Compost Update

Update on Birdhouse Compost Pile.
I recently started letting the children help me with the compost pile.  This meant that they took the food to the container, dumped it, and put the top on.  Not too hard right?  So, today I went and checked on it.  The top was not put back on tightly.  No big deal right? Wrong.  It rained so water poured into the container so now I have soupy compost.  Gross.  Want more?  I started to turn the compost like I learned in my class and guess what started to pour out?  Roaches.  I have a big green box of roach soup in my backyard.  I am dying.  It is my worst nightmare.  I think I have given up on this project.  I did email my "teacher" and this was the response:

Heather-
I just checked on my compost pile. My son did not close the lid and so it got water in it and it is now a big compost soup. That is fine but the roaches are not. Giant roaches started spilling out as soon as I opened it. Is this normal? It is totally grossing me out. I can do bugs but roaches don't count. Help! Do I pour the water out? It stinks, obviously. Thanks for your help.
payton churchwell


Hi Payton,
As far as the water goes, pour out as much as you can (can be used to water plants) and then let it open for a few days to dry up a little in this heat. As for the roaches, sorry, no way to avoid them, but the more you mix up your compost the less likely they will set up camp in your container.
Good luck!


Good luck is right because I'm out.  Done.  Later.