An old barrel instead of a compost heap. Miracle helper - barrel for composting (compost barrel) Compost pit from corrugated board

In this article we will talk about how to make compost with your own hands using special tools. It turns out that you can quite easily make a compost bin with your own hands. This device is used as a fence for a compost heap in a summer cottage. You can also use empty barrels, containers from under various bulk substances.

After choosing a place, it was up to the filling container itself. Plastic box or wooden box? Plastic is prettier and more durable, but boards are more affordable - there is a stack of old boards in everyone's barn ...

DIY compost bin

In order to make a compost box with your own hands, you need only 4 short boards, 50-70 cm long. Set it on the grass in the form of a low box and secure with pegs. Or nail them together. Let the composter turn out to be low - in the early summer, the accumulation of kitchen waste and weeds is slow, and there will be enough time to come up with something better.

A box 2-3 boards high for many will be quite sufficient for the season, by the fall you will just fill it with a slide.

By the way, it is not necessary to enclose the composter on four sides: the simplest compost storage can be limited only on two sides by boards. Or even on the one hand - from the front.

Compost types

In garden centers and other household outlets, you can find plastic composters of various shapes and sizes (what they don’t offer us there: boxes, “suitcases”, tanks, “beehives”, “flying saucers”.). Volume from one barrel (150-200 l) and above (400-900 l). Such an organic store is installed in the garden. With their help, you can prepare a wide variety of types of compost, since very favorable conditions are created in a plastic container for overheating and processing any type of waste.

Plastic can be considered the best material for organic recycling. It is neutral (steel quickly corrodes from organic compounds), light, durable (unlike boards that rot from below) and relatively cheap.

The large plastic composter is reliable in maintaining conditions for compost maturation due to its size. It “breathes” quite well, so special slots in the walls that are available in some models are not necessary.

For composting, any other household plastic container is also used: boxes, buckets from building materials, leaky basins. If necessary, plastic containers are immediately interchangeable, they can be temporarily withdrawn from fertilizer production for other garden needs (sheltering plants on cold nights, heating water in the sun for irrigation, growing seedlings ...). For this reason, it is impossible to give unconditional preference to large containers like 150-200 liter plastic barrels. Such barrels, of course, are very practical, very productive, but in addition to them, a “park” of smaller buckets and containers of 50-60 liters or 10-20 liters will not hurt. Organic top dressing at the height of the season is never superfluous!

Today, fruit vendors have all sorts of disposable plastic crates with slatted bottoms, which they often throw away when emptied. These small boxes are suitable for a multi-tiered composter, as they have a slatted bottom, they are joined to each other with special grooves. So, they are used for vermicompost: another box with fresh food for earthworms is delivered above the lower boxes with food turned into humus. Boxes can also be used for ordinary compost, as the gratings will create layers of air between the layers - this is very favorable for compost, which is periodically moistened from a watering can.

The simplest plastic composter is a plastic trash bag or a regular grocery bag. This "capacity" is used by some gardeners. The bag is filled with wet grass or foliage, tied up and left somewhere in the shade for several months, and the decomposed humus substance is removed. It is important that the packages do not cake during storage.

Compost at home

Compost at home is prepared using organic storage tanks, which differ from those considered in that they are located not in the garden, but somewhere in the living room: on the balcony, in the stairwell, or even in the kitchen itself. It has a modest size - 10-15 liters, apparently, in the expectation that a housewife could easily lift it.

For the first time, the gardener is perplexed: isn't it too small? But this is purely for peeling potatoes!

Yes, this composter is for the winter period, when the garden is covered with snow and organic matter comes down to daily kitchen waste according to the principle “fill one composter, take it away, and put the next one in its place.” It would be more correct to talk about a battery of several such composters that can be started, say, while living all year round in a country house. Filled, until spring they are stored in the cellar or on the veranda.

A small kitchen plastic composter is not just a “garbage bin”, it has its own structure: at the bottom there is a grate to hold the bulk of the waste. Under it, an air layer is formed, it provides breathing of the compost. It is important that this compartment is not filled with liquid. To drain it, a tap was made to drain excess liquid.

kitchen composter. It is understood that he is still standing not in the kitchen itself, but somewhere in the stairwell or in the glazed loggia, in the garage, in the frost-free shed, in the winter greenhouse, etc. Because the smell from it will inevitably be “not Chanel”, it is enough to remove the cover once to reset the next trimmings. Of course, you won’t regret microbial preparations on it, but they just don’t always cope ... It fills up rapidly. In the city, in a glazed loggia, a battery of filled composters will be accumulated until spring. But in the spring they will go to the site in the back seat of the car.

Compost and compost heap preparation

Boards are a favorite material for large composters among our gardeners. There are compost bins as high as a person and above, assembled from boards, sometimes upholstered with sheets of galvanized iron. The preparation of compost and compost heaps begins with the selection of a suitable place on the site and the installation of a device there.

For the base of a bulk box, 4 stakes, beams or logs are usually driven into or driven into the ground. Boards are nailed to them from the sides. If there are not enough of these side boards, then a sparse frame is made of them and then strips of galvanized iron or, for example, ondulin, sometimes roofing material, are nailed.

In the first season, it is filled with all kinds of plant material, and the next season, while it ripens, pumpkins are planted on top so that the garden area does not go to waste. Very large pumpkins are obtained here. There are so many nutrients in the compost that taking some of them with pumpkin roots will not deplete our fertilizer. You must have seen such high thickets of pumpkins near fences and sheds - these are ripening compost heaps. Sometimes cucumbers are planted instead of pumpkins.

The same boxes are made for composting manure or peat.

Compost in a barrel

In European countries, all kinds of compost walls made of concrete are common. Often these are just two “walls” installed at a right angle (horizontally or vertically) somewhere near the outbuildings, where garden debris is thrown, including autumn foliage (you need to put it somewhere when sweeping the yard). Temporarily inactive greenhouses made of concrete slabs are also used as a composter. Concrete is also an environmentally friendly material, it is one of the most suitable materials for a composter, as it is durable and strong, maintains the desired humidity well, and contact with organic materials does not destroy it, unlike wood.

Unfortunately, we rarely sell flat concrete blocks specifically for composters. As a substitute, wide garden tiles are suitable. A box of such tiles looks neater and more fundamental than a “kennel” made of boards. It is also worth considering the option of how to make compost in a barrel: this container is great for overheating any waste.

I needed compost. It does not matter whether he is ready to the end or not, but autumn has come, and it is time to act. We extract wealth and economically spend it "on the squares." Compost box, it is more convenient to remove it immediately, if possible.

How to make compost in a barrel?

Undecomposed stem fibers will definitely remain in the compost, which will make it difficult to extract, transfer and dig. Therefore, you usually have to grind it a little with a shovel right on the spot with blows from above, so that the blade goes to the ground. But now the compost is easy to mix and pour into buckets.

You can grind compost there, at the place of application, on the garden bed or in the trunk circle, if you carry it nearby and manage to transfer it on a pitchfork. This contributes to a more uniform digging: they scattered the compost over the surface of the beds, chopped it with a shovel - it had already mixed a little with the ground - and then dug it in.

