Waste will always accumulate in any household - branches, grass, manure, leaves and much more. You can simply burn them, or you can prepare a useful nutritious fertilizer for plants. How to make a compost heap in the country with your own hands is a whole science. It is based not only on the principles of combining components, but also on the work of those microorganisms that process plant residues, because fertilization will not take place without them.
The work of bacteria and earthworms in nature is that they gradually eat and digest the remains of plants and all organic matter in the soil. In the digestive tract, the residues are decomposed into the smallest components and fermented, resulting in the formation of humic acids - the main indicator of soil fertility.
Composting is connecting. If you collect all unnecessary organic matter from the garden and put it in a heap or pit, then sooner or later the microorganisms will do their job - they will digest the substances. But summer residents and industry went further: they learned to speed up the process, which in natural conditions lasts two years, and also created new ways to quickly process plant residues.
The principle of maturation of the compost heap is as follows: all organic matter contains bacteria that produce primary processing of raw materials. Earthworms eat the remains of microorganisms and plants, releasing coprolites into the surrounding space. After complete processing of the components, they turn into a dark substance, saturated with humates and nutrients.
The value of compost is:
When using various biodegradants, you can get up to three portions of fertilizer per season, depending on the size of the compost bin and the amount of waste.
Making a compost heap with your own hands in the country requires the correct calculation of the components. They are divided into carbon - Brown color and nitrogen - green.
The first are:
Nitrogen components are:
For each nitrogen part, there should be 2 parts of carbon, so that the composting process does not slow down or disrupt.
In nature, there are two types of bacteria that recycle waste - aerobic and anaerobic. The first ones breathe oxygen and die in its absence; they live in the upper layers of the soil, decomposing the roots and tops into tiny particles.
Anaerobes do not need oxygen and function in confined spaces. To cultivate them on an industrial scale, for example for the production of drugs for septic tanks, the culture medium is isolated under a layer of paraffin to prevent oxygen from entering the liquid through the surface.
The compost heap can be open or closed, that is, it can be permeable or isolated from the outside environment. In the first case, aerobes will multiply and work, in the second - anaerobes.
Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages. When the composter is open, it will take more time and effort to care for the compost heap to mature evenly.
At proper care and regular mixing of the layers, the finished fertilizer is obtained in 2 - 3 months, provided that EO preparations are used to accelerate ripening. The fertilizer will be completely ready without additional additives. after 1.5 - 2 years.
In a closed container, you don't need to do anything like that - just fold the components correctly and close. The maturation process takes longer - about a year and a half without the use of biodegradants - compost accelerators.
A properly made compost heap on the plot matures faster with the aerobic method. With the use of EM preparations, compost can be obtained in 1.5 - 2 months. It is easier for gardeners to control the process, since when the components dry out, the activity of bacteria stops, the combustion temperature drops, and the substances stop decomposing.
Need to top up pure water, it is better with drugs-accelerators. The disadvantage of this method is that in the process, some of the nutrients evaporate. To a greater extent, this applies to nitrogen. Aerobic compost gives off an odor during decomposition, but it escapes into the atmosphere and does not cause any inconvenience.
With anaerobic composting, virtually all nutrients remain in the composter. By adding carbon dry components that absorb liquid, concentrated compost can be made.
It is suitable for feeding mature plants, but for young seedlings it will need to be mixed with soil to reduce the concentration. The preparation time of the compost heap anaerobically is 4 - 6 months on average. This is the fastest that can be expected from bacteria, even when added in the form of preparations.
With a properly organized process, acidity rises and destroys helminth eggs if there is manure in the composition. Weed seeds do not withstand such an environment.
In the middle of the last century, a study of the activity of red earthworms began, which were called Californian, since it was in California that they were first used to prepare highly nutritious compost. It turned out that they multiply faster and digest more plant residues. An adult eats food per day as much as it weighs itself, and reproduces hundreds of times faster laying cocoons.
After research, it turned out that there is several times more humus after processing waste by red Californian worms than after other species. Vermicompost is currently the most expensive organic fertilizer that pays for itself completely. Plants require several times less substance, but it is absorbed by 98%. For comparison - mineral fertilizers are only 30%.
Organic fertilizer - a compost heap with your own hands using earthworms can be equipped in the warm season. To do this, buy several individuals for breeding and put them in a container. In the warm season, they intensively feed and reproduce.
The life span of a red worm is 16 years at favorable conditions... It is necessary to maintain the moisture level and temperature - this species does not tolerate frost and drying out of the habitat. The optimum temperature is 18 - 20 degrees Celsius. It is advisable not to overflow the compost heap, as eukaryotes can suffocate.
Layers are not stacked tightly to ensure air circulation inside. As the food components are consumed in the compost heap, a new portion is poured into the worms, and they crawl into the upper layer, and the lower one is ready for use.
