By Hank
Cheshire, United Kingdom
Not sure but think I’ve found a way of getting rid of ants. I lifted the lid on my dalek compost bin and there were thousands of ants all over the top. A couple of horses had obliged me out on the front road which I quickly transferred into the bin which I spread thinly all over the surface of the compost and there wasn’t an ant to be seen half an hour later. No doubt this is too good to be true ?
- 18 Jun, 2019
Answers
They are all snuggled down in your compost heap Hank. They don't do any damage and help with the composting.
18 Jun, 2019
Lots of ants usually means the compost has got too dry - lots of ants in the lid or on top often means the compost is now wet after being quite dry, and thus too wet for the ants, who are trying to make their escape to drier places.
18 Jun, 2019
We have hundreds of ants nests, it seems that whenever I move a pot, stone or stump - there's an ants nest! Even when just digging out small holes to plant some wild flowers in the meadow grass I dug into about five nests. No wonder the green woodpecker is often up there digging about in the grass, I always thought he was after the grubs of the Crane fly.
18 Jun, 2019
Oh well, if they’re helping no harm done I suppose.
18 Jun, 2019
I never had to worry about ants. I know they are there. They have their job to do and I have mine.
18 Jun, 2019
I turned the lid on my dalek upside down with half a dozen holes drilled through the handle so that it collects rain & drains onto the compost to keep it more moist. Just put a bowl of Sempervivums on top to weigh it down.
When ants are a nuisance I'm convinced that cinnamon powder can help. Weather permitting...
19 Jun, 2019
Thanks D, when there’s no horse poo, use cinnamon.
19 Jun, 2019
It may be that cinnamon powder gets into ants joints & spoils their plans? I may be completely daft but if ants are a nuisance it's worth a try?
19 Jun, 2019
I have one of these bins but usually use compost bins made of pallets. I find the bin does get too dry even if you leave the lid off.
21 Jun, 2019
Previous question
I went horseback riding in Vermont last summer, but ain't seen one around here in all my years. I'm sure one will be by any day now....any day! :)
18 Jun, 2019