A small bonus is loose and nutritious soil from under the compost to the depth of a shovel bayonet, which doubles the amount of our highly nutritious fertilizer. It always becomes more nutritious than it was, because toilet drains accumulate here, and if the compost is entirely vegetable, then earthworms are based here, they saturate it with caprolites. Compost ennobles everything on which it lies: sand, peat, overgrown garden soil. This land is also spread over the plantings, and the resulting hole is filled with turf or earth from another place. With a plastic composter, the situation will be somewhat more painstaking: the humus material is carefully removed with a wooden spatula or scoop.

But what if the compost is not ripe, is it possible to make it already?

If it has been enriched with nitrogen, then it can be applied with confidence. After all, in the fall, even just obtained, completely undecomposed plant residues can be applied for digging along with nitrogen fertilizer.

Cultivated plants and trees require a regular supply of nutrients, and the soil is gradually depleted. Therefore, it is required to regularly apply top dressing to the soil - organic and mineral. Chemical preparations have not only a positive effect on green spaces, therefore, modern vegetable growers prefer not to use such products for fertilizing vegetables and fruits, but prefer dressings made from natural ingredients.

One such fertilizer is compost. It can be made from vegetable waste that remains after weeding in the garden or in the garden, as well as from food and other components. To get a complete top dressing, the necessary elements must rot.

Pits are dug under the compost in the plots, where they put plant waste, from which in the future an excellent tool is obtained to improve soil fertility. But some gardeners make compost dressing in old boxes, an iron barrel, and in any other containers that are no longer used for their intended purpose.

Below we will talk about how to make compost in a barrel, about the main advantages of natural fertilizer, as well as about the nuances of preparing organic matter in this way.

Top dressing, obtained by decomposition of organic elements, has a positive effect on the composition of the soil, increases fertility, and there are practically no costs for its preparation. As a basis for the compost, they dig a hole (or make a container in which organic garbage will overheat), and then put all the plant residues from the site there.

If there is no place in the garden for a hole (or there is no way to dig it), then an ordinary barrel is suitable for preparing organic fertilizer. So that the process of fermentation of plant waste is not accompanied by an unpleasant odor, a lid is attached to this container.

Advantages over a compost pit

Barrel advantages:

1) it can be placed in any free corner of the site;
2) installation does not require much space;
3) the appearance is more aesthetic (compared to the pit);
4) small holes can be made in the neck of the barrel for oxygen to enter, which is necessary for beneficial bacteria for life;
5) it is possible to make a hole in the lower part of the structure through which ready-made compost can be taken;
6) in a barrel, organic fertilizer will not dry out or be washed out by melting snow or other precipitation;
7) in a container with an already ripe dressing, you can grow cucumbers or zucchini.

But there are benefits to composting in a pit too:

no need to start large-scale construction, it is enough to dig a square recess with sides of 1.4 m and a depth of 0.5 m;
the pit can be filled throughout the season without thinking about a possible lack of space;
plant components are put into a pit and after filling it, if it is not possible to dig another one, then a compost heap will grow from above.

But such recesses without covers with clusters formed on top spoil the view of the site, spread an unpleasant smell around.

What to put in a barrel?

Making compost in the country with your own hands is easy. A barrel of any size is suitable for this, but a large one is better - more waste will fit in it. The only caveat is that in the container for the decomposition of organic residues there should not be metal parts in contact with decay products.

Put into the barrel:

weeds, plant debris, small tree branches;
grass, fallen leaves, straw, sawdust and shavings, peat;
food waste and slop;
wood ash, chicken manure.

You can not add weeds with seeds, diseased parts of plants, as well as animal manure to the compost: along with it, there is a risk of bringing pathogenic microflora into the preparing organic matter.

The order of laying raw materials

It is necessary to lay all plant and food residues in a container in crushed form so that they rot faster. Layers of organic matter are sprinkled with earth, peat or chicken manure.

The process of composting waste is faster if water or slop is added to the barrel daily (for such irrigation, weed infusion, drunk tea leaves, coffee grounds are used).

It is best to alternate the following layers of organics and other substances:

plant remains;
bird droppings;
wood ash;
priming.

Compost maturation in a barrel

To get rotted organic fertilizer, you have to wait: the process of decay in a compost barrel lasts 2-3 seasons. The time interval depends on the degree of grinding of raw materials and the presence of favorable microflora, under the influence of which decay occurs.

If you start using manufactured top dressing at the end of the first season, then it will be better than simple land from the site, but less valuable in terms of nutrients than 2-3 year old compost.

Signs of compost maturation

It is easy to determine the degree of readiness of organics:

in high-quality fertilizer, all plant residues have rotted;
it is homogeneous and friable (no sieving is required before entering into the soil);
you can calmly take it in your hands - it will be soft and dry;
Completely rotted compost smells pleasantly of forest, mushrooms and fallen leaves.

You can prepare such a high-quality organic supplement in any container, the main thing is to put only plant residues and food into it, as well as regularly add moisture for better decay.

Fully matured compost is an excellent fertilizer for garden plants, flowers, shrubs and trees. It is used to prepare a nutrient substrate when growing seedlings of vegetable crops, added to the soil when transplanting indoor flowers (those that benefit from organic top dressing).

This nutritional supplement is applied in large quantities when digging the garden and vegetable garden in the fall, when during the season the plants have taken a large amount of nutrients from the soil.

Making compost in a barrel is a simple and inexpensive way. Despite the duration of ripening, top dressing can compete with artificial fertilizers due to its effectiveness and safety for plants.

compost pit This is a place for the disposal of organic waste. As a result of the activity of microorganisms, garden debris decomposes in it, which becomes the basis for highly effective organic fertilizer. In the article, we will consider options for making a compost pit with our own hands.

In one form or another, compost pits, in the form of the simplest heaps of garbage, are present on every personal plot. But the right designs in the form of modern composters or specially equipped boxes can increase the amount of valuable fertilizer and the speed of its creation.

The simplest compost pit can be made with your own hands from auxiliary building materials available in the country.

Compost pit principles

The main function of the compost pit is to create the most comfortable environment for the life of bacteria, microorganisms, earthworms, the number of which determines the speed of the process and the quality of the resulting compost. To do this, a fairly high temperature and humidity must be maintained inside the compost heap with a regular supply of oxygen.

To do this, the compost tank must have the following design features:

Make compost boxes from any available materials. These can be boards, slate trims, corrugated board, metal construction mesh, and even car tires. More capital structures are built of brick or concrete. There are also lightweight, portable utilizers in metal or plastic barrels.

The main sanitary requirement for the construction of a compost pit is its distance of 20 meters from water bodies and sources of drinking water. Rain streams should not drain from the compost heap in the direction of wells, wells, pools.

Choosing a site for a compost pit

The location of the composter on the site should not become a source of groundwater contamination, a threat to human and animal health. Do not place a compost pit in wetlands or in places with stagnant water.

The external design of the compost pit can be absolutely anything. It can be decorated with beautifully colored shields, fenced with loach plantings and perennial ornamental plants.

Making a compost pit with your own hands

In a garden or backyard, using the simplest tools, you can make a quality structure and turn a pile of garden debris and decomposable household waste into valuable fertilizer. There are a wide variety of types of compost heaps, from earthen ditches to real concrete structures.

Compost pit in the ground

To create a compost pit:

In the ground, a site is selected away from residential buildings.
On an area 1.5 m wide and of arbitrary length, the top layer of turf and soil is removed.
The bottom of the pit should be located at a depth of no more than 0.5 meters.
The bottom is covered with a sand cushion to drain excess water.

