Expert: Greg - 4/17/2011

Question
QUESTION: I've not done a veggie garden for 15yrs, mostly because of the ginormous grasshoppers, and other pests in TX vs the limited bugs in CO. I decided last year to try container gardening in a 'screen house' this year, and wanted go as organic as possible. I started a compost pile last year. With a good dose of green yard clippings and kitchen waste over the summer, lots of fall leaves, and a good dose of horse manure, apparently I did something right and ended up with some beautiful garden material.  Here's the problem, the stuff I sifted earlier, I was able to store in black trash cans, and dark feed bags long enough to kill the bugs. My 'potato condos' have been way more successful than I expected. (2) 6'x 2' boxes that I expected to build onto most of the summer shot up to 3' tall in about a month and a half, and quickly used all of my available compost. I am now furiously trying to play catch-up so I can plant other stuff.  The problem is, I need a quick, preferably organic, knock-down for the bugs as I don't have time to store it long enough.  The culprits I'm seeing most are (wire-worms?) yellow hard shelled, apprx. 1", (ear-wigs?) brown with pinchers on their butts, and of course ants.  Thanx, Sharon

ANSWER: Hello Sharon

What I do is, I take a clear piece of Plastic, and place it over the Compost, and let the Sun Bake the Pile. This only works, if the matter is fully Decomposed. This heats up the Compost, and kills the eggs. No herbicides are Involved.

For a Better approach to your Continued Bug Problems, there are Experts in IPM, which stands for Integrated Pest Management on this Site. They can tell you in great detail, on how to plant your Crops, and the timing of beneficial Insects, so you won't have to go to an Herbicide. They also know the Proper Organic cures. Something as simple as planting Annual Marigolds around your Garden, will stop most Pests.

The Best of Luck

    Greg

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Another question comes to mind, would the plastic help speed up my other pile, Or would it just over heat it? We are currently getting mid-80's in the day, 40's to 50's at night.

Answer
Hello Sharon

The Plastic only works for Finished Compost, if you are just making Compost, use the method you are using now. The Plastic will heat things up too much, and you could produce the Ammonia smell that you get from a Pile of grass clippings. Compost has to Decompose together, the Carbon and the Nitrogen.


Greg