Maggots

[DosisMember]

Last year I encountered maggots for the first time. I put it down to the fact that I’d left the strawberry plants in the raised bed over winter. They were only 2 years old, produced little fruit and the organic compost was only a few months old. In Spring I pulled them out and they were properly dead. When seiving the compost I encountered maggots and swore to never leave a dead plant again. I’ve just aquired more space and I’m reading ‘Organic gardening The Natural No Dig way’. I really like the idea of it but I’m wondering if I’d be more or less likely to encounter maggots?

On another note, I’m new to composting and have a maggot phobia in case you hadn’t guessed. Please could you tell me if there is a possibility that maggots could get into a compost tumbler? (I mean the fly thing)

[Pete BuddParticipant]

Maggots are larvae and quite a few insects go through a larval stage similar to blow flies which produce the typical anglers maggot. However; blow fly maggots would normally be found on rotting meat, decaying animal corpses or rotten fish. It is possible that the larvae you have found are vine weevil. These are not desirable as they feed on a variety of plant roots. In my experience they like fairly dry conditions and good compost like soil. They are a regular problem with pot plants although they are not particularly hardy and a good hard winter reduces their numbers. I would not worry about vine weevils in your compost heap, I`ve never known them to establish themselves there. Look out for the adults if poss and squish any found. Strawberries are pretty easy going, I would try turning your raised bed over a bit to incorporate some of the subsoil.

Pete:-)

[DosisMember]

Thanks for your reply. I’ve just moved house and got 2 decent sized gardens now. I can’t wait to try the no dig method and start composting.

[Author]

Posts