Roaches in Compost

Posted by Violet Martin on September 6, 2011 at 11:01am

I've been having issues with roaches in my house and we spray every other month by a prof service.  This past month we've been getting roaches in our house and I know that we have roaches in our compost bin. 

 

Anybody have any suggestions?  We're expecting a baby any day now and lots of company and having roaching in the house is just GROSS! 

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Replies

  • bryanwhitebeyondthekitchengarden September 18, 2011 at 1:17am
    roaches are tertiary level decomposers ... it is a 'natural cycle' that annually climaxes when the heat is on and the humidity is at its summer / monsoon climax ... winter slows / 'stops' the cycle ... be at peace with the critters of the garden, and  hope that they prefer your compost pile to the kitchen! ;)
  • Hassena Kassim September 15, 2011 at 8:22pm

    i totally emphasize with you, we once had roaches in our compost. when they came into the house i started trapping them outside. i used some beer soaked bread dropped into a container, coat the rim with an oil/vaseline. the roaches crawl in, but cannot get out. leave the traps up against a wall. i trapped many of them this way.

    Then i got some bay leaves and spread them along the inside of the home along doorways and window sills

    And Then i used Eucalyptus essential oil, along door frames and palces i thought they were entering.  we have not seen one in the house in months. 

    We compost with worms indoors and these methods help keep them out. 

  • Andrew Greaves September 7, 2011 at 7:18am
    my wife has got some "special" stuff from mexico that has a boric acid base she might be willing to part with a portion of. diatomaceous earth would be best, i would think, however it sounds like you are in the "whatever it takes" mode, that mode that i think we all have where we have tried and tried to use the best things for the earth and our bodies but then you reach that tipping point. take out your trash EVERY night without fail. clean and clean and clean behind your dishwasher, take out your kitchen drawers, clean behind your fridge, stop up your sinks when you are not using them pour bleach down the drain, try ladybug pest control they are organic. check out ehow.com for their suggestions on roaches. reply to this if you want me to see if my wife has still got that stuff from mex. and to see if she would like to part witha portion of it.
  • Marcia September 6, 2011 at 12:49pm

    I'd LIKE to have geckos and lizards, but they don't seem able to co-habit with the large feral cat population... any suggestions there?  Cats seem to like to trap the geckos...WORSE yet...they seem to think the roaches are wind-up toys or trophies they need to present to me.  Any suggestions are welcome.

  • Angie Chandler September 6, 2011 at 12:41pm
    We haven't had roaches in 11 years...after the arrival of 3 Gecko lizards & a couple of regular lizards.  They wiped them out within 1 month-haven't had any in the house either.  The ones in the house are a problem.  We used Boric Acid powder at every possible entry.  The lizards though....WIPED THEM OUT!!  Didn't have to use pesticides.  Since you are expecting a baby & they use neurotoxins (as a pesticide) that CAN cross the placenta......  your call.  Another potential  problem is the allergies that the roaches contribute.  Constant vacuuming until you have no more roaches in side the house (which if you somehow how get some lizards will be short lived!) will reduce the allergy issue they give.  Seriously NO ROACHES IN 11 years anywhere in the backyard or the house.  Our neighbor on the east side has them in her grass which borders our yard....if they cross the wall......the lizards dine.  Besides, lizards are entertaining with their "push-up" behavior.   
  • Linda Enger September 6, 2011 at 12:32pm

    How far away from house is compost bin and could it be moved further away?

    Also Diatamaceous earth around the perimeter walls of house inside and out? 

    I would have suggested Boric acid  in the crevices but seems to be really hard to find these days ( I think it may be used in home made bombs  or something sick like that) Not sure if Borax would do it. Not really same thing.

     

     

  • Violet Martin September 6, 2011 at 11:02am
    Oh, and when I was watering one of my containers of sage there were TONS of baby roaches!
    • Linda Enger > Violet Martin September 6, 2011 at 12:33pm
      yick!  move the containers!!! or find another herb you like better:)
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