The first layer performs the function of drainage and promotes aeration of the pile and consists of cut branches.

They are laid in layers:

cut grass;
dry foliage;
sawdust;
household food waste;
manure;
weedy herbs.

Layers are sprinkled with peat or garden soil, spilled with water. To speed up the decomposition process, it is advisable to grind all the ingredients before laying, simply chopping with a shovel.

The total height of the pile should not exceed 1.5 meters. This means that it will rise 1 meter above the ground. The structure is protected from above with a covering material or a slate shield. In hot weather, a pile is watered with plain water.

Under natural conditions, microorganisms will be able to process such a waste dump in two summer seasons. This is the easiest and most economical way to get compost.

Use EM drugs. A temperature of +4°C inside the compost heap is enough for microorganisms to successfully process waste.

Making a compost pit from boards

For ease of use and speed up the recycling process, the compost bin is made from boards. The optimal size of the compost box is 1x1.5 meters.

Instructions for making a pit from boards:

Lay garbage in such a container through the top according to the general principle, starting with the branches. And you can rake out the finished compost already from below.

Photo: drawing of a compost box, composter diagram

Variants of compost pits made from boards

Slate is durable and is perfect for the walls of the compost bin. You can use both wave and flat sheet slate.

Options for making a composter from slate:

Marking is done at the location of the compost heap and deepen cut-to-size sheets. They can be fixed with an external, wooden or iron crate.
In another embodiment, metal pipes are buried in the ground. A frame of bars is attached to them. Outside, it is sheathed with slate. The second design is more durable.

All wooden elements should be treated with an antiseptic to prevent rotting. A cover for the pit is made from plywood or boards. The front wall of the pit is made lower, at a level of 40-50 cm above ground level. Rigid walls allow you to cover the pit with a film or garden covering material.

Compost pit from corrugated board

When making a compost bin from corrugated board, choose a material with an anti-corrosion coating.

Work order:

At the chosen place, a base is constructed from a metal or wooden bar.
The dimensions of the pit are chosen according to the length of the sheets, which allows you to make a compost bin with two or three compartments.
The base is made, as for a wooden structure.
Outside, the profile strips are fastened with self-tapping screws with gaps of 3-5 cm.
It should be borne in mind that the metal surface becomes very hot during hot summer periods.
From above they make a shelter for their plywood or boards. It is desirable to cover the frame with a protective compound.

Metal mesh compost bin

To make compost, you can make a cylindrical container from a metal mesh. In such a cylinder, the compost is well ventilated and does not rot.

How to make a compost bin:

To simplify, you can put a large plastic bag (polyethylene) inside the basket, which is used for garbage. These baskets are easy to assemble and install anywhere. They are filled with waste according to the principle of a compost pit. And also compost can be made in special bags that are sold at garden centers.

Concrete compost pit

A concrete compost pit creates many benefits:

Thick walls maintain a positive temperature for a long time.
Such a pit is durable and reliable, not affected by adverse environmental conditions.

It is desirable to make it large, into two or even three compartments. Compost of different seasons will ripen in the first and second blocks. The third store bags of finished compost.

How to make a concrete compost pit:

When operating a concrete pit, it must be taken into account that the composting process is slowed down. To speed up the process, you need to manually add earthworms or commercially available special products to it.

Other material options for the compost pit

Compost pit from car tires

Car tires are quite suitable for arranging a compost heap:

Compost in an iron barrel

Old iron barrels are great for composting:

We cut down both bottoms with a chisel and put them near the track.
We put weeds, mowed grass, kitchen waste in layers in a barrel.
To increase the temperature, you can paint the barrel black, pour the compost with a solution of ammonium nitrate (a matchbox on a bucket of water).
We get the finished compost from below. To do this, you need to lift the barrel with a crowbar.

To improve the design:

Using a grinder (angle grinder), you need to cut the barrel into two unequal parts and punch holes in the walls for air circulation.
Then we put them on the priest and connect them with wire or rope. Cover with a lid on top.
The advantages of this design are the easy accessibility of the contents of the barrel for worms and bacteria from below.
To get ready-made compost, you only need to untie the rope, and you will receive two hundred liters of ready-made fertilizer.

Compost in a plastic barrel

The ideal material for a compost bin is plastic. In conventional compost heaps, compost takes two years to mature. In plastic barrels with a capacity of 150-200 liters, liquid compost can be prepared in two weeks.

For this:

We fill the barrel with cut grass or weeds to half, and fill it with water to the top.
After about three days, the fermentation process will begin.
After using the solution, you can again add water to the barrel and let it brew for one week.
Having spent the liquid compost completely, the remaining grass is folded into a compost heap.

Brick compost pit

A brick compost pit is made in three walls. It can be done with or without cement mortar. On a cement mortar, a compost pit is made no more than 1 meter high. Between the bricks you need to leave gaps for ventilation.

A brick compost pit without a cement binder is convenient in that it can be moved to another location if necessary.

In the compost pit, you need to provide a place for throwing the compost mass. Make a lid from available material. The front wall is made temporary so that it is convenient to take out the finished compost.

Compost pit made of concrete rings

Garden debris can be successfully stored in the inner cavity of the concrete ring and compost can be obtained as a result. For convenience the ring is partially buried in the ground, and after filling, cover with a lid or film material.

The disadvantages of the design include the absence of an underestimated front wall. To unload the finished compost, you need to climb inside. Otherwise, very durable compost chambers are obtained from such reinforced concrete products.

Compost pit according to Finnish technology

If there is no desire to make a compost pit, you can purchase a composter using Finnish technology. It is modern with two containers, with a capacity of 80 liters. Its contents are mixed with a layer of peat and sawdust. You can also recycle food.

When the container is full, it is pulled out and another is inserted. Due to the high concentration, the finished compost is mixed with earth or sand and fertilized with plants. The empty container is washed and returned to its place.

Do not confuse compost and cesspool. Organic matter from the garden plot is stored in containers for making compost. The remains of protein food should be disposed of in a cesspool.

What can and cannot be put in a compost pit?

Thanks to composting, the amount of waste in landfills is reduced, and our vegetable gardens and orchards receive additional fertilizer.

In the compost pit, first of all, organic garden waste is laid, in the form of:

branches;
dry foliage;
cut grass;
weeds;
straw.

Good ingredients for a compost heap are:

food leftovers from vegetarian food;
egg shell;
onion peel.

You can layer the compost with manure and chicken manure.

The prohibited ingredients of the compost heap are:

construction and household waste with a high content of phenols;
remnants of printed products;
plastic.

Do not compost leftover protein and oily foods, as they decompose slowly and attract mice and rats.

From plant residues, weeds with matured seeds and with roots that can take root well, such as:

thistle;
wheatgrass;
loach.

Drought-tolerant plants should be dried before being placed in the compost pile so that they lose their ability to root. Sawdust can be used in moderation as it slowly decomposes and takes up nitrogen. And also do not use feces of domestic animals and humans when composting.

Preparations for the compost pit

The main task of preparations containing biological activators is to accelerate the decomposition processes with the help of microorganisms.

