Ants in compost bin

AliceW

I have a big compost bin that I use only for storing used compost origially bought to use in my plant pots each summer. In the autumn I usually put a large amount of the used compost at the bottom of my garden in a shady area under a weeping willow tree where wild flowers grow.

I'm due to have some repair work done on my garage soon and as the compost bin is behind  the garage and full and heavy,  I was going to move the compost to under the trees,and once the bin was empty move that down the garden too. 

But when I lifted the lid today  the compost was teeming with ants. The same with the little door at the bottom of the bin. I don't want to try to move the compost because the ants would run all over my hands and arms. I don't even know if I should move any compost. Would the bottom of the garden beccome infested with ants if I did? Any advice would be great.

Brie

I've just had to empty a heavy planter as it had an ant's nest in it.  All the plants were being eaten and none were thriving.  Emptied, new compost, plants back in and they're doing really well.

Gardener had suggested getting ant poison of some sort that you sprinkle on and it kills the ants but not the plants.  I might have tried that but I've got a garden full of birds and I know that they eat the ants and spiders in the lawn so assume they'd do the same with any they could get at in the planters.  

And yes the ants will run up your hands/arms and bite.  Believe me I know.  fyi - after emptying the planter I poured boiling water over it to kill what ants were still running around.  Cruel but effective.  Maybe you could just try that if you didn't want to try chemicals.  

Keep_pedalling

It is almost certain that the bottom of your garden already several ant colonies, but as they are all underground you are totally unaware of them. They do no harm. What sort of compost bin do you have?

twopenny

In 2 weeks or so they will grow wings and fly away. Usually mid July, a humid evening about 6 am. Can you wait that long?

The ants will make great compost, they turn it into a fine tilth.

I know it's kind of creepy but it's just unfortunate that you want to move it right now before they go.

If you can wait 2 weeks then just emptying and moving it will help them avoid returning. Do you have the compost bin raised a tad above the ground? The standard is to raise it a couple of inches and fill the base with small branches then put your compostable material on top. There should also be soft twigs and stems added between compost layers.

My guess is it's on the ground with lovely shop bought compost in

Thats why you also raise pots on feet apart from drainage. If flat on the ground the ants find a perfect home.

Keep_pedalling

twopenny said:

In 2 weeks or so they will grow wings and fly away. Usually mid July, a humid evening about 6 am. Can you wait that long?

The ants will make great compost, they turn it into a fine tilth.

I know it's kind of creepy but it's just unfortunate that you want to move it right now before they go.

If you can wait 2 weeks then just emptying and moving it will help them avoid returning. Do you have the compost bin raised a tad above the ground? The standard is to raise it a couple of inches and fill the base with small branches then put your compostable material on top. There should also be soft twigs and stems added between compost layers.

My guess is it's on the ground with lovely shop bought compost in

Thats why you also raise pots on feet apart from drainage. If flat on the ground the ants find a perfect home.

The flying ants that depart the nest will be new queens and males, the workers and old queen will carry on until the winter.

twopenny

True but I've found the ants vanish after that - and our cul de sac is full of them.

This year I've not had to poison anything as we've got a plethora of small birds and they have eaten so many ants I've not had a problem this year.

Worth the price of bird food

FlorayG

If you have a dalek style bin I would haul it off and drop it quickly then poke about in the compost to spread it with a long stick or a muck fork. This will rile up the ants and disturb their nest and you may find they will leave because of the damage to it. Worth a try

AliceW

twopenny said:

In 2 weeks or so they will grow wings and fly away. Usually mid July, a humid evening about 6 am. Can you wait that long?

The ants will make great compost, they turn it into a fine tilth.

I know it's kind of creepy but it's just unfortunate that you want to move it right now before they go.

If you can wait 2 weeks then just emptying and moving it will help them avoid returning. Do you have the compost bin raised a tad above the ground? The standard is to raise it a couple of inches and fill the base with small branches then put your compostable material on top. There should also be soft twigs and stems added between compost layers.

My guess is it's on the ground with lovely shop bought compost in

Thats why you also raise pots on feet apart from drainage. If flat on the ground the ants find a perfect home.

Thank you. I didn't know any of that! It is on the ground (no base, just sits on the soil) with shop bought compost inside. It's a dalek style one (big top lid and a door near the ground) I bought it from the council years ago.

So, I wait 2 weeks take the top lid off, open the door at the base  and they should all go? Then I can put all the compost under the trees and move the bin?

Would I be able to buy a base. Or stand it on bricks maybe?

AliceW

FlorayG said:

If you have a dalek style bin I would haul it off and drop it quickly then poke about in the compost to spread it with a long stick or a muck fork. This will rile up the ants and disturb their nest and you may find they will leave because of the damage to it. Worth a try

Thank you. A bit worried that I'll get bitten if I disturb them.

AliceW

Keep_pedalling said:

It is almost certain that the bottom of your garden already several ant colonies, but as they are all underground you are totally unaware of them. They do no harm. What sort of compost bin do you have?

Thank you. It's a dalek style one. I shouldn't worry about spreading the compost under the trees, then if there are colonies there already.

twopenny

Might be tricky doing that until they've flown then even if there are some left they will probably take off to find somewhere more suitable for them.

Wear shoes, trousers with socks tucked in and a long sleved top just in case.

But you've just made an ideal home for them. Loose soil, warm and free from preditors.

Being spread on ordinary soil won't be so good. Also birds will eat them. I've encouraged the birds and this year I;m free of ants for the first time. Sparrows are especially good at this.

Yes, bricks would be fine, I've used the blocks for block paving about £3 each. that way they are easier for me to manage and where my garden is on a slope I can use 2 on one side and adjust.

It's not a fun job but once done your problem is over. Get a treat to have after the event

And start the base off with twigs or light prunings to allow an air gap from below to improve decomposition.

Also the ants won't use it because they like things against the ground.

That's from a 1920s gardening book. There's simpler advice in those.

And Gardeners world did one on ants with a different take. Scroll down for it. I'm not convinced but always worth more knowledge and worth a try.

https://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/diy/how-to-build-a-compost-bin/

It would be interesting to know what happens if you have the time after.