Troubleshooting tips |
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Why are there so many vinegar flies in my compost/worm farm? How can I manage them?
Vinegar flies are attracted to the ethylene gas produced by fruit and vegetables as they ripen before decomposing. They will stick around and breed to plague proportions if the system is:
a) too wet or
b) too acidic (or both)
This is becuase fruit and veg is mostly water, and usually on the acidic side.
To manage, do the following:
1) add something alkaline (egg shells, garden lime, fire ash or similar)
2) add some "browns" or dry ingredients (ripped up corrugated cardboard is my preferred
3) aerate it. You can use a small hand spade and 'fluff' up the contents, or use a tool such as a compost aerator (https://www.compostcommunity.com.au/store/p16/Compost_aerator_-_compost_turner.html)
Remember too there are lots of handy resources on the website including troubleshooting under "Learn" and "Toolbox" which we are adding to as questions arise. https://www.compostcommunity.com.au/guide-to-worm-farming.html
It will take a little while to get the population back to normal, but the above steps will make a big dint in the population and interrupt their breeding.
Vinegar flies are attracted to the ethylene gas produced by fruit and vegetables as they ripen before decomposing. They will stick around and breed to plague proportions if the system is:
a) too wet or
b) too acidic (or both)
This is becuase fruit and veg is mostly water, and usually on the acidic side.
To manage, do the following:
1) add something alkaline (egg shells, garden lime, fire ash or similar)
2) add some "browns" or dry ingredients (ripped up corrugated cardboard is my preferred
3) aerate it. You can use a small hand spade and 'fluff' up the contents, or use a tool such as a compost aerator (https://www.compostcommunity.com.au/store/p16/Compost_aerator_-_compost_turner.html)
Remember too there are lots of handy resources on the website including troubleshooting under "Learn" and "Toolbox" which we are adding to as questions arise. https://www.compostcommunity.com.au/guide-to-worm-farming.html
It will take a little while to get the population back to normal, but the above steps will make a big dint in the population and interrupt their breeding.
