Recipe 3: Compost pee Urine can be composted. It’s very high in nitrogen, so it counts as a “green” in the compost, and shouldn’t be added to a compost bin that is already high in nitrogen-rich materials like food scraps. Be sure to add plenty of carbon-rich materials, like dry leaves, sawdust, straw and cardboard.

The fruits and vegetables that spoil the fastest are artichokes, asparagus, avocados, blackberries, broccoli, cherries, corn, mushrooms, mustard greens, okra, raspberries, strawberries and watercress. These foodstuffs typically last 1 to 2 days.

Before you pitch any of the bottles in the back of your pantry or refrigerator, check out this timeline of the foods with the most staying power:

• 8 Months to 1 Year. Ketchup and Mustard.
• 1 Year. Beef Jerky.
• 1 to 2 Years. Soy Sauce.
• 2 Years. Whole Grains.
• 2 to 5 Years. Pickles.
• Decades.
• Hundreds of Years.
• Virtually Forever.

When purchasing fruits and vegetables, it is important to eat the ones that spoil quickest, within three days of purchasing them.

• Asparagus. Asparagus is a vegetable that has a reputation for spoiling within two days.
• Broccoli.
• Bananas.
• Strawberries.

Turning the pile frequently allows more oxygen to the microorganisms that are creating your compost, which in turn accelerates decomposition. Aerating it every couple of days will create compost faster than aerating it weekly. Water the pile in dry weather to keep it damp, but not soggy.

If you are new to composting, the fastest method is the 3-bin system. This is where the compost is turned frequently and added all at once per unit. This allows one pile to break down before you add more organic material.

No. If you distribute your compost amongst your garden plot before tilling the soil, you’ll turn in the maggots as well, which provide a nutritious value too. Some may grow into adults and fly off, others may suffocate under the soil. But it’s not harmful to you or your vegetables or plants.

Answer ONE! Maggots are not going to hurt your compost, but they may be a sign that your balance of green materials/brown materials is off. Make sure you are adding enough (but not too much) brown stuff like straw. Also it may be too moist; it should feel like a wrung out sponge.

Sow bugs won’t harm your compost—in fact, they’re actually helping to break it down. Like sow bugs and pill bugs, they are essentially harmless to the composting process, but their presence may indicate that your pile is on a slow track to decomposition.

Certain items, like meat and dairy, can attract unwanted pests to compost piles. On the other hand, vinegar can deter many pests. It is also a natural weed control because of its high acidity. Apple cider vinegar contains many valuable nutrients that can benefit the compost pile.

While cockroaches aren’t often thought of as beneficial insects, they do have an important role in our ecosystem. They are recyclers, and help break down or eat the trash that we throw out. Cockroaches in your compost bin are doing just that – helping break down your trash into the usable compost form you like!

Cockroaches are found where food and water is available, so a compost pile near your garden hose or a water feature will attract them.

For kitchen deterrents, cockroaches dislike the smell of cinnamon, bay leaves, garlic, peppermint, and coffee grounds. If you want a strong-smelling disinfectant, choose vinegar or bleach. The best scent-based deterrents are essential oils, such as eucalyptus or tea tree oil.

What Smells Repel Cockroaches?

• Lavender. Cockroaches hate the smell of lavender, and that is good news for you.
• Citrus. You may love the smell of fresh citrus, but cockroaches hate the scent.
• Eucalyptus. Koala bears may love the smell, and the taste of eucalyptus, but cockroaches find it quite disagreeable.

Salt doesn’t kill cockroaches. However, epsom salt (a.k.a. magnesium sulfate) is toxic to roaches. Use it just like baking soda.

Edit: febreeze isn’t even particularly toxic, unless I’m mistaken. Hold a lighter at the end and they will. Hold a lighter at the end and you will kill almost any bug.

Just add a little dish soap and warm water into a spray bottle. Shake it well and spray the roaches with them. Keep in mind that spraying roaches with soapy water will kill them on the spot, but will not affect the real problem (the rest of the roaches). Now for the potent stuff that even exterminators like to use.

Soapy Water – To Kill Roaches on Contact As I mentioned before, roaches breathe through their body and spraying them with soapy water will suffocate them. What you’ll need: 3 Tbsp of dishwashing liquid (preferably regular blue Dawn dishwashing liquid)