The preparations do an excellent job with the processing of organic matter and do not allow pathogenic microflora to develop in the compost pit:

Compost preparation can be significantly accelerated by using Baikal EM. This preparation contains effective microorganisms (EM).
The drug "Doctor Robik" significantly increases the number of effective microorganisms (EM) in the compost. They are engaged in the processing of organic matter into humus, and also prevent the development of pathogenic microflora and destroy the larvae of harmful insects.
The bioactivator has similar properties. The Green-Master bioactivator package must be diluted in 20 liters of warm water, let it brew for 4 hours and water the compost heap. After 2 weeks, you need to turn a bunch of pitchforks. For the preparation of compost, one treatment with a bioactivator solution is sufficient.
Good results are obtained by the drug "Compost Boost" for composting.
Manufacturer Lucky summer resident produces "Biocompostin"- compost preparation. Saneks plus releases the EcoCompost product.
Manufacturer Dezon Bio K produces several types of drugs:"Green all-rounder", "Compost of one season", "Compost for the next agricultural season", "Bioactivator for compost".

By using preparations, microbiological processes can be significantly accelerated and compost can be obtained in 2-3 months.

In suburban areas, a compost heap is an indispensable attribute. After all, compost is an organic fertilizer of exceptional quality, which enriches the soil with humus. Compost can partially or completely replace expensive manure, mineral fertilizers or specially imported fertile soil. In addition, by collecting garbage and organic waste for composting, we simply clean our summer cottage, and the area around it.

The compost heap or waste compost bins are usually placed in a place that is sufficiently secluded on the site so that they are not conspicuous and do not spoil the view. However, they should always be, as they say, at hand. In the "classic" implementation of composting, it is necessary to create three compost heaps (or three compost bins): in one bunker, the process of laying waste is underway, in the other, the compost is ripening, in the third, the finished fertilizer is waiting for export to the beds. Regarding the size of the compost heap, most authors agree that its width should be 1.5 m; height - 1.0 ... 1.2 m; length - up to 3-4 m. It is these dimensions that are given in various reference books, and for many years they were considered the minimum necessary to provide a sufficiently high temperature and stable humidity for the normal flow of the composting process. According to the same classical technology, it was advised to annually shovel the contents of the heaps to aerate the ripening compost, that is, to speed up the process of waste decomposition. The task, frankly, is not an easy one.
However, the technology of composting in the garden plot has been constantly improved (and is being improved), so that the composting process has been accelerated by 2 ... 3 times. So, in order to maintain moisture in the compost heap and to increase its temperature, the compost began to be covered with plastic wrap with holes to provide air access. To speed up composting, various accelerators of this process have been developed, for example, the drug "Tamir". Yes, and the composition of organic and other components of the compost heap being laid is easy to choose such that the composting process in it will significantly accelerate. In other words, today it is not at all necessary to follow the fairly strict recommendations developed back in the 20th century. So in our time, a compost heap can be made quite small or, for this purpose, waste can be stored in a compact container with a capacity of just 1 m 3, having built it, for example, from boards.
However, remembering the cherished phrase - "laziness is the engine of progress", we will not build anything. Let's just take an old metal barrel without a bottom and modify it a bit. Firstly, to ensure air access to the compostable mass in the lower part of the barrel along its perimeter, we will make a dozen two or three holes, which, for example, will be drilled with a drill with a diameter of 8 ... 10 mm or we will break through with some kind of punch (Fig. 1). We will place the holes at a height of 20 ... 30 cm from the base of the barrel. No insulating gaskets between the barrel and the ground are provided for microbes and moisture must circulate freely in both directions. Secondly, we will paint the outside of the barrel with dark paint, due to which the walls of the barrel will heat up more under the sun, providing an increased temperature inside the barrel, which, understandably, will speed up the composting process.
Cooking process; compost in such barrels is very convenient. We place 2 ... 3 such compost barrels around the site, placing them in those places where waste accumulates most quickly - near the summer kitchen (food waste), near the beds (weeds). To speed up the composting process, the individual components of the future compost should be laid in a certain sequence, forming layers of a certain thickness.
So, first, green plants (or substances rich in carbon) are placed in a barrel, making a layer of them 15 ... 20 cm thick. Then they put 5- centimeter a layer of manure (or substances rich in nitrogen). Next, lime, superphosphate or ash is poured into the barrel (layer - 1 ... 2 mm), after which everything is covered with a centimeter layer of earth. So we fill the barrel to the top, again laying the layers of components in the mentioned sequence - weeds, manure, ash and earth. We cover the filled barrel with a piece of polyethylene film with holes, which, so as not to be blown away by the wind, we fix on the barrel with a string. And so that the prepared compost does not dry out, it is poured with water. Usually this watering is combined with watering the beds. Moisturizing the contents of the barrel, the plastic film is temporarily removed from it and a thin stream of water is directed into the barrel. Naturally, it is difficult to fill a barrel without a bottom with water, but the compost mass should not be heavily waterlogged. The mass corresponding to the squeezed sponge in terms of humidity is considered normal. If there are ants in the barrel, it means that it has dried up and the composting process has been interrupted.
To "automatically" maintain the specified humidity in the striker, plant zucchini, pumpkin, cucumber in the barrel. In this case, the plastic film is no longer needed. Watering the mentioned plants provides the necessary humidity of the composted mass. The only difficulty with this option is the need to immediately fill the barrel with layers of compost to the top.
Experience has shown that in such a design of a compost bin - an old barrel, the composting process is accelerated, so there is no need to wait any 3 years, as in the classic version. It is not required, and shovel the compost. In one summer, you can get several hundred kg excellent fertilizer.
Rice. one. Composting in an iron barrel: 1- hole in the wall of the barrel; 2 - green mass; 3- manure; 4- ash; 5- earth; 6- polyethylene.
Gusev V. An old barrel instead of a compost heap. // Almanac "Do it yourself". - 2004, No. 3.

For lack of space for a stationary composter, you can equip it in an ordinary plastic or metal barrel. It is better to use plastic, and for ease of mixing, hang it in a horizontal position and attach a handle for rotation. The compost in the barrel will mature evenly and it will take less effort to shovel the contents.

Old metal containers quickly rot under the influence of moisture, and plastic is neutral.

In addition, you can buy a barrel of any size, depending on how much waste accumulates on the site. If only leaves and grass then a volume of 120 - 150 liters will be enough. If there is vegetable and fruit waste, tops, weeds, manure, then you need to take 200 - 300 liters.

Benefits of using a plastic composting barrel

If a wooden compost box is equipped on the site, then sooner or later the bottom will rot under the influence of the same bacteria. If there is no bottom, then the nutrients will go into the soil under the box irrevocably. It is much more economical if the composter has a bottom and is resistant to microorganisms.

Do-it-yourself composter from a barrel can be made aerobic and anaerobic. In the first case, it is necessary to organize regular air access to plant residues. This compost matures faster. If you use accelerators - bacterial preparations, then you can get fertilizer in 1 - 1.5 months.

Video: Compost barrels

For anaerobic fertilization, the compost barrel must be airtight. It is tightly closed or dug into the ground. The leftovers take longer to rot, but the fertilizer is more concentrated, as all the nutrients remain inside. Such compost is not used for seedlings in its pure form, but is always mixed with soil.

