Flies should not be a problem if you immediately cover new material with dry soil or sawdust, also turn the heap frequently to generate enough heat to destroy any fly eggs and pupae. Rats can be deterred by simply placing a wire mesh between the heap and the soil. The compost is ready to use when it has a crumbly appearance and a slightly earthy smell. The compost can then be dug into the top soil of garden beds, spread under trees and bushes as a mulch, or used as part of a potting mix for houseplants or seedling trays. Bogs and their wildlife are destroyed by peat mining worldwide.
Bogs are a finite resource.
An area of bog 20 times the size of Monaco is destroyed in Ireland each year. Moss peat is often mined from conservation worthy bogs. Gardening facts Garden plants don't need peat - wild ones such as Sundews and Bog Cotton do. Professional and amateur gardeners can and do use alternative composts to moss peat. As a direct result of the peat campaign you can now buy peat-free composts and container grown plants.