Worm farms with compost heaps on garden plot – good view business. In the fall, with cold snaps, the boxes are moved to a warm place. Californian worms lack the instinct of self-preservation - with the onset of cold weather, they do not crawl into the lower layers of the soil, but get into a ball near the surface and freeze so.
For airtight composting, it is important to know how to properly make your own compost heap. A completely sealed structure is required. For this purpose, Plastic container with a hatch or a concrete container dug into the ground. In this case, the bottom must be filled cement mortar so that nutrients are not absorbed into the soil, but are preserved for the plants. There must be a cover with a hatch.
You can use a simple method - put the components in trash bags and put them in a cool place out of the sun.
Making an open compost pile with your own hands is easier. It is necessary to build a box of boards, the gaps between which will facilitate air circulation. It is better to make 2 boxes next to each other so that, if necessary, you can transfer the maturing compost from one box to another.
There are special plastic containers with holes for aerobic composting, but their price will be much higher than homemade construction from scrap materials - mesh, boards, slate, plastic sheets.
If you don't know how to make a compost heap correctly, you can spoil the raw materials. The main thing is to follow the rule of mixing components - 1 part nitrogen - 2 parts carbon. There should be layers of soil between them.
The first - the lowest layer - is soil or peat. You can put dry straw or hay on the bottom. This is a kind of bedding that will absorb liquid and control the amount of air inside.
Further, green and brown layers alternate, which are shifted by the earth. Compost made from only nitrogen components will deteriorate faster if you do not add lime. If a stench appears, you urgently need to add carbonaceous substances, slaked lime, mix and add EO preparations - you can do those that are prepared at home. Fermented milk and yeast solutions are suitable.
If the content of carbon substances is exceeded, then the maturation of the compost heap can be expected for a very long time. The decomposition process will not start without nitrogenous components. It can be accelerated by adding greenery and watering with EM preparations. In the absence of both, urea or nitrate is used as the nitrogen substance.
Video: DIY compost heap
If desired, mineral fertilizers, ash, bone meal or superphosphate are added to the finished fertilizer to increase the nutritional characteristics.
Diseased plants are not suitable for composting. If the temperature is too low, the spores of the fungus will spread with the compost throughout the area. It will be difficult to remove them and the entire crop will die.
Do not add sawdust from painted boards. The chemicals kill bacteria. Such a component as coniferous litter is used carefully, as it increases the acidity of the finished fertilizer.
Plastic, metal, glossy paper, glass and synthetic fabrics are not compostable as they are not recycled by bacteria.
Anaerobic compost does not need to be cared for, except that you need to choose a place for it away from the sun's rays. At high temperatures microorganisms die.
The aerobic mixture should be watered with a new portion of bacteria every 20 days. This will speed up maturation. To make fertilization even faster, the components are turned over with a pitchfork. Bacteria multiply better in air. The compost heap decomposes more quickly when it is loose.
Maintaining moisture is the second condition for the growth of the number of microorganisms. Without water, their activity stops, and the ripening of the fertilizer slows down.
The best time for bookmarking comes when the air warms up to 18 - 20 degrees. It could be the beginning of summer or early autumn... It is advisable that the composter is in the shade - this way it dries up more slowly and is not exposed to ultraviolet radiation, which is harmful to bacteria.
When using EO preparations, the fertilizer will be ready earlier than with natural decay. Mature compost has a loose structure, slightly moist: if you squeeze a handful of fertilizer in your hand, then water should not drip from it.
The basic principle of gardening is that the land on which the seedlings are planted must be fertile or sufficiently fertilized. Compost plays one of the first roles in gardening. Through the application of various organic fertilizers, gardeners achieve results in the collection of an excellent harvest of vegetable, fruit and berry crops.
But a number of questions are still acute:
There are many fakes on the market that are issued for natural fertilizers - humus, compost, and so on. But there is no guarantee that this is not an ordinary "dilution" stuffed with various chemical additives, which will then harm the soil and crops.
The solution to these questions rests on a new one: how to make compost yourself? Anyone can do this procedure. A high-quality organic fertilizer, due to the various nutrients it contains, practically does not differ at all from high-quality humus. And this allows him to guarantee excellent yields.
Compost is a natural organic fertilizer, which you can get yourself. It is saturated with various necessary elements and processes due to the waste of all kinds of microorganisms contained in it.
Such fertilizer is quite simple to do with your own hands in a personal or garden plot. The resulting substance can subsequently be used for growing and further cultivation of biologically and environmentally friendly crops and products.
Having set out such a goal, how to make compost with your own hands high level, it is necessary to familiarize yourself and in the future adhere to certain rules, be aware of some of the subtleties and nuances.
To make compost with your own hands, you need to withstand the following conditions and consider the following information.
Choose the time necessary for this event, traditionally these are the months from September to November.
