has anyone had a problem with rodents and other pests in their compost piles? i told my hubby my plans and he freaked! LOL "Oh no, your going to attract every snake, mole, mouse and rat!" i'm thinking if i take care of it by turning and making sure there's not too much of this or that it shouldn't smell and that the pests will not be a problem. anyone ever had a problem???

i had a nieghbor once who had a bin and she put all kinds of sticks and loose stuff in it and she had snakes in it. im thinking if you crush and pulverize everything and keep it hot youll be ok. but this is my first year trying it.
im just doing a pile with shredded leaves and kitchen waste. probably gonna be another year before i can harvest the compost but i got plenty of time. i shred the leaves with the lawnmower with bag attached and try to chop the kitchen waste before i put it in the bucket.
i hope it all works out

That's a natural reaction from a person who knows nothing about composting. The smell, the pests....its just not true.

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John - Zone 6

thanks guys! i told him about all your responses and he seemed a little relieved. not 100%, of course, and i know he'll be a little worried until he actually sees me taking care of it, but he did seems a little more relaxed about the idea. thanks!

i use a compost tumbler... works great and you don't have to worry about critters getting into it.

I also took a whole semester in college on composting, never had a problem with big critters in the piles but then again i was working on studying the macro insects that lived in the pile.

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The Buglady
Suzanne Wainwright-Evans, www.bugladyconsulting.com
Educating the world... one bug at a time

john- nope. not even slightly. he knows it's my thing though and doesn't really bother me too much about it. he does think i get "into it way too much" though- whatever that's supposed to mean. he's not opposed to my gardening at all, he lets me do what i want, he just doesn't understand how it makes me feel. like when i get excited about something growing he looks at me like i've totally lost it! and maybe i have, but i sure won't let him know that! LOL

My wife doesn't say anything about mine, it gets me out of the house and out of her way!!

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One OS to rule them, one OS to find them:
One OS to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
In the Land of Redmond where the shadows lie.

*Hey, what is his favoritest veggie??*

corn. and i'm trying a new one this year from burpee---

Corn Maple Sugar Sweet Hybrid
Sweet maple candy flavor with sugar levels beyond belief!
NEW Burpee Exclusive.
We knew from the first bite that we had a winner. This utterly unique yellow hybrid had us at "hello". It boasts sugar levels truly beyond belief, while retaining the full texture and creaminess of older types. We like it grilled to bring out the most of its maple candy flavor. Petite 6-8" ears fit neatly on your plate. The size also allows for great husk protection, so each ear is a perfect specimen of kernels packed to the very tip. Isolate from other corns and plant seeds 8" apart after soil has completely warmed. You'll love it.

i don't think i got past the first 3 words "corn maple sugar" before i knew i was ordering it! LOL i can't wait to taste it. my first northern garden (summer 04) i grew corn (it's too hot in s fl) and instantly fell in love! i've never in my life ever had such fresh awesome sweet corn! i nibbled on the kernals raw! from that first summer i knew corn was going to be an every year thing like tomatoes in my garden! hey and i get double use- i use the stalks for decorations throughout fall! LOL and this year i can throw them in the compost after that! yippee! so what's that- like triple useage!

quote:

---

Originally posted by pagarden:

Corn Maple Sugar Sweet Hybrid
Sweet maple candy flavor with sugar levels beyond belief!
NEW Burpee Exclusive.
We knew from the first bite that we had a winner. This utterly unique yellow hybrid had us at "hello". It boasts sugar levels truly beyond belief, while retaining the full texture and creaminess of older types. We like it grilled to bring out the most of its maple candy flavor. Petite 6-8" ears fit neatly on your plate. The size also allows for great husk protection, so each ear is a perfect specimen of kernels packed to the very tip. Isolate from other corns and plant seeds 8" apart after soil has completely warmed. You'll love it.

---

You're starting to sound like a corn saleman.

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One OS to rule them, one OS to find them:
One OS to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
In the Land of Redmond where the shadows lie.

I prefer Bodacious corn myself.

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One OS to rule them, one OS to find them:
One OS to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
In the Land of Redmond where the shadows lie.