I've been using a compost bin and putting all garden waste in them and also
kitchen waste that seems to be the same sort of thing, ie plant material
only. This means in addition to prunings etc from the garden I also put in
salad leftovers, vegetable scraps (uncooked), banana peel, rotten apples and
apple cores, used teabags, and not a lot else.

In warm weather there is a steady prescence of tiny flies in and around the
bin, along with a few wasps. The tiny flies pose a real problem since windows
are nearby- so I need to either stop using this type of composting, or if
possible change what gets composted to remove the fly problem.

But I have a feeling that these tiny flies will be hanging around whatever I
put in the compost bin. They seem to hang around bags of commercial compost
and even potted plants that are planted in compost!

Can anyone clarify this for me- is there any restriction on what material I
compost that would mean I no longer get these tiny flies in attendance?

My confusion arises partly from the idea of "garden waste" versuns "kitchen
waste"- if the latter is all uncooked vegetable matter like peelings (and I
suppose the exception, cooked teabags), how can any other organism tell that
it has been inside a kitchen?

TIA for any insight.
--
VX (remove alcohol for email)

On Thu, 9 Aug 2007 15:41:30 +0100, VX
wrote and included this (or some of this):

I've been using a compost bin and putting all garden waste in them and also
kitchen waste that seems to be the same sort of thing, ie plant material
only. This means in addition to prunings etc from the garden I also put in
salad leftovers, vegetable scraps (uncooked), banana peel, rotten apples and
apple cores, used teabags, and not a lot else.

In warm weather there is a steady prescence of tiny flies in and around the
bin, along with a few wasps. The tiny flies pose a real problem since windows
are nearby- so I need to either stop using this type of composting, or if
possible change what gets composted to remove the fly problem.

But I have a feeling that these tiny flies will be hanging around whatever I
put in the compost bin. They seem to hang around bags of commercial compost

Many people advise against trying to compost banana skins.

Stick in some newspaper instead?


--
®óñ© © ²°¹°-°³

"®óñ© © ²°¹°-°³" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 9 Aug 2007 15:41:30 +0100, VX
wrote and included this (or some of this):

I've been using a compost bin and putting all garden waste in them
and also
kitchen waste that seems to be the same sort of thing, ie plant
material
only. This means in addition to prunings etc from the garden I also
put in
salad leftovers, vegetable scraps (uncooked), banana peel, rotten
apples and
apple cores, used teabags, and not a lot else.

In warm weather there is a steady prescence of tiny flies in and
around the
bin, along with a few wasps. The tiny flies pose a real problem since
windows
are nearby- so I need to either stop using this type of composting,
or if
possible change what gets composted to remove the fly problem.

But I have a feeling that these tiny flies will be hanging around
whatever I
put in the compost bin. They seem to hang around bags of commercial
compost

The flies are a natural part of composting. This site tells you all you
need to know about this particular branch of gardening:
http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/orga.../compost_1.php
but if you wish to do a deeper study go he
http://tinyurl.com/2lop8m

Regards,
Emrys Davies.

In article ,
®óñ© © ²°¹°-°³ writes:
|
| Many people advise against trying to compost banana skins.

They are the sort of people who used to dry and smoke them.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

"Martin" wrote in message
...
On 9 Aug 2007 15:44:48 GMT, (Nick Maclaren) wrote:


In article ,
®óñ© © ²°¹°-°³ writes:
|
| Many people advise against trying to compost banana skins.

They are the sort of people who used to dry and smoke them.

There are no flies on Nick :-)
--


:-(

No but you can see where they have been :-(

Mike



--
The Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association.
'THE' Association if you served in the Electrical Branch of the Royal Navy
Reunion Bournemouth August/September 2007
www.rneba.org.uk
"Navy Days" Portsmouth 25th - 27th July 2008. RN Shipmates will have a Stand

On 9 Aug 2007 15:44:48 GMT, (Nick Maclaren) wrote
and included this (or some of this):


In article ,
®óñ© © ²°¹°-°³ writes:
|
| Many people advise against trying to compost banana skins.

They are the sort of people who used to dry and smoke them.

Damn. We used to get dried bananas during the last great
unpleasantness, but we just ate them.


--
®óñ© © ²°¹°-°³

In article , ®óñ© © ²°¹°-°³
writes
On Thu, 9 Aug 2007 15:41:30 +0100, VX
wrote and included this (or some of this):

I've been using a compost bin and putting all garden waste in them and also
kitchen waste that seems to be the same sort of thing, ie plant material
only. This means in addition to prunings etc from the garden I also put in
salad leftovers, vegetable scraps (uncooked), banana peel, rotten apples and
apple cores, used teabags, and not a lot else.