Do not be afraid to start creating humus with your own hands, since this event is quite simple and will not require any serious temporary or financial stress.
Useful information that the compost heap will be a kind of bioreactor... That is, in advance you need to be prepared for the fact that only clean waste will go there, without any chemical or synthetic impurities.
To start composting yourself, you need to make sure that there is (or can be organized) sufficient conditions to create humus: a warm and humid place.
Before composting, it is necessary to prepare a place for the compost heap.
With your own hands, a compost heap is created as follows: first, a remote place is selected on the site, fenced off with some organic materials, usually simple boards. The dimensions of the enclosed space will play a fundamental role here. It is necessary to maintain the following dimensions: width - 1.5 meters, length - 1.5 meters, height - 1 meter. If it turns out to be smaller, the produced compost will dry out rapidly and, at the same time, not warm up enough inside. All this will lead to the fact that the technology for creating high-quality humus will be disrupted, since fermentation inside the heap will be too slow. But if you keep the dimensions, such problems will not arise.
The process of transition of organic matter, consisting of waste, into high-quality humus will take place due to the vital activity of the organisms in it. They will multiply rapidly, due to which the required amount of energy will be released. The waste products of these organisms will start all important biochemical processes and ensure their fastest possible course.
When the site for creating humus is ready, you can proceed to the next stage, how to make humus with your own hands.
What can you compost?
For compost, it will be necessary to collect as many different types of waste as possible. It is important to understand here that the more extensive its composition, the more complete the humus will be. Once again, we note that the composition should be from natural materials. Any synthetic chemical waste should not be allowed into it.
You can safely add the following to the compost heap: various household and household waste, peeled potato skins, stalks, bones and skins from fruits and vegetables, egg shells, leftover bread, tea leaves.
You can stack the leftovers after construction work: shavings, sawdust, thin cardboard, paper.
Agricultural waste (weeds after weeding, chopped branches, unnecessary hay or straw), waste products of poultry, animals. Even natural fabrics, paper, newspapers, etc. will do.
In order to properly compost, it is important to remember that all waste that is placed in it must be pre-crushed... If you do not do this, putting too large and previously unshredded waste into the compost, instead of compost, you can end up with just a large trash heap. The necessary processes, microorganisms and other necessary things will no longer be in it. Accordingly, it will not be humus either. That is, every such mistake in the question of "how to make compost" can lead to spoilage of the collected material.
The correct compost heap also requires proper maintenance. In this case, leaving means its correct cover. It is necessary in order to regulate the amount of moisture, heat and sunlight.
The correct solution would be to cover the humus with organic materials as well. It would be appropriate to use thick paper, cardboard, boxes, unnecessary chipboard boards, etc. In no case should all kinds of plastic films and other synthetic materials be allowed. They reduce contact with oxygen, and, accordingly, disrupt important metabolic processes inside the humus. The characteristic odors will help to convince you of this.
At this stage, we will define readiness of compost for use... On average, compost becomes usable after 8 months from the beginning of its creation. Determining that humus is ready for use is easy. To do this, you need to make sure that the compost material has a homogeneous free-flowing mass, the color of which should be dark brown, and the characteristic earthy smell. If these characteristics have appeared in a compostable heap, you can safely use it for fertilization.
The material obtained by the above method is an organically important fertilizer that can be applied to any horticultural crop. In this case, there are no contraindications, exceptions and reservations. This compost can be applied to all crops grown., adhering to the same doses that traditionally apply to manure. That is, it will be about 100 or 200 kilograms per one hundred square meters. This valuable humus can be brought in in the fall or spring during plowing or while digging up the soil. It is also very simple to use. It is enough to simply scatter it over freshly plowed soil or put it in holes like a mulching material.
Often, beginners, starting to prepare humus for the first time, make various mistakes. If, for any reason, the compost was not made correctly enough and mistakes were made, this does not mean that it is worth throwing everything away. You can try to correct the situation and loosen the humus. Thus, air exchange will be restored and the necessary processes can be restarted.
In this situation, which has arisen due to the fact that, most likely, enough heat does not enter the material for humus, you can add a little moisture yourself. The average moisture content in the compostable material should not exceed 60-70 percent.
More often, another situation arises: sometimes the compost material turns out to be too moist due to the fact that work with it is carried out in the autumn, and it is most often rainy. If the compost heap is overflowed with water, in this situation it is necessary to control the moisture level and close the heap in time.
For any farmer or just a gardener, 8 months of compost maturation is more than a serious period. However, great news awaits gardeners. At the moment, there are several simple measures that allow you to shift the maturation of the compost literally up to a few days. To do this, add specially selected microorganisms to the compost material.... The necessary microorganisms and bacteria are contained in special preparations, which were developed precisely for the rapid production of high-quality humus. They are completely harmless, they only bring benefits and excellent results. They perfectly take root inside the compost, more than significantly speed up the metabolic processes inside it.