A barrel compost pit is easier to build than a concrete storage pit, although concrete is also a very good material for a stationary composter. To immerse the barrel in the ground, it is enough to dig a hole corresponding to the size of the container.

You can wrap the walls and bottom with mineral wool or other heat-retaining material. In such a pit, it will be possible to make fertilizer even in winter. The hatch will serve as a plastic cover, which is sold in the kit.

How to make a barrel composter

There are many ways to prepare compost in a dacha in a barrel. The easiest is to leave it in the garden without digging into the ground.

To make a horizontal compost barrel, you need some tools and additional materials - wood or metal pipes. The first step is to weld or knock down the frame that will hold the barrel filled with compost raw materials.

It can be something like a bed with welded support pipes or wooden blocks. A barrel will be attached to them, in the center of which a metal pipe passes. In order not to damage the plastic, a PVC pipe is put on the metal - it is smooth and durable.

How to prepare a barrel:

Make a hole in which the raw material will be laid. To do this, cut a rectangular piece in the wall. With the help of metal canopies on one side, a piece of plastic becomes a door. On the other hand, it is necessary to provide a latch so that the ingredients do not fall out during scrolling.

On both sides - in the bottom and in the lid, holes are made to pass the pipe through.

The lid closes tightly and the barrel is put on the pipe, strengthening it on the bed. You can make a handle for convenience, but many do without it.

Summer residents attach wheels to the base of the frame and transport the composter for the winter to a warm place - a barn or pantry.

Preparation and laying of raw materials

Before you make compost in a barrel, you need to prepare the raw materials. It should be a mixture of nitrogen and carbon containing components. At the same time, nitrogen is laid 4 times less. Nitrogen-containing include all green components and manure. To carbon - straw, cardboard, dry leaves, sawdust, bark, cut branches of trees and shrubs.

Each ingredient needs to be sprinkled five centimeter layer of soil, so that soil bacteria get into the compost and begin to multiply. If you use biodestructors, then it is not necessary to add soil. Bacterial preparations can be bought at the store or prepared with your own hands from fermented milk products and yeast.

After laying compost withstand 5 - 6 days with the lid open and then inverted. When shoveling on the bed, the lid is closed, then opened again to allow access to oxygen. In the future, the compost is turned every 3 to 4 days. This speeds up its maturation.

To get the finished fertilizer, a bucket, wheelbarrow or other container is placed under the lid and the required amount is poured out.

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Do-it-yourself compost pit making options. Compost pit from a barrel

Tell me, please, how to make a compost pit from a metal barrel?

Compost heap from a barrel | StroySad

No garden is complete without a compost heap. Otherwise, it cannot be, because this is a very valuable fertilizer, which does not need to be spent. Any waste goes to the compost heap: weeds, needles, sawdust, cleaning. It seems all this is garbage, but what a useful one. Everyone has long been accustomed to the fact that compost is a heap in the literal sense of the word, rising above the ground, of course, not in the middle of the garden, but somewhere in a nook, so as not to spoil the overall view. But it is also worth saying that many gardeners have already managed to ennoble their compost heaps and transferred them to wooden boxes, and some went even further and adapted metal barrels for this important matter. And this is done very simply: we take an old barrel without a bottom or we deprive it of an already leaky bottom. Departing from the bottom of 10 centimeters, we punch 25-30 holes in a circle - this will be a kind of ventilation. It is advisable to paint the barrel black, the dark one always heats up well. Now we install this simple design in the right place and begin to fill it. We lay everything in layers, 20 centimeters of grass, then manure or nitrogenous substances, then ash and shake it with earth, so we alternate until it is completely filled. We cover the barrel with a film from above, it remains only to occasionally moisten the compost by spilling it with water. It turns out quite functional and aesthetically looking compost heap.

Compost is prepared to the desired state for a long time, but the process can be accelerated by about half, knowing some tricks. Here it is desirable to understand what is missing in your heap. Strange as it may sound, but she also has her own desires and she reports them, you just need to notice these signs. For example, if a very strong unpleasant smell of rot exudes, it means that you have gone too far with nitrogen and this is fraught with a delay in the readiness of the compost. It is necessary to add straw and turn the compost, thereby removing excess nitrogen. If the compost does not show signs of decomposition for a long time, then there is not enough nitrogen.

Spill a bunch of urea solution - 2 tablespoons in a bucket of water or another, also effective solution: 1 cup of sugar and 1 tbsp. a spoonful of yeast per liter of water. Bacteria will increase, and the decomposition process will noticeably accelerate. For people with a limited amount of time, an even faster method has been invented - special preparations to speed up composting. Such simple methods are suitable for any compost heap located in a barrel, and in a box, and just in the garden.

4 rules for quality compost | ABC gardening

4 rules for quality compost

Are you against mineral chemical fertilizers? Do you want to minimize the use of chemical fertilizers in your garden? Then this article is for you. Look around. Right under your feet is what, if properly used, will become humus, which can be scattered in the garden, vegetable garden and flower beds.

What is compost Where and in what is it better to prepare compost What can be put in compost How to speed up the process of compost maturation Signs of quality compost

An interesting fact: Already in the 10th century, the secrets of making compost were known to Slavic tribes, for example, to the Polabian Slavs.

Compost is a natural universal organic fertilizer that any gardener, gardener and summer resident can get without unnecessary material costs and without much difficulty. Compost has a beneficial effect on the structure and fertility of the soil. You just need to know how to cook it right.

Rule 1 Where and what is the best way to compost

There are two options:

Compost pit/heap Compost bin or barrel

Benefits of a compost pit/heap

No need to look for additional materials and no need to build anything. You just dug a hole no more than 0.5 m deep and 1.5 m x 1.5 m in size and put organic remains (kitchen waste, weeds, fallen leaves, etc.) into this hole (you will get a bunch over time).

If desired, when the pit is filled flush with the ground, you can build on the walls. I have them about 0.5 m high. However, the compost heap has long overcome this mark. But I haven't built anything yet.

If the compost pit / heap is supported by walls, then comfortable conditions will be created inside the pit for the work of anaerobic organisms that live only in the absence of atmospheric oxygen

Disadvantages of a compost pit/heap

There is a compost pit on my site, which has already turned into a heap. However, it is bulky, looks untidy (fortunately, it is located behind the barn and hidden from view). And most importantly - I can not shovel it.

In a compost pit for 1 year it will not be possible to obtain high-quality compost. It will take at least 3 years. But earthworms in it are apparently invisible. Worms are free there, they grow long and fat. It is in the compost pit that the husband digs for worms when he goes fishing. And carp on such a worm are excellent.

(pelvis diameter - 40 cm)

An interesting fact: One earthworm is able to process as much soil per day as it weighs itself.

Compost bin or barrel

In the garden, I also placed a box and two compost bins. It's comfortable. While plant residues for compost are collected in one container, in another container the compost matures under the lid, and the finished compost is removed from the third container for gardening needs.

I adapted a leaky metal barrel and a cracked plastic one for compost. I additionally punched holes in the bottom of the plastic.

The height of the barrels is no more than 70 cm, so that with my short stature it would be convenient for me to put plant residues in them and pour out the slop.

My compost bin is made from boards. But you can make it from cement-bonded particle boards 20 mm thick or metal mesh.

