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Ants, slave labour in the compost
Our local council offered three free plastic dalek composters; I have these scattered around the garden to receive the kind of weeds I don't compost in the big compost bins. The daleks take couch grass, docks, seedy weeds etc and because they are dry, are heavily infested with ant colonies. It's slow work but the ants eat everything and turn it into a fine friable soil. When a dalek is finished I just lift off the container and move it to a new location. The compost stays where it is. Here's the latest pile left after I lifted off the dalek. I'm about to plant rhubarb there. http://jaybeesgarden.org.uk/images/antCompost1.jpg close up. Apparently ants don't eat plastic binder twine. http://jaybeesgarden.org.uk/images/antCompost2.jpg Janet. |
Ants, slave labour in the compost
On Sun, 14 May 2017 14:02:32 Janet wrote:
Our local council offered three free plastic dalek composters; I have these scattered around the garden to receive the kind of weeds I don't compost in the big compost bins. The daleks take couch grass, docks, seedy weeds etc and because they are dry, are heavily infested with ant colonies. It's slow work but the ants eat everything and turn it into a fine friable soil. When a dalek is finished I just lift off the container and move it to a new location. The compost stays where it is. Here's the latest pile left after I lifted off the dalek. I'm about to plant rhubarb there. http://jaybeesgarden.org.uk/images/antCompost1.jpg close up. Apparently ants don't eat plastic binder twine. http://jaybeesgarden.org.uk/images/antCompost2.jpg That looks lovely. About how long does it take? David -- David Rance writing from Caversham, Reading, UK |
Ants, slave labour in the compost
In article ,
says... On Mon, 15 May 2017 02:08:19 +0100, Janet wrote: In article , says... On Sun, 14 May 2017 14:02:32 Janet wrote: Our local council offered three free plastic dalek composters; I have these scattered around the garden to receive the kind of weeds I don't compost in the big compost bins. The daleks take couch grass, docks, seedy weeds etc and because they are dry, are heavily infested with ant colonies. It's slow work but the ants eat everything and turn it into a fine friable soil. When a dalek is finished I just lift off the container and move it to a new location. The compost stays where it is. Here's the latest pile left after I lifted off the dalek. I'm about to plant rhubarb there. http://jaybeesgarden.org.uk/images/antCompost1.jpg close up. Apparently ants don't eat plastic binder twine. http://jaybeesgarden.org.uk/images/antCompost2.jpg That looks lovely. About how long does it take? Very.. that one had been on the go for two years. Certainly far slower than my main compost heaps. You mention seedy weeds. Weed seeds survive my compost heap, and when I spread the compost around as a mulch, I know I'm giving myself work for the future. Do seeds survive in your daleks or do the ants digest them in some way so as to prevent their germination? TBH I don't know the reason I don't get many weeds in dalek compost areas. This might be because I don't use the finished compost on seedbeds or in pots etc; it becomes a rich mulch/feed in situ where the surrounding planting closes in pretty fast, so emerging seedlings wouldn't stand much chance. Usually (though not in the above case) the daleks are tucked away among shrubs, hidden from sight but a convenient dumping spot. Without ants, they are really bad at decomposing plant material IMO... probably don't get hot enough. Which is probably why ants do so well in there. Janet. |
Ants, slave labour in the compost
On 15/05/2017 11:01, Janet wrote:
In article , says... On Mon, 15 May 2017 02:08:19 +0100, Janet wrote: In article , lid says... On Sun, 14 May 2017 14:02:32 Janet wrote: Our local council offered three free plastic dalek composters; I have these scattered around the garden to receive the kind of weeds I don't compost in the big compost bins. The daleks take couch grass, docks, seedy weeds etc and because they are dry, are heavily infested with ant colonies. It's slow work but the ants eat everything and turn it into a fine friable soil. When a dalek is finished I just lift off the container and move it to a new location. The compost stays where it is. Here's the latest pile left after I lifted off the dalek. I'm about to plant rhubarb there. http://jaybeesgarden.org.uk/images/antCompost1.jpg close up. Apparently ants don't eat plastic binder twine. http://jaybeesgarden.org.uk/images/antCompost2.jpg That looks lovely. About how long does it take? Very.. that one had been on the go for two years. Certainly far slower than my main compost heaps. You mention seedy weeds. Weed seeds survive my compost heap, and when I spread the compost around as a mulch, I know I'm giving myself work for the future. Do seeds survive in your daleks or do the ants digest them in some way so as to prevent their germination? TBH I don't know the reason I don't get many weeds in dalek compost areas. This might be because I don't use the finished compost on seedbeds or in pots etc; it becomes a rich mulch/feed in situ where the surrounding planting closes in pretty fast, so emerging seedlings wouldn't stand much chance. Usually (though not in the above case) the daleks are tucked away among shrubs, hidden from sight but a convenient dumping spot. Without ants, they are really bad at decomposing plant material IMO... probably don't get hot enough. Which is probably why ants do so well in there. Janet. Interesting we use our 3 to take kitchen waste only, they turn into wormeries which once again eat everything, we have them stood on brick pavers to stop rats tunnelling in (they like to eat the worms!) But I hadnt thought to compost weeds using an ant labour force, are there any weeds you have found they don't cope with? -- Charlie Pridham Gardening in Cornwall www.roselandhouse.co.uk |
Ants, slave labour in the compost
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