For great humus in a few days it is necessary to turn to such a biostimulating drug as "Embrico Compost". We owe its development to the Crimean scientists. This preparation helps the compost heap to mature in just 5-7.5 weeks.
In addition to the fact that this stimulant effectively accelerates metabolic processes inside the humus, it has a number of pleasant additions:
How to use Embrico Compost correctly:
If the compost is correct, you can safely expect a lush harvest. And what is especially nice, not only in one season. Good and correct humus can improve the structure of the soil. This allows him to provide yields for several years ahead.
Good and correct humus contains all the most necessary micro and macro elements for the best growth of plantings.
Compost can increase the immunity of garden plantings to all sorts of unfavorable conditions, diseases, even pests.
Your personal compost allows you to save a lot on expensive funds and efficiently use usually disposed household waste.
It has become much easier to get your own compost thanks to the development of a biostimulator. Now you do not have to wait for the humus to be ready for almost a whole year.
Rotted manure has always been considered the best organic fertilizer. But it is not always and not everywhere it is easy to find it, therefore many summer residents independently prepare a substitute for manure - compost. Almost any organic waste is suitable for him, and after a while, almost free fertilizer is obtained.
Compost contains the same nutrients as manure and in most cases the two fertilizers are used interchangeably. It is only important to prepare the compost correctly.
Compost is a natural fertilizer obtained from various wastes of plant and animal origin by decomposing them. It is formed by biodegradation of organic matter under the influence of microorganisms. Composting requires the presence of air, so they try to place waste not in a pit, but in some kind of structure on the soil surface. In addition to air, biodegradation of organic matter requires high humidity and the ability to maintain internal heat.
During the season, the pile is constantly growing: the lower layers may already be almost ready, and fresh raw materials are still being applied on top
Properly prepared compost is a highly effective fertilizer that is free of helminths, weed seeds and pathogenic microflora. Compost has a favorable acidity for most crops (pH 6.7–8.4), contains about 3% nitrogen (half of it is in the ammonium form), up to 3% phosphorus and up to 2% potassium.
The list of microelements contained in compost is wide: zinc, copper, boron, molybdenum, etc.
Compost not only fertilizes the soil, but also improves its structure: it becomes loose and moisture-consuming. Compost is widely used for mulching: it conserves moisture and suppresses the growth of weeds. Composting allows you to save money on the purchase of fertilizers, makes it possible to get rid of a large amount of garbage and waste.
You can start composting at any time, except in winter. As a rule, the first layers begin to form already at the beginning of summer, when weeds are dumped, and by autumn the compost heap grows rapidly. For accelerated decomposition, it would be better if the process takes place during the warm season. But life makes its own adjustments, the bulk of waste in the country arises in the second half of summer and autumn.
If possible, prepare a special box, but you can do without it by simply fencing the compost heap with boards made of boards or slate sheets. For the construction of the box, you can use any boards, just not painted and not rotten. It can be of any size (at least 1.5 x 1.5 m), but the height is convenient within 1.0–1.2 m: a higher stack will make the compost more difficult to maintain.
The options for arranging the compost box are very diverse, it all depends on the owner's imagination and the availability of materials
The box is erected on level ground or on a small hill so that the compost is not washed away by rainwater. When constructing it, it is not necessary to adjust the boards: it is necessary to provide sufficient oxygen access. Often the front wall is made removable to make it easier to add material and take ready-made compost. Many people put oilcloth or old linoleum at the bottom of the box, but this is not necessary.
A variety of natural materials are placed in the compost; the wider their list, the more micronutrients the fertilizer will contain. The most common "participants":
You also need to know what does not belong in the compost heap. You should not put in it:
Fresh manure can only be added to the compost if it is expected to be prepared for at least a year.
As waste is formed, they are crushed and piled in layers in a compost heap, periodically alternating with layers of earth. The layer of earth is only 3-4 cm, it is poured when 15-25 cm of organic matter is collected. If the weather is dry, be sure to water the pile to keep it constantly moist.
If the pile is small, it is worth shoveling from time to time to increase air access. In winter, no one will do this at their summer cottage, but in the spring, with the beginning of the season, it is highly desirable to turn over the contents. If there is peat, it is periodically added to the heap. If possible, it is helpful to water the pile with slurry.
Compost can be ready for use in 6-8 months. The finished fertilizer is a loose, homogeneous mass of brown color, without a pungent odor: it should only smell a little of earth.
Compost is an almost free organic fertilizer that every gardener can easily prepare on his site. It is only important to know what you can use to make compost, and put in a little effort.
