Composting and flies

SingleMumAndProud

I have 2 compost bins in my vegetable garden. Both the plastic type with a lid. But everytime I take the lid off, loads of flies come out and its quite unpleasant doing it! Is this normal? If it is, then I will just get on with it and stop being a wimp lol. But just wanted to check if I was doing something wrong? Not even sure how they get in there in the first place?

One of the bins is full, so I haven't opened it at all for about a month when I filled it. Is there anything I should do to it? Is it best to just leave it closed and not open it till I need the compost?

I mostly compost just to avoid extra waste in the refuge bin. I actually already have lots of compost so I shouldn't need it this year.

Lotus-eater

Flies are normal, it is said you can put a layer of paper on the top which will keep them down, I've never bothered, they don't eat me and I don't eat them, it's a sort of pact

Your full bin, you can stir around a bit if you like, or tip it out and mix it up before putting it all back in. You don't have to, just speeds it up a bit.

You don't use garden compost in the same way as bought in compost, you use it on your veg beds, it's very valuable for your growing areas.

miltonskeen

Dont forget to add urine to your heap! A bottle a week would do the job nicely.

GreenFly_2

You can sometimes get alot of flies if the heap has too much kitchen waste and not enough fibrous waste such as grass clippings etc. There is a need to balance the heap. My heap at home is a plastic bin the same as you and as you I noticed the amount of flies, whereas my heap on my allotment there are no flies. I've started to add the shredded paper I get from my paper shredder to top up the fibrous waste and introduce some air into the bin as I do not get alot of grass clippings from the garden (easy maintenance). If you are like me then ask a neighbour if you can have some of their clippings.

Good Luck
GF

cjb02

everything sounds ok but if you want to stop them, put an inch layer of soil or shredded paper on top.

Sally_A

Fruit flies will congregate around any compost bin.

To my detriment I have a lidded bucket just outside the back door for peelings etc before it goes up the garden to the dalek composter.

Stupidly, I took the lid off whilst leaving the backdoor open - they were straight into the kitchen, landing on anything, especially high diving into a glass of red wine.

Just don't let them into your kitchen, other than that they are harmless.

SingleMumAndProud

Great thanks. They don't bother me much. Just wanted to check it was normal! Will add more grass etc.

Lotus-eater - so what is the compost you buy then? Am I being stupid? I thought it was the same sort of thing, but just in bags?

Long story as to why but we ended up with a LOT of shop bought compost (that I didn't buy myself and don't know exactly what it is, but know it is good quality). We have dug a lot of it into the various beds and vegetable patches around the garden and still have a waterbutt full that is unused. Is that stuff no good for this purpose? The 2 ft gap between my house and the ground is also full of it (don't ask!) - so I don't think we will ever run out! It has all however been used once before for growing plants in.