In warm weather there is a steady prescence of tiny flies in and around the
bin, along with a few wasps. The tiny flies pose a real problem since windows
are nearby- so I need to either stop using this type of composting, or if
possible change what gets composted to remove the fly problem.

But I have a feeling that these tiny flies will be hanging around whatever I
put in the compost bin. They seem to hang around bags of commercial compost

Many people advise against trying to compost banana skins.

Not me.


Stick in some newspaper
as well


--
steve auvache
A Bloo one with built in safety features

"VX" wrote in message
s.com...
I've been using a compost bin and putting all garden waste in them and
also
kitchen waste that seems to be the same sort of thing, ie plant material
only. This means in addition to prunings etc from the garden I also put in
salad leftovers, vegetable scraps (uncooked), banana peel, rotten apples
and
apple cores, used teabags, and not a lot else.

In warm weather there is a steady prescence of tiny flies in and around
the
bin, along with a few wasps. The tiny flies pose a real problem since
windows
are nearby- so I need to either stop using this type of composting, or if
possible change what gets composted to remove the fly problem.

But I have a feeling that these tiny flies will be hanging around whatever
I
put in the compost bin. They seem to hang around bags of commercial
compost
and even potted plants that are planted in compost!

Can anyone clarify this for me- is there any restriction on what material
I
compost that would mean I no longer get these tiny flies in attendance?

My confusion arises partly from the idea of "garden waste" versuns
"kitchen
waste"- if the latter is all uncooked vegetable matter like peelings (and
I
suppose the exception, cooked teabags), how can any other organism tell
that
it has been inside a kitchen?

TIA for any insight.
--
VX (remove alcohol for email)

The little flies are part of the process but one of those black bins with a
lid that seals and we only see them when opening the bin to put more kitchen
waste in, never seen wasps near mine so cant comment on those.

--
Charlie, Gardening in Cornwall
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National collections of Clematis viticella
and Lapageria rosea cultivars

®óñ© © "°'°-°" wrote:

Many people advise against trying to compost banana skins.

Why?

Peter

On Thu, 9 Aug 2007 19:06:53 +0100, (Peter Robinson)
wrote and included this (or some of this):

®óñ© © "°'°-°" wrote:

Many people advise against trying to compost banana skins.

Why?


Dunno. Some say banana skins will not break down to compost unless
chopped up *very* finely.

Others say they're no problem.

What works for you, end of the day, innit.


--
®óñ© © ²°¹°-°³

In article ,
®óñ© © ²°¹°-°³ writes:
|
| Dunno. Some say banana skins will not break down to compost unless
| chopped up *very* finely.
|
| Others say they're no problem.
|
| What works for you, end of the day, innit.

You have to be careful with wormeries and other fancy systems, but a
traditional heap will break down almost anything that is subject to
rot. Some things take a bit longer than others, that's all.

After beef and 'lamb' bones, avocado and peach stones are the most
resistant kitchen waste, and I compost all of them.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

In article m,
VX wrote:

I've been using a compost bin and putting all garden waste in them and also
kitchen waste that seems to be the same sort of thing, ie plant material
only. This means in addition to prunings etc from the garden I also put in
salad leftovers, vegetable scraps (uncooked), banana peel, rotten apples and
apple cores, used teabags, and not a lot else.

In warm weather there is a steady prescence of tiny flies in and around the
bin, along with a few wasps. The tiny flies pose a real problem since windows
are nearby- so I need to either stop using this type of composting, or if
possible change what gets composted to remove the fly problem.

But I have a feeling that these tiny flies will be hanging around whatever I
put in the compost bin. They seem to hang around bags of commercial compost
and even potted plants that are planted in compost!

Can anyone clarify this for me- is there any restriction on what material I
compost that would mean I no longer get these tiny flies in attendance?

My confusion arises partly from the idea of "garden waste" versuns "kitchen
waste"- if the latter is all uncooked vegetable matter like peelings (and I
suppose the exception, cooked teabags), how can any other organism tell that
it has been inside a kitchen?

TIA for any insight.

I have the same problem, small flies and wasps (anyone know why wasps
would hang around compost bins?) the flies don't fly very much, they
seem to give up after about 3ft, and head back to the compost. The wasps
may well be drawn by other composted items, like old raspberries. So far
the only was I have found of reducing the problem, is covering the
compost with a thin layer of soil from time to time, also, when putting
food waste in, cover it with papers, other weeds, anything not food
waste. One thing that might work is put the household compost out, then
mow the lawn! Unfortunately I can't comment on that one, my lawn mower
doesn't produce clippings.