Discussing the benefits of composting is like discussing the benefits of clean hands, even indecent. Not only do we recycle waste, but we also get valuable organic fertilizer. The whole question is how to properly prepare compost in the country, how to make a compost box, and also how to speed up this process and not do unnecessary work.
How is compost made
Compost is organic waste decomposed by bacteria, fungi, worms and insects. The result is a nutrient substrate saturated with nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, etc. During natural heating, pathogenic microorganisms and helminth eggs, many weed seeds die in it. In addition, the amount of cellulose and pectins decreases, which do not allow plants to fully receive all the same nitrogen and phosphorus. In general, a great thing for improving the quality of the soil. However, compost production has its own nuances.
Nicola's Garden Art Inc.
How to make compost on the site: with or without oxygen
First of all, it is worth deciding on the type of composting. There are two of them: aerobic occurs with the participation of oxygen, anaerobic - without it. Each method has its own adherents.
With the anaerobic method, a hole 60-100 cm deep is pulled out in the ground, it is desirable to concreted the bottom and sides in it. Chopped organic waste is placed in this pool, they are compacted, covered with a film and covered with a layer of earth on top. In the pit, ensiling begins, anaerobic bacteria are slowly but surely doing their job.
Amy renea
With this method, a full-fledged compost will be obtained at best by the next season. However, many gardeners do not wait, and after a month they use silage - they lay it under the beds, cover it with soil and plant seeds. Silage will "reach" in the ground, but it will attract earthworms, the gardener's best friends. The closed type of composting has one more disadvantage, in addition to the long wait for the result: the smell of hydrogen sulfide, which, like methane, is abundantly released during the fermentation of wet waste. But, as supporters of this method assure, it's worth it: supposedly anaerobic bacteria are more useful than aerobic ones, and "cold" (soil temperature rarely exceeds 35 degrees) composting is more useful than hot composting. And in general, the longer organic matter decomposes, the more valuable microorganisms it contains. Whether it is true or not, it is difficult to say, but the fact that with closed type composting, weed seeds survive well - a fact.
Therefore, most often gardeners use an aerobic method of composting, using oxygen. We will discuss it in more detail.
Homefront farmers
Jocelyn H. Chilvers
CompoKeeper
The gardener's path is littered with hundreds of composting tips. Some do not put fast-rooting plants like field bindweed in the compost - otherwise they will sprout and ruin the whole holiday (let them dry out first). Others laugh at these tricks - everything will overwhelm. Whether to lay the tops of tomatoes and potatoes, strawberry leaves in the summer cottage compost - everyone also decides for himself. They are often afflicted with disease, but this is not at all necessary. But if you treated plants with chemical preparations against pests, it is definitely better not to put them in compost. Plants infected with viruses must be burned.
Why are hard and sharp elements in compost dangerous?
“I would not recommend adding twigs, tough stems (especially those with thorns - from roses), cones to the compost - they decompose for 3-4 years, and usually it takes a year to ripen the compost. As a result, sharp, rigid elements remain in it, says landscape designer Anna Podolina, a member of the Garbage.Bolshe.Net environmental movement, who founded and oversees the direction of bio-processing of waste. - For the same reason, any bones are dangerous! They are sharp, hard, and sometimes do not decompose in three years. When working in the garden, it is easy to get injured with sharp fragments in the compost, and a lot of bacteria will get into the wound. Very dangerous, tetanus-inducing ones can also get in! This is the main problem with bones in compost, not that cats or dogs visit. And no one is safe from mice or rats in the country. "
Grafted landscapes
How to make compost right: the science of planting
Before preparing compost, let's understand the recipe. All organic matter for composting is divided into two main groups: nitrogenous and carbonaceous, or, as they are also called, "green" and "brown". From the name it is clear that one group actively produces nitrogen, the other - carbon. In a well-placed compost, the layers of both groups should alternate. The bottom layer is “brown”.
Claude Pasquer Architecte Paysagiste DPLG
Ideally, the ratio of carbon to nitrogen in maturing compost should be 30: 1. There are averaged parameters: for example, in fresh grass this ratio is 15: 1, and in dry leaves - 50: 1. But to understand that it's time to adjust the balance, your nose will help you.
It is better to put large branches at the bottom of the compost bin, they will provide air access. A very small "pillow" of sawdust can be used for drainage. Further, nitrogenous layers alternate with carbon ones: we shift the green grass from the lawn with last year's leaves, etc. The optimum layer thickness is 15 cm. Sprinkle a little earth on top of each layer - it already contains the necessary microorganisms, they will start the decomposition process faster. Also cover the top of the box with earth. It is best to place new waste in the middle of the pile to avoid attracting flies and rodents.
Gardeners-chemists add dolomite flour, superphosphate and potassium to the composter, but with proper care, the compost will receive all the necessary minerals without these additives.