Benefits of barrels or boxes

Can be placed anywhere in the garden/garden. Thanks to its compactness, it won't take up much space. Looks

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How to make a compost pit from a barrel in the country in the garden with your own hands

Calculation of the compost pit. Requirements and norms

The requirements for this design are the same as for a compost pit made of concrete rings. Before you make a compost pit in the garden, be sure to consider the location of the tank from the house, fence, neighbors and drinking sources. For example, the distance from the well should be 20 m, from the house - at least 12 m, from the fence - 2-3 m. It is especially worth controlling the distance to wells, rivers, lakes, drinking springs, rainwater flows, since compost affects water, it spoils the taste of water and can introduce infection, which will harm the health of people and animals. The tank should also be placed away from fruit trees, as they will die. Be sure to take into account the level of groundwater, so that they do not flood the structure.

Also pay attention to the direction of the wind, it affects the spread of unpleasant odors around the site. Therefore, it is better to place the barrel somewhere near the fence, where it will not interfere with people. We recommend that you place it in the shade so that direct sunlight does not fall, as they contribute to the drying of humus, drying it out.

Humus needs to be watered and stirred frequently. This will help it rot faster.

As for the dimensions, it should be a standard barrel. In principle, tanks of any parameters are suitable. But you must take into account that the more compost you want to get, the larger the installation should be.

There are also certain rules about what can and cannot be put in the tank. You can: the remains of tea, coffee, fruits, vegetables, paper, newspapers, toilet paper, cardboard, magazines, weeds, plants, fruits, berries, hay, grass, straw, leaves, roots and twigs of trees, ash, wooden boards. Not allowed: inorganic substances, plastic, metal, rubber, infected plants and leaves, bones and animal excrement.

vivoz-gbo.uslugy-santehnika-vyzov.ru

Compost heap for the lazy

It is well known that humus determines soil fertility. It is formed as a result of decay of organic residues. Over time, the humus reserves in the soil are depleted, which has a deplorable effect on the plants in our garden.

How to make up for the loss of organic matter in the soil? I exclude manure in advance, since it has become an expensive and scarce commodity, what remains is a compost heap.

I will try to put together the basic rules for making compost, although for sure avid gardeners will be able to add their own secret of how to fertilize the soil. So, let's begin:

It is better to place a compost heap in a shaded place, in the corner of the site, in the shade of trees or a barn. In a sunny place, the pile dries quickly.
Pile dimensions must be at least 1.5 m in height and width. If it is too high or wide, the bacteria living inside die from lack of oxygen and putrefactive microorganisms begin to develop, an unpleasant odor appears. In this case, you need to shovel the contents of the compost heap.
It is best to arrange a compost heap in the fall - there is more plant precipitation, but you need to have time to do this before frost.
At the place chosen for the compost heap, the top layer of soil is removed. The foundation can be a layer of clay or loamy soil (10 cm) for sandy soil and a layer of sand for clay soil. From above it is worth pouring a layer of weathered lowland or high peat (20 cm). Such a cushion should prevent leakage of the nutrient solution and at the same time provide access for earthworms.
All organic waste can be placed in the compost heap: grass clippings, leaves, leaves, rotten fruits, weeds (without seeds), potato peelings, sawdust, cut cardboard, shredded paper and small cuttings of branches.
Should not fall into a pile: trimmings of wheatgrass roots, goutweed, field bindweed, dandelion, horseradish, as well as glass fragments, rags, tin cans.
Everything that is brought into the compost heap must be crushed, otherwise the process will be delayed. The material must be laid in layers, and covered with straw or leaves on top.
The composting process requires heat, humidity and air flow. The first two components require compliance with the measure, and the third, the more the better. To avoid problems with air, lay the layers in a certain order: the largest materials are at the bottom, the higher, the finer.
If there is manure, you can water each layer of material with it. Suitable for this purpose and humus. It is useful to use commercially available compost accelerators.
If your compost heap is divided into three parts, then: in the first you need to put raw materials, in the second the compost will ripen, in the third it will be stored. Most importantly, raw materials and finished compost must be stored in separate containers.
In summer, in hot weather, the compost heap must be systematically moistened, and in damp weather, it must be covered from rain. In late autumn, the compost is mixed for the first time with a pitchfork or transferred to the next compartment of the compost bin. This is done so that the decomposition processes in the entire heap occur evenly.
Before frost, a layer of high-moor peat is poured into the box on top of the compost and covered with spruce branches or leaves.
Compost matures for a very long time. The term for composting slowly decomposing residues is one to two years. To get it faster, you need to use special preparations. If compost is needed urgently, for example, after 2-3 months, then bird droppings will be needed: layers of material crushed as finely as possible alternate with droppings, you can also add manure. The thickness of each layer in this case should not exceed 25-30 cm. Such a pile must be watered.
If the compost is prepared correctly, it has the normal smell of earth, rotten leaves, but not rot. Before entering into the soil, it is useful to sift it: large pieces will go to re-processing, and small ones - to the ground.
Ready compost is a relatively homogeneous, usually dark-colored, crumbly mass. It can be applied at any time of the year in all soils and under all crops.

In summer cottages, a compost heap is a mandatory attribute. After all, compost is a unique organic fertilizer that enriches the soil with humus. Compost can partially or completely replace manure, which has now risen in price, as well as mineral fertilizers and specially fertile soil brought in. In addition, by collecting organic debris throughout the site, we simply clean up the area around.

In terms of size, many converge to the following proportions: width -1.5 m, height - 1-1.2 m, length - up to 3-4 m. These dimensions are given in many reference books, they are considered the minimum necessary to ensure temperature and stable humidity for the normal course of the composting process. According to the same theory, it is advised to shovel the contents of the compost heap annually to supply air to the ripening compost, i.e. to speed up the process of waste decomposition. This task requires serious physical effort.

How to speed up the composting process?

But progress does not stand still, composting technologies are being improved and the compost production process has been accelerated by 2-3 times. For example, to preserve moisture and to increase the temperature in the compost heap, they began to cover it with plastic wrap with holes for air access. Also, to speed up composting, various accelerators of this process have been developed, for example, the drug “Tamir”. To speed up the process, you can also choose a certain composition of organic and other components of the compost heap being laid so that composting will be significantly accelerated. This suggests that today it is not necessary to follow the rigid recommendations developed in the last century.

Composting in an iron barrel

1 - holes in the barrel wall; 2 - green mass; 3 - manure; 4 - ash; 5 - earth; 6 - polyethylene.

So a modern compost heap can be made compact or, for this purpose, waste can be folded into a small container with a capacity of about 1 cubic meter. meters, making it from boards.

But, as you know, laziness is the engine of progress, so it may not cost anything to build. Let's just take an old metal barrel without a bottom and modify it a bit:

Firstly, to ensure air access in the lower part of the barrel along its perimeter, we make 20-30 holes with a drill with a diameter of 8-10 mm, or you can punch them with a punch. We place the holes at a height of 20-30 cm from the base of the barrel. And no insulating gaskets are needed between the barrel and the ground - microorganisms and moisture must move freely in both directions.

Secondly, we paint the outside of the barrel in a dark color for better heating in the sun, which will ensure a high temperature inside and speed up the composting process.

The process of making compost in a barrel is very convenient and simple. Several of these barrels can be placed around the site, placing them in places where waste accumulates most quickly. It can be a summer kitchen, garden beds, etc.

