Compost Newbie has arrived! :D

[Pulse]

I have brown branch twigs that fall daily which I collect often, fruits and veggies past exp date, some weeds. I look for the growing ones and toss them. It sits on a slab of concrete. But issue is I seem to have ants in my pile. Is that good or bad? Tomrrow I will take photos I do need to flip it around though. Maybe the tomatos will sprout in it. I hope not tho!

 

[Plantdoctor]

Keep it moist,it aids rotting and the ants don't like moisture.

The problem with having it on a slab of concrete is it could turn into a soggy mess ,and the worms can't get in from underneath.

Far better on soil.

 

[Pulse]

Ah I see, well thats good know thanks

 

[roadrunner]

I know heavily moistened compost keeps the fire ants out, they absolutely love dry, sandy, open areas -- probably a reason I don't have any in my yard. However, it's been my experience that the little black ants, as well as the little red ants that I have (I don't know the species) don't mind moisture in the compost pile.

I don't see my ants as pests, despite the fact that they do farm aphids, but all in all I see them as a benefit to my garden/compost pile and I do nothing to combat these little critters. There's only one species that I have that bites, but it's not a very bad bite at all and I very seldom get bit, I've been stung more by bees than bit by ants and nothing like the fire ant bite, which I've experience before.

I like to think that the ants are very important to the cycling of various nutrients in my yard, see here: https://www.researchgate.net/public...operties_and_processes_Hymenoptera_Formicidae

 

[Pulse]

The only ant infestation I have is in my weed front yard is red ants. (My older brother bought weed killer and our grass was related to the weed family. He killed the entire yard.) but now that I know they like sandy soil. I wonder if I can force them to move out. Lol by changing the soil to non-sandy. Would that work? My garden is mostly in containers.

 

[Plantdoctor]

Seems very extreme, just to avoid ants?,and not even sure it would work ,or if it did some other thing will move in just as annoying.

A garden,yard, whatever you call it is a living thing, you work with what you have ,is how l see it.