Claude Pasquer Architecte Paysagiste DPLG
What happens if you do not alternate layers
Nitrogenous materials are called "firebox" - they decompose and heat up. The hotter the pile, the faster the compost matures. However, this environment is too acidic and there is little oxygen in it. You can deoxidize the nitrogenous layer with ash or chalk. Or add carbonaceous materials to the "furnace" - they do not heat up, contain a lot of air and consume nitrogen. At the same time, carbonaceous materials will decompose for a very long time without nitrogenous materials. To speed up, they are sometimes flavored with urea or nitrate at the rate of 1 kg per 1 cubic meter.
Watch your temperature. If it exceeds 70 degrees, the beneficial bacteria will die. If the pile "burns", its contents must be transferred to another box or mixed well.
GARDIGAME
How to make a composter
For composting waste, pits, trenches, heaps, boxes are made, ready-made composters are used. Whatever it is, it is better to choose a place in the shade, otherwise the moisture from the waste will quickly evaporate, and you will have to water your treasure all the time.
Pits are usually used for cold composting. For hot - heaps and boxes. The compost heap is not a pleasant sight. It is laid with a trapezoid, the height and width of the heap should not exceed 1.5 m.
Most often, a box is made for composting - this way the contents do not crumble, it is convenient to mix it, and it looks neater than a heap. The stores sell plastic composter boxes, cost from 2 thousand rubles and more. But why overpay?
Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting
How to make a compost bin with your own hands
For this, you can use boards, pallets, old barrels or metal mesh like a chain-link. The compost bin is pretty simple. It should be no more than 1.5 m in height, otherwise it will be difficult to mix the contents in order to provide ventilation - without it, rotting will begin with unpleasant odor... The length and width of the box do not have clear standards, most often they are 1x2 m and 1x1.5 m. You should not make a box less than 1 m wide, since the compost mass may not be enough for heating.
Steve lick timberworks
Sometimes the area under the composter is concreted - this is convenient for collecting mature compost, but it impairs drainage and blocks the path of earthworms. The same applies to "pillows" made of clay, peat or sand. They are only needed if the compost is made from faeces and slurry.
When it comes to garden waste, it is more convenient to place the compost block directly on the ground. The most important thing is to provide air access to the sides and bottom. Therefore, the box is placed on blocks or planks. It does not have a solid bottom: large branches are laid directly on the bars, and already on them - sawdust for drainage, grass and everything else. Above - earth or peat.
GARDIGAME
In the photo: the net protects the composter from rodents, but does not prevent it from being "ventilated"
Birdseye design
A box is a conditional concept. It is more convenient for someone to drill holes in a barrel that has served its purpose, for someone to dig in four pillars and enclose them with a net. And for someone - to build a whole composting palace under the roof.
At Home Organic Farms
The lid and door are useful but optional options. The door will help you extract the finished compost from the bottom, if you are not going to dig up the contents of the bin. You can even make a tailgate. The lid will cover the box from the sun and intruders.
BLUEWAGON LANDSCAPE & DESIGN INC
Where to put the compost bin and how to decorate
According to sanitary standards, the composting device should be removed 8 m from the well, including the neighboring one. If the site has a slope, then the pit is made below the well. One meter must be retreated from the fence.
If there is not enough space, the compost bin can be made from one section, two or even three - in one section fresh compost matures, in the second the ready-made mixture awaits its fate. And the third is for shifting, so that the decomposition process goes faster.
Elena Stepanova
In the photo: vertical flower bed- a good idea how to make a garden composter with your own hands
As long as there are compost bins, gardeners are puzzled over how to hide them in the surrounding beauty. One of the most interesting ways is a decorative flower bed, made in a table on wheels. It is rolled over the top of the composter. When access to the drawer is needed, the flowerbed table is pushed back. Another way is to combine the composter with the flower bed right away.
Noland Landscape Design
In the photo: you can cover the compost bin with screens, trellises or a green roof.
Claude Pasquer Architecte Paysagiste DPLG
In the photo: you can even make a garden sculpture out of a composter. For example, a mushroom
How to speed up the maturation of compost in the country
Of course, all gardeners though know how to compost quickly. Depending on the composition and care, it can mature from two months to two years. The easiest way to speed up this process is to add biologics with bacteria. There are many of them on the market: Baikal EM-1, Vostok EM-1, Vozrozhdenie, Shining, Urgas, Gumisol, Tamir. Most accelerators are classified as microbiological soil improvement fertilizers. Depending on the brand, they may contain lactic acid, nitrogen-fixing and photosynthetic bacteria, microscopic yeast, radiant fungi and their waste products. This army accelerates the decomposition of organic waste and suppresses pathogens. Each layer is sprayed with a solution with bacteria (read the dilution instructions carefully). After that, the contents are usually poured over with water, covered with earth and covered with polyethylene.
