Compost bins

lydiaann · May 2023

This is the age-old question about ants and slugs in compost bins. Our bin is FULL of both, the ants' nest is huge and near the top with masses of eggs. Alongside them, is a whole knot of slugs and there are more around the edge and in the lid; they all seem to exist in perfect harmony. Here is the question. If I remove some of the compost to put around my shrubs (which I want to do), it will be adding the critters into the garden. I no longer grow foodstuffs (apart from zucchini and tomatoes and peppers in containers which are not composted from the bin) so can I put in the appropriate executionery products? I guess I'm not too worried by the ants so much as the slugs - my hostas are particularly fine this year! - so do I wield the slug-killer container or not? Answers on a postcard, please (Not!).

StephenSouthwest · May 2023

I wouldn't expect to find much in the way of slugs and ants in compost I was about to use - the presence of ants is telling you that the compost is too dry, and the presence of slugs is telling you that it's not yet broken down into compost.

If it were mine, I'd be looking to turn the compost, add some water and household liquid activator, then use it once it was ready, rather than putting immature compost and dodgy chemicals on the garden.

But if you really want to use it as mulch without waiting, then I wouldn't worry about slugs and ants - shrubs aren't affected by slugs, and ants will only set up a new nest if the conditions are right, which is really unlikely. There will already be slugs and ants in all places in the garden where the conditions suit them, so, no need for chemicals anyway.

bédé · May 2023

The older the compost the better. Are you able to take it from the bottom?

Slugs are good for compost heaps, bad for hostas.

Fairygirl · May 2023

Certainly likely to be dry if you have ants' nests in it. Wish mine were like that! Slugs often congregate near the top if it is a bit hot/dry too.
However, I'd agree with @StephenSouthwest and give it a good mix up, and you can use it as a mulch if it's reasonable enough.
Are you not regularly adding any household scraps to it, or grass clippings etc just now @lydiaann ? Sounds as if you may have more browns than greens, so it's worth looking at the sort of mix you're putting in, and how often you're turning it. A combination of those will help avoid the situation more easily in future. It can sometimes be harder in winter to add greens, so mixing now and again will help if you can manage that.
No need to be adding chemicals which defeats the purpose of a compost bin anyway

lydiaann · May 2023

Thanks for the answers. I am using from the bottom and the compost is nice and damp there - which would seem to be ratified by the presence of slugs. However, spring composting means that I am now into 'raw' stuff and can't use it for a while. I do turn it, though I admit other concerns have kept me from doing so for a couple of months (well, since just after Christmas). I have turned it again now. I think I may (having read some very old posts and other references) put a small amount of slug powder in there, then put a 'brown' layer (Daily Telegraph, dampened down, does wonders!) on before the next deposit is made. When I do start to fill it again (today!) I'll wait until I have a slender layer and then try your suggestion of activator, Stephen...thanks for that tip. My garden doesn't tend to have slugs, surprisingly, which makes me want to have them 'disappeared' before I use any more, especially as I have divided several hostas and now have the start of a 'collection'!

lydiaann · May 2023

Just had your answer pop up, fairygirl. Yes, I do add regularly to it, all sorts of veg scraps, fruit peelings/cores, and especially coffee grounds and tea leaves...I break every tea bag open and fill a container with the leaves and the coffee mixed. We are big fruit and veg eaters so no lack of those although there are only 2 of us. I shall be more assiduous in the turning in future - but I still get the slugs. I don't like chemicals either, but it would seem to be the only solution for the pesky things; I'll just use a lesser amount. Thank you again, Forkers.

Fairygirl · May 2023

Slugs are just part of it - if you have plants, you'll have slugs.

It's always worth having two bins if you can - one to fill and break down, and the other one to fill up while the first one's doing that.

Dovefromabove · May 2023

It’s the slugs and other invertebrates that help ‘make’ the compost … there are different types of slugs … the ones that feed on rotting plants tend not to eat the fresh young shoots that attract other varieties.

I’ve never worried about slugs in my compost heap … they’re working for me. 👍

Fairygirl · May 2023

I've just been moving my bins to a different site, and there are loads of slugs in there. The big leopard slugs mainly, but various other odds and sods.
Just how it is. There are so many types of slug in a garden too, all doing different jobs as @Dovefromabove says, and often unseen most of the time, but they aren't all enemies. The little ones tend to be the ones that do the most damage to nice soft succulent new growth!

bédé · May 2023

The gurus have a 3-heap system, add in a carefully mixed order, and turn. I have a 2-heap system, add as it comes and don't touch. My compost varies from one to two years old. The bottom is best for "compost" the top good enough for mulch.

All my hostas are in pots. The bottom half of the pot is home-made compost. No slug worries.

Today. 2 days of hot sun, one day of heavy rain. They have exploded.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6030279/uploads/editor/wr/y028djuol2es.jpg

lydiaann · May 2023

Two bins not an option, Fairygirl. Small amount of space behind the shed, disappearing into the 'point' of our triangular plot, already has one compost bin, 2 water butts and a decent sized leaf 'pen' (our lot backs directly onto a line of big trees) from which I get my leaf-mould for mulching. I'll think about it while we're away in Northumberland for a couple of days!

Compost bins

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