Hope some of that helps, if you find an answer, let us know

Dominic

"dominic Lucas" wrote in message
...
In article m,
VX wrote:

I've been using a compost bin and putting all garden waste in them and
also
kitchen waste that seems to be the same sort of thing, ie plant material
only. This means in addition to prunings etc from the garden I also put
in
salad leftovers, vegetable scraps (uncooked), banana peel, rotten apples
and
apple cores, used teabags, and not a lot else.

In warm weather there is a steady prescence of tiny flies in and around
the
bin, along with a few wasps. The tiny flies pose a real problem since
windows
are nearby- so I need to either stop using this type of composting, or if
possible change what gets composted to remove the fly problem.

But I have a feeling that these tiny flies will be hanging around
whatever I
put in the compost bin. They seem to hang around bags of commercial
compost
and even potted plants that are planted in compost!

Can anyone clarify this for me- is there any restriction on what material
I
compost that would mean I no longer get these tiny flies in attendance?

My confusion arises partly from the idea of "garden waste" versuns
"kitchen
waste"- if the latter is all uncooked vegetable matter like peelings (and
I
suppose the exception, cooked teabags), how can any other organism tell
that
it has been inside a kitchen?

TIA for any insight.

I have the same problem, small flies and wasps (anyone know why wasps
would hang around compost bins?) the flies don't fly very much, they
seem to give up after about 3ft, and head back to the compost. The wasps
may well be drawn by other composted items, like old raspberries. So far
the only was I have found of reducing the problem, is covering the
compost with a thin layer of soil from time to time, also, when putting
food waste in, cover it with papers, other weeds, anything not food
waste. One thing that might work is put the household compost out, then
mow the lawn! Unfortunately I can't comment on that one, my lawn mower
doesn't produce clippings.

Hope some of that helps, if you find an answer, let us know

Dominic

Where ever there is compost there will be insects trying to get in
there.They don`t bother me outside,but wouldnt like them inside so to keep
them to a minimum only use a indoor composter with a secure lid and give it
a wash when you empty it.I also find that kitchen paper towel/any ripped up
paper helps.A composter without a lid you will always have a problem.
Cheers Keith
PS i tried smoking dried bannnas when i was about 16 ,they did seem to give
me a buzz at the time.But i am not so sure wether they did ,it was probably
that lovely summer evening chilling with my mates when my parents went on
holiday and left me homealone for the first time!

At one of the local schools they have the up turned shuttle cock type
composters for putting their fruit waste into. It was full of flies.
The secrest it the ratio of firmer material that contains more carbon
rather than the sappy stuff - like grass. If you can get hold of
strawy material or even coarse sawdust this will help. Another trick
is to have a piece of old carpet over the surface.
The one thing this style of bin does not allow for is the contents to
be mixed. Darlac have a gadet that is a shaft with a couple of
folding "wings" that come out of it. Seems to do a reasonable job,
but can't beat getting in with a fork and turning it all over
I have a compost bin that is about 1m square. It takes all the
kitchen waste (meat scraps, citrus waste and onion skins go into a
Bokashi bin). My brother is a joiner and he gives me the contents of
his planer by the bag full. Mixed in with grass clippings their
woodyness breaks down into a usable mulch in 4 weeks.

Good luck

Clifford
Bawtry, Doncaster, South Yorkshire

VX wrote:
I've been using a compost bin and putting all garden waste in them and also
kitchen waste that seems to be the same sort of thing, ie plant material
only. This means in addition to prunings etc from the garden I also put in
salad leftovers, vegetable scraps (uncooked), banana peel, rotten apples and
apple cores, used teabags, and not a lot else.

In warm weather there is a steady prescence of tiny flies in and around the
bin, along with a few wasps. The tiny flies pose a real problem since windows
are nearby- so I need to either stop using this type of composting, or if
possible change what gets composted to remove the fly problem.

But I have a feeling that these tiny flies will be hanging around whatever I
put in the compost bin. They seem to hang around bags of commercial compost
and even potted plants that are planted in compost!

Can anyone clarify this for me- is there any restriction on what material I
compost that would mean I no longer get these tiny flies in attendance?

They are fungal flies and they live on the mould that occurs during
decay. You need to be careful that you are not not growing any pot
plants nearby as these flies are also attracted to the compost in them.
You then get hundreds of tiny translucent maggots in the compost which
attack the roots of the pot plants.