# My composter



## Megamom134 (Jan 30, 2021)

I have one of those duel barrel composters and this will be the first year we have used it. It just started getting hot out here the last couple of days. I checked the temp inside since nothing is happening as fast as I expected. I had even added worms but expect they all exited for died. My temp in the heap was only 91. At that rate it will be months before anything composts although I did get some tea I put on. Yesterday I added molasses mixed in water. I heard that super revs for compost. I either fixed my problem or killed my progress. As anyone else ever done this?


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

Don't stress over trying to speed up the process. It'l happen. Try to keep an equal mix of greens and browns. 

I'll add a simple 10-10-10 fertilizer in the late fall to the compost pile to add some heat. Other than that, nothing.

I just added some grass clippings on Saturday.


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## AquaHull (Jun 10, 2012)

I just throw scraps in a pile on the ground and let nature take it's course


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## hawgrider (Oct 24, 2014)

AquaHull said:


> I just throw scraps in a pile on the ground and let nature take it's course


 I throw it in a pile and let the chickens go at it once in a while.


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## Megamom134 (Jan 30, 2021)

I had a on the ground compost heap and some really nasty small wasps moved in. I should go turn it while it is still cool enough maybe they moved on. I didn't realize they live in the ground and in compost heaps. They chase you and sting the crap out you and look like little black and yellow wasps.


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

Megamom134 said:


> I had a on the ground compost heap and some really nasty small wasps moved in. I should go turn it while it is still cool enough maybe they moved on. I didn't realize they live in the ground and in compost heaps. They chase you and sting the crap out you and look like little black and yellow wasps.


Yellowjackets?


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## Htfiremedic (Oct 5, 2020)

Denton said:


> Yellowjackets?


Cow killers?


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

Denton said:


> Yellowjackets?


Ramblin' Wreck From Georgia Tech and a Helluva Engineer?


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

Htfiremedic said:


> Cow killers?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Those little critters are black and red. Those little females are so feared that I know of nobody who has been stung by one.


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## Htfiremedic (Oct 5, 2020)

Denton said:


> Those little critters are black and red. Those little females are so feared that I know of nobody who has been stung by one.


I almost got hit three years ago. I reached for a tomato, in my garden, and saw one. I shook the plant and it fell of, so I stepped on it. 
The things squeal, scary little critters. Took a while to figure out what it was, but dang!


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## MisterMills357 (Apr 15, 2015)

Megamom134 said:


> I had a on the ground compost heap and some really nasty small wasps moved in. I should go turn it while it is still cool enough maybe they moved on. I didn't realize they live in the ground and in compost heaps. They chase you and sting the crap out you and look like little black and yellow wasps.


I haven’t heard of those, but I have seen hornets that burrow a nest into the ground. I backed off in a hurry when I saw them, they were going in and out of the ground, and they scared me. 

I poured gasoline into the hole, and that stirred them up some, but it kills them and their eggs too.
It devastates a hornets nest. I will bet that it kills off your wasps too. Lead off with a can of Spectracide, or Black Flag, and let it do it’s work. And kick that nests butt.



https://www.lowes.com/pd/BLACK-FLAG-ing-Wasp-and-Hornet-14-oz-Insect-Killer/999989708





https://www.lowes.com/pd/Spectracide-Wasp-and-Hornet-18-oz-Insect-Killer/999958283


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

Is this the critter?
yellowjacket - Bing images


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## Htfiremedic (Oct 5, 2020)

Denton you just made me cringe...


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## inceptor (Nov 19, 2012)

Denton said:


> Is this the critter?
> yellowjacket - Bing images


Wicked creatures, meat eaters. I've watched video's on how to catch and kill. They use chicken and water.


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

inceptor said:


> Wicked creatures, meat eaters. I've watched video's on how to catch and kill. They use chicken and water.


Chickens are badass. They will attack and eat anything. They absolutely love brown recluse spiders.


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## Chiefster23 (Feb 5, 2016)

If you have yellow jackets, try this. Locate the hole where they are going in and out of their underground home. Wait till night time when they are all in the hive. Light off a road flare and stick the business end into the hole. That should do the trick.
I’ve also seen a utube where a guy used a shop vac to suck them up in daytime as they exited the hive. I guess this would work but it seems like more work and more risk if getting stung than the flare trick.


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## Megamom134 (Jan 30, 2021)

Eastern Yellowjacket (Vespula maculifrons)I think the wasps were the Eastern Yellowjackets, they are know to be aggressive and live underground. We do get cow killers around here and I always pray my dogs don't get tangled with one. The cow killers look like this and don't fly. Cow Killer (Dasymutilla occidentalis) It my old compost heap wasn't so close to my woods I was tempted to burn it. Fortunately it is in our far lot so I just avoid it.


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