Topic: Ants in Compost

[Tyke]

I have a lot of ants in my garden and my allotment. I have been carefully putting compostable material in both my plastic composters and have been rewarded by lovely looking compost in the one of them. Trouble is that there are swarms of ants in the composter.

I realise that they have probably helped to create the compost, but i cant get the stuff out now. I have to take it by car to the allotment to use it. Just kicking the compost bin brings hunrdeds of black ants running out. i have tried pouring boiling water through the bin and also sprayed organic bug killer (that isn't meant for ants) with only minimal success. Many of the sprays i have seen in garden centres state that trhey should not be used on edible crops.

What would people suggest i do to get rid of the ants and still be able to use the compost on veg???

[star]

It will be almost impossible now I think Tyke, I have lots of ants in one of my bins, its due to the bin contents being too dry.

I should hang on for an aunty ant expert :D ;)

[tonybloke]

empty the bin out onto the ground, and let the birds clear it up for you!  ;)

[Tyke]

That's sounds a good idea - i might give it a try. I tried pouring lots of water through the bin yesterday. While it seemed to annoy them, it didn't diminish their numbers....

[manicscousers]

stir it up with a fork, unearth some of the eggs, they soon b*gger off  ;D

[Tyke]

I spent some time carefully digging out a whole load of compost with ants in it and then floooding the large trug it was in. Still loads of ants - i think that they are immortal

[cornykev]

Same as Tyke I have ants everywhere, I even opened a bag of old leaves that has been behind the shed for 18 months hoping to use the leaf mulch and it was full of ants and their eggs, so as Tony said I opened it to the elements hoping the birds and the rain (pouring down now ) would sort out the problem, also I have been digging up some plants and disturbed ants nests so I have tried to spread them on the soil, so time will tell.  ;D ;D ;D