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Bella
Lv 7
Bella asked in Home & GardenGarden & Landscape · 1 decade ago

My compost bin has lots of ant's?

Is this OK or should i try to get rid of them, And how do i get rid of them

3 Answers

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  • 1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    The first question would be why do you have a compost pile to begin with? By mandate your community will have a compost pile that you can use. You can take you materials there for addition and draw from their composted piles for free.

    Ants may well be the beginning of your problems. You have probably not added a decomposting agent (see your local store). In addition you have probably not been turning over the pile monthly to provide air and moisture dispersal. These are necessary to provide a true compost. In the turnover you will undoubtedly find more than ants as a problem!

    Turn your compost pile and examine it for molds, mildew, ants, grubs, and other situations. Frankly, given the free alternatives, I would get rid of the operation. If you insist on the attempt spread the pile to a level of two inches depth. Spray the surface with a hose-end sprayer set to dispense 1tblsp of pure Ivory soap per gallon. Soak the surface and sides. Turn the pile again and do the same thing with the spray.

    Purchase a relatively cheap decomposing agent and make it a pile again. Apply the agent and go from there. Again, contact your county for the free Compost. Good Luck.

    Source(s): Retired Landscape Designer
  • 1 decade ago

    Your compost is too dry to be composting properly. Ants won't live in a wet environment. You need to run the waterhose and a small sprinkler in the pile for a day. Compost needs moisture in order to ferment and decompose.

    The ants will move out to a drier neighborhood.

  • ?
    Lv 7
    1 decade ago

    I have a lot of ants in mine too. I sprinkle ant dust on them. I have noticed that there are less of them in the areas that are wet though. I'm going to get the hose out and water them all down now.

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