Layers for laying compost

To speed up the production of compost, the fertilizer components should be laid in a certain order, forming layers of a certain thickness:

First, we place green plants or carbon-rich substances, making a layer of them 15-20 cm thick.
Then we put 5 cm of manure or substances rich in nitrogen.
Next, pour lime, superphosphate or ash with a layer of 1-2 mm
After we break everything with a centimeter layer of earth.

So we fill the barrel to the top, continuing to lay the layers in the same sequence - weeds, manure, ash, earth.

We cover the filled barrel with a piece of plastic film with holes, which we tie with twine so that it is not blown away by the wind. From time to time water the prepared compost with water so that it does not dry out. You can water at the same time as watering the beds. But it is not necessary to overmoisten the compost mass. In terms of humidity, it should correspond to the squeezed sponge.

If there are ants in the barrel, then the compost heap has dried up and the composting process has been interrupted. To automatically maintain the desired humidity in the barrel, plant a zucchini, pumpkin or cucumber there. In this case, the film is no longer needed. Watering these plants will keep the compost heap moist. The complexity of the last method is only to immediately fill the barrel with all the layers of compost to the top.

In this design of the compost heap in the form of a barrel, there is a significant acceleration of the composting process. And you do not need to wait 3 years, as in the classic version. No need to shovel the compost. In one summer, you can get several hundred kg of excellent fertilizer.

handmade-garden.ru

Compost pit, heap: DIY options

Fertilizers and herbicides

If you do not want to use ready-made mineral fertilizers, you can prepare an environmentally friendly top dressing for vegetables and horticultural crops at home. This is the contents of the compost pit. But organic fertilizer is prepared in special containers and subject to certain conditions. It is important to remember about ventilation and the level of humidity in the contents of the pit. Waste should not be allowed to rot, but an optimal microclimate should be provided for their decomposition. Properly prepared fertilizer has a pleasant dark brown color, the smell of forest earth and a free-flowing structure.

What are compost pits for?

Compost is a fertilizer that is obtained by the decomposition of various organic substances under the influence of microorganisms. It is used to improve the structure of the soil: it makes clay soil crumbly, sandy soil is able to retain moisture.

Cultivated plants are planted on the plots, which cannot do without top dressing. Without fertilizer, they lose their vitality, die as the soil is depleted. Therefore, plants are periodically fertilized. There is a huge amount of mineral fertilizers made on a different basis, but not all of them are safe for the human body. The best option is to make the compositions yourself at home. And the contents of the compost pits are always at hand. This is household waste.

Every year the site is put in order. Garbage is removed, old grass is mowed, branches of shrubs and trees are cut, excess fruits are thrown out, and the like. All of these items are sent to the compost pit.

Fertilizer can be ready in a year or two or in 3-4 months. If there is a desire to cook in a short time, then special biological additives containing live bacteria are added to the pit, and the contents are periodically mixed to obtain a uniform process. Preparations are mixed in the container, which accelerate the decomposition of products.

Compost is sprinkled on the beds for the winter, added to the holes when planting seedlings, cover the soil with mulch. Gardeners call compost "black gold".

Do-it-yourself design options for greenhouses made of timber

Arrangement requirements

The design of the compost pit should provide all the necessary conditions for the development and active life of bacteria that process plant waste. These conditions include the following factors:

1. The presence of free access to oxygen. This is necessary so that the household waste placed in the container does not rot, exuding a stench, but breaks down under the influence of earthworms and beneficial bacteria.
2. Compliance with the temperature regime.
3. Maintain high humidity.

Fertilizer will be of high quality if the above conditions are met. And for this, it is necessary to properly build a pit or compost container from ready-made materials.

The requirements for building a structure can be listed as follows:

1. The presence of holes on the container wall. They are necessary for free access of air. Therefore, the best option is to install the box on the surface of the earth.
2. The presence of a door on the structure. For convenience, when extracting the finished fertilizer, the front or side wall is made in the form of a door or assembled from removable boards and materials.
3. Optimum depth. It is no more than half a meter. The contents of such devices are often mixed, since there are no conditions listed in the first paragraph.

Do-it-yourself methods for making automatic watering in a greenhouse

Location selection

If the compost bin has an aesthetic appearance, it can be installed anywhere in the garden. But it should be borne in mind that it should not be under the scorching sun, so choose a site in partial shade under the trees. It can be decorated with flower beds.

It is best to choose a place where nothing is sown or planted, since there is barren land. The space vacated after the compost will then become suitable for use in subsequent years. Install a waste container behind outbuildings, as it will not be visible there and will not spoil the appearance of the site.

Planting plants for the manufacture of hedges in the country with their own hands

Manufacturing options

There are several technologies for making a compost pit:

1. Pit. The easiest way, but it is more difficult to create waste ventilation in it.
2. A box of boards.
3. A container made of slate, corrugated board and other improvised means.

If it is difficult to choose a form of composting, then you need to pay attention to the pros and cons of each method. The pit is convenient because the plant material is in the ground, which does not spoil the appearance of the garden. But it is more difficult to mix the contents in the pit, and the fertilizer takes much longer to prepare than in a container.

They take out the soil, deepening by 70-80 centimeters or a meter. The length of the pit should be no more than three meters. Width about one and a half meters. They retreat from the walls of the pit by 15-20 centimeters in order to knock down a wooden box. In four corners, posts are dug in for nailing boards. But between the planks leave about 5 centimeters to provide air access. All layers of compost must be well ventilated to prevent rotting.

The bottom of the pit is covered with bark, branches, straw. Materials will play the role of drainage, removing excess moisture. The thickness of the drainage layer is about 15-20 centimeters. Drainage will also contribute to ventilation from below. You can divide the prepared pit into two halves. First fill one, then the other.

Ground container manufacturing

Pit drawing

First you need to prepare the tools. You will need:

saw;
Bulgarian;
roulette;
objects for the manufacture of concrete;
marking pencil;
doorknobs;
drill;
screwdriver;
self-tapping screws;
loops;
paint with antifungal impregnation, it is used to treat the walls of the box.

Before you build a container, you need to consider that it will serve for many years. Therefore, the floor should be concreted, as wood and plastic quickly become unusable.

Whatever material is chosen for the manufacture of the walls, it should be remembered that ventilation of the ejection products is necessary, therefore, a distance is left between the boards. Holes can be drilled on other surfaces. If you leave a larger distance on the wall, this will allow earthworms to easily get into processed products. One side of the box is removable.

Old slate is perfect for making a box. Dividing two sheets in half, get 4 sheets for the walls. They are arranged vertically and fixed with boards around the perimeter. The lid is made from boards, also leaving gaps between them. Slots are needed so that raindrops get inside and moisten the compost. In a dry summer, you will have to water the pit yourself with water from a barrel.

Required moisture is the key to obtaining high-quality compost. In order not to disturb the exchange of air, the composition is mixed with improvised means. Covered with polyethylene, get a greenhouse effect.

Make a concrete compost pit. To do this, remove a layer of earth. They dig a rectangular shape about 70-80 centimeters deep and no more than 1-1.5 meters wide. They build a box of boards, fill it with a mixture of crushed stone, cement and sand.

The pit is covered with a metal mesh cover or a wooden one. The cover must be freely removed at any time.

