Bugs in compost

[UrbanGardner]

I was just out digging around in my garden. I have some amazing compost out back. I took a big handful and it is fantastic!! I want to use it in my next grow. But it was full of bugs and who knows what.... What can one do to use this amazing compost and keep the bugs out?? I grow indoors.

 

[greenjeans]

A description of the bugs or a pic would help....if they looked like fat fruit flies that walk instead of flying much they could be Fungus Gnats. But without a pic they could also be dwarf dinosaurs!!!

 

[UrbanGardner]

What I saw were small centipedes. My biggest concern are eggs that can tag along. Too dark here not to take pics now. even if I could catch one. What i was wondering is is there a method to leave the critters out side??? And is there any concern about incorporating that goodness in my organic mix?

 

[CanadianJim]

Centipedes are predators. They'll eat any bugs trying to colonize your pots. Millipedes eat decaying organic matter, and are really common in compost piles. I have never checked if they can harm plants, as I've only ever seen them outside. Can you sift/screen your compost? We do that with ours, keeps any sticks or rocks out.
Compost is usually a big part of any organic mix, isn't it?

 

[bobrown14]

I was just out digging around in my garden. I have some amazing compost out back. I took a big handful and it is fantastic!! I want to use it in my next grow. But it was full of bugs and who knows what.... What can one do to use this amazing compost and keep the bugs out?? I grow indoors.

I have 2 bins. Start the 2nd bin around the first of December. In the spring the first bin is finished bugs are gone. The 2nd bin is buggy a/f all spring and summer. The bugs die off in the winter time. You want your compost to be "alive" so its not a bad thing. I just don't use the compost until its finished so no bugs (that I can see).