In an effort to improve my soil I decided to go get some partially composted manure and leaves.
I had just read about lasagna gardening and decided gee that souds convienient. So I brought home the manure, laid it down in the bed and covered it with leaves and a thin layer of soil.
Fast forward a week and a half later to today. I am infested with flies! And spiders and springtails. And some other critters. Now most of these critters can stay, I don't care but the flies are driving us bonkers. They are overrunning the house. Not only that but we live in a master housing community and have VERY close neighbors.
I laid down more soil on top of the bed today and will be getting a couple more 2 cu ft bags just to make sure the layer is really thick over the leaves and manure. I guess I need to have a few inches of thickness here.
I obviously made a couple mistakes here. Number one being not covering the lasagna bed throughly enough. Number two being bringing home manure from a horse farm and laying it down without further composting it.
here are my questions 1. Is there anything else I can do to help repel the flies? 2. in the future when I get manure, can I let it sit in a sealed black bag for about a month in the sun and be fairly certain any pesky flies (or eggs) are dead?
Thanks
Rebecca the Lord of The Flies
Plants: 26 | From: cross roads texas | Registered: Apr 2006
| Seeded: 71.154.15.248
posted
Rebecca always make sure any manure is fully composted and I don't think a month in a bag will do that. Do you have a compost bin/pile if so put it in that and cover with something like a tarp or black plastic in spring should be composted enough raw manure will do that everytime. The heat from composting is what kills the pests as well as weeds. As for your flyuing friends get a ziplock of glad bag fill with water hang around the house/porch what have you for some reason this drives away flies. I have seen it work I didn't beleive it at first.
* * * * Meet Clyde my Male Sugar Glider. Clyde says. Keep it organic GOD BLESS THE U.S.A. Pray for our Troops!
posted
Just turning and covering helps alot.. Moves it around, keeps it working and spread out amoungst all of the dirt/soil... After a bit, it turns into nice soil...
Keep us posted on how it's going, okay??
* * * * Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it. - Bible - Hebrews 13:2
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