Elena Veselova
If you don't trust bottled preparations, use ready-made, mature compost instead - pour it between the layers. This material is teeming with working microorganisms, so in 2-3 months you can get the finished material. The decomposition can be accelerated by watering the maturing compost with manure infusion or adding bird droppings to it. Some gardeners water the pile with herbal infusion (herbal ferments).
When looking for the perfect method to compost quickly, remember that the smaller the waste, the faster it decomposes. Therefore, the branches should be cut, the paper should be torn, etc.
How to care for compost
In aerobic composting, microorganisms need air. Therefore, the compost needs to be mixed from time to time. This can be done within 10 days after the bookmark. While stirring, loosen the contents, there should be no lumps in it.
To prevent compost from caking and ensiling, it is better to dry the tops and grass before placing them in the box.
For effective decomposition, organic matter needs moisture, the compost should not dry out. But you can't fill it in either, this will slow down the process. The ideal humidity is 60%. We check it like this: we take the compost from the depths and squeeze it in our hand - if there are drops of moisture, then there is enough water. The composter must be closed when it rains. Forgot to close - shuffle the content. Overmoistened - add carbon waste, it will remove water.
GARDIGAME
Keep track of your nitrogen and hydrocarbon balance. If the compost has cooled down quickly or does not want to heat up at all, then you need to add waste from the nitrogen group - for example, fresh grass. The smell of ammonia has appeared - it's time to add carbonaceous components. Whether to add in such cases store-bought fertilizers - urea or saltpeter - is a controversial issue. Most gardeners believe that this degrades the quality and environmental friendliness of the product, so it is better to do with natural remedies. The smell of rotten eggs indicates a lack of oxygen - take a pitchfork and stir the compost. Those who do not have the opportunity to regularly mix the contents of the compost box, rearrange the layers with large branches, this prevents them from caking.
Nature's Realm
What is a composting trench
A special type of compost pit is a trench bed. Usually it is dug half a meter deep. In summer, waste is dumped into it, sprinkled with mature humus, poured with manure infusion. For the winter, they are covered with sawdust. These beds are ideal for planting cucumbers, zucchini and watermelons with melons.
Sushiiphoto
On next year when there is less nitrogen in the trench, you can plant onions, cabbage or tomatoes with peppers here. Compost beds are effective for five years. It is better to plant carrots and potatoes last in them. And then refill with fresh compost.
Amy renea
How to prepare compost in trash bags
One of the most popular composting techniques in recent years is the use of dense plastic garbage bags. Actually, there are two methods. First: mix nitrogenous and carbonaceous waste (grass and dry leaves) in the bag, tie the bag, make holes in it with a pitchfork and leave it there for a year. The only advantage over traditional composting is that the bag is easier to move and thaws faster than the pile.
The second method is “fast”: a layer of sod is placed on the bottom of the bag, then organic matter is poured, which is spilled with “Baikal” or another compost accelerator. The bag is tightly tied, wrapped with tape and left untouched for two months. Fertilizer is usually ready by this time.
CompoKeeper
There is an opinion that the bags must be necessarily black, opaque. But, as the son of mistakes shows - experience, and in construction bags, under the influence of biostimulants, the grass quickly overheats. Experienced gardeners and, moreover, ecologists are skeptical about such experiments - they are not environmentally friendly.
Vermicomposting
In vermicomposting, the main labor force is earthworms... They pass organic matter along with microorganisms and fungi through themselves, turning it into a valuable fertilizer.
Why are worms good? They not only accelerate the maturation of the compost, but also saturate it with useful substances, disinfect it, and give it a granular form. In this case, no questionable additives are used. The compost processed by worms is called bimohumus and costs decent money in stores. And a worm worker is wonderful, he is able to produce up to 100 grams of useful substrate per season. It is not surprising that this method is gaining popularity from year to year, there are many benefits devoted to breeding worms on the site. Let's dwell on the main principles.
Mark hickman homes
Worms are different. The productivity of specially bred Californian and our "prospectors" is much higher than that of ordinary rainwater. But they often die, freeze and do not always take root, especially if they fall into the hands of a beginner. Local individuals, accustomed to the climate and soil, are much more tenacious.
To breed worms, you need a worm nursery. They are made in pipes, boxes (piles), beds, but not in pits. Most often it is a box-cube about a meter high with a door from below. Below is a fine mesh so that moles do not crawl through. 30-40 cm of ready-made or semi-mature compost is placed in it, poured with water and left to "lie down". After a week, you can put the worms in the compost in their native soil - that is, not just pour out the residents' jar, but bury the clod of earth with the worms in the compost. This is necessary for their nutritional adaptation. Then you can add new compost and do not forget to water it (just not with ice water). It is recommended to mineralize the substrate that the worms process from time to time - add a little ground gypsum, chalk, eggshells, dolomite flour.
