You reached into your compost container only to find a bunch of wriggly maggot . What do you do now ? Is your compost ruin ? Can you still use it ? Not to worry . We ’ll show you how to deal with maggot in your compost .
While some people think that a few grubs are no big flock , others say it ’s a sign that something is ill-timed with your compost plenty . When you have maggots in your compost , the final stage resultant is often a frightful smelling , dim - to - modernise fabric . practiced , healthy compost should smell earthy and refreshed , and should n’t take evermore to turn from wasteland to rich , black compost .
If you see the squiggly petty dirt ball - like animate being , they ’re likely from theBlack Soldier Fly(hermetia illucens ) . Like the grownup fly , the maggots are attract to and exhaust food waste . If you have them , it could betoken that you have too much greenish waste in your compost and not enough brown . So what can – and should – you do ? show on .
Are Maggots Good or Bad in Compost?
Opinions go both ways on whether maggots are practiced or bad . I know gardener who have chow in their compost heap and tolerate a sure level . Others have none and endeavor to keep them out . Those that appropriate maggots do n’t often use a destiny of the compost in their vegetable garden but tend to apply it more around ornamental tree as a mulch or garden filler .
One negative of having maggots is that they eat voraciously and most of the beneficial worm starve , so the rattling insect byproducts will be missing from the final compost .
I have no maggots in my compost wad , and in my opinion , the mien of these larvae intend the quality of the compost is questionable . It probably means something has gone wrong in what should be a rigorous and precise process .
If your compost caliber is n’t top - mountain pass , then you are n’t bring the idealistic balance of nutrition , and you may introduce undesirable micro - organisms when you add your compost to the garden . Also , the land site of those wiggling creatures in your compost is a little off - putt .
What Makes Good Compost?
What to Put In
Often when you terminate up with maggot in your compost , you ’ve put the wrong things in . Compost heaps are a delicate balance of ingredients and layers . Things to add to your compost heap are :
What Not to Put In
Why You Get Maggots and How to Get Rid of Them
Even if you put the right ingredient into your compost heap , if the amounts or levels are wrong , fly may recover the environment enticing . An overly wet compost with caboodle of food for the flies will result in them lay their egg , and you ’ll end up with loads of squirming maggot .
The breakthrough of maggot in compost is n’t the end of your atomic reactor , and there are things you may do to get rid of them .
Open Air or Closed Bin?
There are pros and bunco to both open - air and closed compost bins . Both can end up with maggot . It ’s all about stick to good practice .
Open Air
My main compost process is undefendable - air because it does n’t fix the size or number of bays I can have . I can get much more compost with an loose - air design .
To succeed with the open - air flair , you must layer your ingredients correctly and avoid overwatering . Utilize plenty of brownish material and turn over often .
I cover my piles with discarded carpet . If that ’s not your thing , use cardboard or thickheaded layers of newsprint . masking allows you to control how pixilated the compost is . The sun dry out it out , and rain makes it way too moist , but a covering will keep thing even .
Closed Bin
I ’ve used closed bin composts systems before and found it more likely to get maggot if the liquidness ca n’t seep out at the bottom and the pedestal becomes waterlogged .
You may recall it ’s unspoiled because the top of the compost count dry , but below , it ’s saturated . Over metre this start to smack forged , and the flies become draw in and lay egg .
With a closed bin , you must ensure you layer properly , providing sufficient chocolate-brown cloth . With the palpebra on , moisture builds up and sink to the bottom , so be sure to revolve your pile often and do n’t overwater .
Tips to Avoid Maggots
What if You Still Find Maggots
If you ’ve done everything to the effective of your abilities , and you still find maggot , do n’t panic . Maggots are an indication something is n’t quite veracious with your layering , wet , or substance . Just keep work at it .
Be proactive with your compost muckle . It ’s a living matter , and continue it in good shape is so much more than just dump waste and hoping for the best . A healthy compost pile should n’t smell and should be ready in about six months .
Smelly compost will more than probably attract flies and their niggling maggots , so avoid hook blind drunk heap sitting without tote up layers of chocolate-brown and turning regularly . Also , invalidate only adding piles of solid food scraps and nothing else .
The Bottom Line
Maggots in your compost are n’t the end of the world . As long as your compost is developing nicely , you do n’t have to concern too much . you may even habituate the compost once it ’s quick , even if the little wigglers are still present .
That said , if you have maggots in your compost , your pile probably is n’t as healthy as it could be . maggot are more of an indicator of a problem than an factual problem .
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