost in 1/4 of the time. |
#6
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do groundhogs eat compost
"Father Haskell" wrote in message ... recommending indoor worm bins so as not to attract vermin. You'll also end up with a much higher quality compost in 1/4 of the time. Worm bins rock! Since moving to a 3rd floor home with now only a balcony garden, compost bins aren't viable for me. I've had a worm bin under my kitchen sink for several years and it works like a charm. It was easy and inexpensive to make, doesn't smell, gives me great top dressing for my plants and 'worm tea' to mix in the water for plant watering. The only problem I have, even though my bin is relatively small, is keeping the wigglers fed. Thank goodness the produce market saves a small stash of organic produce trimmings for me to collect a few times a week. Val |
#7
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do groundhogs eat compost
On Apr 20, 11:29 pm, "Val" wrote:
"Father Haskell" wrote in message ... recommending indoor worm bins so as not to attract vermin. You'll also end up with a much higher quality compost in 1/4 of the time. Worm bins rock! Since moving to a 3rd floor home with now only a balcony garden, compost bins aren't viable for me. I've had a worm bin under my kitchen sink for several years and it works like a charm. It was easy and inexpensive to make, doesn't smell, gives me great top dressing for my plants and 'worm tea' to mix in the water for plant watering. Activate it by mixing a tablespoon of molasses with each quart of tea and dropping in an aquarium air stone for 48 hours. The result is like organic rocket fuel. I've seen plants turn an almost glowing electric green the day after feeding. Note that the nutrients don't change so much, but the microbial population increases several hundredfold -- it is they who are doing the major share of the feeding, now at high efficiency thanks to their greater number. The only problem I have, even though my bin is relatively small, is keeping the wigglers fed. Thank goodness the produce market saves a small stash of organic produce trimmings for me to collect a few times a week. Val |
#8
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do groundhogs eat compost
"Father Haskell" wrote in message ... On Apr 20, 11:29 pm, "Val" wrote: "Father Haskell" wrote in message ... recommending indoor worm bins so as not to attract vermin. You'll also end up with a much higher quality compost in 1/4 of the time. Worm bins rock! Since moving to a 3rd floor home with now only a balcony garden, compost bins aren't viable for me. I've had a worm bin under my kitchen sink for several years and it works like a charm. It was easy and inexpensive to make, doesn't smell, gives me great top dressing for my plants and 'worm tea' to mix in the water for plant watering. Activate it by mixing a tablespoon of molasses with each quart of tea and dropping in an aquarium air stone for 48 hours. The result is like organic rocket fuel. I've seen plants turn an almost glowing electric green the day after feeding. Note that the nutrients don't change so much, but the microbial population increases several hundredfold -- it is they who are doing the major share of the feeding, now at high efficiency thanks to their greater number. I just turn the spigot on the bottom of my worm bin, drain some "worm tea" into my water can, fill with water and water the plants. It works great. I don't need more projects. I have a life Val |
#9
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do groundhogs eat compost
On Apr 21, 3:32 am, "Val" wrote:
"Father Haskell" wrote in message ... On Apr 20, 11:29 pm, "Val" wrote: "Father Haskell" wrote in message ... recommending indoor worm bins so as not to attract vermin. You'll also end up with a much higher quality compost in 1/4 of the time. Worm bins rock! Since moving to a 3rd floor home with now only a balcony garden, compost bins aren't viable for me. I've had a worm bin under my kitchen sink for several years and it works like a charm. It was easy and inexpensive to make, doesn't smell, gives me great top dressing for my plants and 'worm tea' to mix in the water for plant watering. Activate it by mixing a tablespoon of molasses with each quart of tea and dropping in an aquarium air stone for 48 hours. The result is like organic rocket fuel. I've seen plants turn an almost glowing electric green the day after feeding. Note that the nutrients don't change so much, but the microbial population increases several hundredfold -- it is they who are doing the major share of the feeding, now at high efficiency thanks to their greater number. I just turn the spigot on the bottom of my worm bin, drain some "worm tea" into my water can, fill with water and water the plants. It works great. I don't need more projects. I have a life What's the shelf life on unactivated tea? |
#10
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Hi There
I am new to worm farming and i didnt know where to start but just wanted to give it a go. So thought i would have a search around the internet to see what info was available and couldnt really find much! However i did find a really great book to download which was incredibly informative and really easy to read. Now I am so excited as i have a better understanding as a complete novice and i highly recommend it to anyone starting out. I found it under this website: Beginners Guide to Starting a Worm Farm would appreciate any further advice from anyone. Allotment Lady Quote:
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