Steve Masley Consulting and Design
A place in the shade is chosen for the wormhole. It is better to close the box on top with a lid, and if it is a ridge, then with straw or burlap. Whether the worms have switched to a new substrate will be seen by their condition. The settled tenants will be clean and mobile. The recycled vermicompost will be at the bottom - that's what the door is for. To prevent the compost from stagnating in the worm house, it must be dug up, but not with a shovel, but with a pitchfork, so as not to damage the worms. An important point: these workers do not tolerate acidic or too alkaline environments. PH - 6 to 8. To reduce acidity, use dolomite flour and chalk, and alkalinity use gypsum. Do not forget that ash is a strong alkali, more careful with it.
After the temperature drops below 4 degrees, and the worms go into hibernation, do not forget to fill them with "food" - so that in the spring there will be something to eat. From above, the box is covered with earth 30 cm and covered with straw. And close all the cracks to keep out rodents. For reliability, you can spill the wormhole with water - it will become an impregnable ice fortress.
Pennsylvania Landscape & Nursery Association
Can it be used as a compost for mushrooms?
If you are looking for how to make compost for mushrooms, then keep in mind: the substrate that was obtained from the decomposition of organic waste is not suitable for growing mushrooms. Compost for mushrooms is prepared within a month from horse or cow manure, chicken manure or a mixture thereof, wheat or alfalfa straw, alabaster and / or chalk, water. Initially, all the components are laid in layers, and then interrupted several times. Depending on the composition, there is a procedure for re-laying and adding new components so that the soil for the mycelium is correctly formed. Cultivation of champignons is a whole science and a separate topic.
B. Jane Gardens
Relax and have fun
“From the abundance of information, it may seem to a beginner that compost is something very complex and requires constant attention, supervision and action. In fact, compost is very simple, - says Anna Podolina from the environmental movement Garbage. Bigger. No. - Even if you just dump suitable chopped organic matter in one place, it will turn into “black earth” in two years. Air access is important, but often the cracks in the sides of the composter are enough for it, only occasionally it is stirred. I do not make either a lid or a bottom. Rain shed - it's okay! Dried up for a while - it doesn't matter either.
Want less odors and a more “scientific” composition? Use mowed grass to dispose of food waste and occasionally cover with earth. If you really want to speed up the process, you can spill it with a “bio-solution” from the store or with diluted urea. Why hurry, though? It is simpler and more logical to simply make two composters: one fills up in a year, the second “reaches”. "
May 17, 2018 azarova
Can plants be grown without fertilizers? Probably, this is possible, but what will be the result of such agrotechnical actions is not difficult to predict. In other words, far from perfect. Therefore, we will not "reinvent the wheel", but we will teach you how to prepare compost or humus.
Most summer residents are used to composting themselves. This allows you to save money and time, and also frees you from a lot of unnecessary worries.
Humus is one of the best fertilizers, when introduced into the soil, it is possible to fill it with a large amount of microelements. Although its price is low, thanks to the practicality of the material, it is possible to achieve the correct structuring of the soil. For example, moisture saving is increased and the loosening necessary for plants is created.
Tip: If you scatter humus over the soil surface, you will create the best organic mulch that retains moisture and inhibits the growth of most types of weeds on the site.
In addition to the beneficial process of composting, you also make a significant contribution to the protection of the environment. Difficult to find mineral fertilizer, which can be compared with high-quality humus, besides, a well-formed pit, where organic components are processed, becomes a real incubator for beneficial microorganisms and bacteria.
Advice: quickly settle down on suburban area ready-made country houses from block containers.
By composting, you will be able to reduce the physical labor on the site. Now there is no need to take out garbage from the territory, since almost everything can be placed in a special pit.
This name was given to a product that is obtained from organic waste under the influence of the environment, as well as a large number of various microorganisms and insects. It is used for structuring the soil, in the form of fertilization and mulching.
Do not know what to do with fallen leaves in the country, branches and bark of trees, as well as their stems of plants?
Then, to get high-quality and environmentally friendly compost without toxic compounds, do the following:
Of course, there is a certain drawback in the method - the decomposition time of organic residues is quite long, sometimes several years. However, as a result, you will have a really high-quality product, and not a store-bought one, made on the basis of incomprehensible components.
Before moving on to the main phase, let's make a compost bin or pit. In the first case, you will have to make a box according to certain dimensions and requirements.
The following suggested instruction will help you with this:
Advice: take unedged pine boards for the box, then such a container will last a very long time, and its cost will be minimal.
Tip: Try to place the container under the compost just above the ground to prevent it from being washed away.
Advice: if you have difficulties with, renting a diesel generator for a summer cottage will help you.
Experts use the fast and slow method. They also received another name - hot and cold.
| Fast (hot) |
Cooking in this way takes several months. It is better to start using the material from the lower layers. |