The recommended dimensions of the pit are as follows: length about 2 meters, width 1-1.5 meters, depth 0.5 meters. Do not make deep ones, as this will complicate the process of extracting humus. The ingress of earthworms is mandatory, so containers cannot be completely walled up. (Approximate dimensions are shown in the drawing.)

What is fertilizer made from?

As compost raw materials, waste from the kitchen, site or household (if any) is used. You can put in the pit everything that people and livestock eat. Coffee cake, used tea, unsuitable vegetables and fruits, hay, grass clippings, straw, dry leaves, bird droppings and cattle manure, plant roots, tree bark and bush branches, chopped paper, ash, sawdust and other waste.

Do not throw poisonous substances, glass, metal waste. You can compost products that do not harm the human body. If you do not use biological products to decompose the contents of the pit, then the process will drag on for a year or even 2.

From above, the entire pile should be covered with a 50-centimeter layer of leaves or grass, you can lightly sprinkle with earth. You can arrange waste in layers. But each layer should be moistened. They should be alternated with humus or manure. Sprinkle the layers with mineral fertilizer. This will speed up the decomposition process. If it is difficult to mix the pit, then you can transfer the contents to another compartment, since it remains free specifically for this. The readiness of the compost is determined by the dark brown color, by the loose structure, the fertilizer should smell like forest soil.

www.naogorode.net

Metal barrel for compost - the solution of a real summer resident

14.10.2014

A cottage is never complete without compost. It is necessary for subsequent seasons, it is an excellent plant nutrition and the best way out for household non-chemical waste, they say this: “Do not burn the grass, send it to compost, the earth will spoil more!” or “Rotten? Oh, don't worry, throw it in the compost!

For compost, any metal barrel that you find on your site or purchase at a hardware or garden store will do.

Storing compost in such a container is very simple, practical and is the surest solution for a summer resident, especially for a beginner. It should be noted that the process of humus, the formation of compost as a future top dressing for the earth, in a metal barrel occurs much faster than when the compost is made in a pit or enclosing with wooden beams.

Preparing a barrel for storing compost is very simple and uncomplicated. It is necessary to remove the bottom, for example, with a chisel and then beat the bent edges with a hammer. This will be the lower part, the barrel must be placed, thus, in the place that will be reserved just for your compost. It is ideal to use at least 3-4 such compost containers, because 1-2 barrels are always with compost not yet ready.

It is better to choose a place for a compost barrel that will be on the north side, and thus will not obscure your plants. Before each “replenishment” of the barrel with new waste or grass, it would be desirable to sprinkle the compost already there with ash. Also try to crush it to strengthen and speed up the process of decay.

In the spring, before the start of the new season, it is necessary to overturn the compost barrel and mix the resulting mass with the soil in the beds. The earth will absorb all the necessary elements just before planting your seedlings of crops, giving them the strength to grow actively in the future.

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DIY compost pit

Organic fertilizers are important in agriculture. They are necessary at certain stages of plant development. And compost is far from the last place among environmentally friendly fertilizers. To prepare it, you need a compost pit in the country. This process is not overly complicated. Our article will tell you how to make a compost pit with your own hands in the country.

What will be needed to prepare the pit?

The minimum set of garden tools you have will be enough. It seems that every gardener has a bayonet shovel, a wood saw and a covering material such as a film in his arsenal.

The dimensions of the pit are usually within 1x2 meters and up to one and a half meters high. Accordingly, 4 boards 150 mm wide and 40 mm thick will be enough for you. You will also need nails 100 mm long.

You can make a compost pit from barrels or lay out from bricks. In extreme cases, pieces of slate or rubber mats are also suitable for strengthening - in general, any material at hand.

Where to place a compost pit?

It is advisable to place the pit in a secluded shady place, not leeward, so that the smells of decay do not spoil rest and work in the country. It should not be placed near fruit and berry plantations, since pears and apple trees may die from such a neighborhood.

Technology for arranging a compost pit

There are several ways to arrange a compost pit with your own hands. The simplest and most rational method is to dig it in the ground. So, let's start creating a compost pit with our own hands:

Other types of compost pits that rise above the ground: wooden from boards, stone, from any unnecessary barrel or small logs.

womanadvice.ru

Do-it-yourself compost pit (photo, video, diagram)

(Last Updated On: 01/08/2018)

Compost pit (photo)

Compost is one of the most common fertilizers for horticultural plantings - it has a rich mineral composition, is easy to use and also practically free, because weeds and grass clippings, food waste and other organic materials can be used to form compost. For education and further storage, only a compost pit is needed - it is completely easy to build it with your own hands, and if you do it according to all the rules, then it will neither interfere with rest with its aromas, nor require maintenance, nor cause other troubles and inconveniences. There are other options for storing compost, such as a container or a box, but the pit is much simpler and its lifespan is an order of magnitude longer. After all, metal containers will rust and rot, wooden boxes quickly lose their strength under the influence of moisture, and the walls of the pit are only threatened by shedding of the walls. However, if you properly strengthen them, then this problem will not cause trouble.

Before you make a compost pit in the country, you need to understand the features of its bookmark.

The long history of using compost has come up with a number of tips to make this simple storage the most convenient. Some of these tips include:

you need to correctly calculate the volume of the pit being built - the compost matures rather slowly, so you need to calculate the volume based on the amount of garbage and plant waste that is generated on the site in about 2 years - it will take a year to accumulate the first batch, and another year will be required for full composting;
the pit should not be made too deep - otherwise it will be quite difficult to get the compost from the bottom and mix the fertilizer being prepared;
it is possible to provide a compost pit with a lid, although this is rather an optional solution;
a 2-section pit is more convenient to use, it allows you to separate ready-made compost and one that still needs time;
the pit must be protected from weeds or its seeds - on fertile compost soil they will grow very quickly and give seeds, which will then spread with compost throughout the site;
the walls or floor of the pit should not be tightly closed - earthworms should easily get into the compost;
if there are clearly not enough worms in the compost, then you need to additionally put worms in the pit: they found a worm on the site - they threw it into the compost;
if something closes the floor, it is better with concrete - iron and slate are not suitable for this case;
so that the pit does not spoil the air and the landscape on the site, it must be placed in the far corner behind the house;
if water is extracted from a well or block, then you need to place the compost pit as far as possible from them - the decay products formed in the compost can get into the water;
do not place the pit in a sunny place - the sun will dry the compost, preventing it from rotting;
to make the pit convenient to use, you need to organize a convenient approach to it.

Compost pit options

A DIY compost pit can be made in a thousand ways, you just need to position it correctly and choose the right dimensions for it.

The minimum that the dimensions of the pit must correspond to is 150 x 300 cm around the perimeter and 100 cm deep.

The simplest compost pit is built according to the following scheme:

a hole of established dimensions is dug;
its bottom is covered with dry organic debris - hay, straw;
waste is poured from which compost will be formed;
from above, the covered material is covered with another layer of dry grass - it will not allow flies to breed;
each subsequent layer is also covered with a dry layer;
to protect the walls from collapses, you can strengthen them with pallets.

You can build such a compost storage somewhere in the backyard of the site, while retreating a sufficient distance from the fence - the walls of a simple pit are not strengthened by anything, so they can crumble. And because of this, the fence can collapse.

Compost pit (diagram):

Another option is a capital concrete compost pit - it will last for decades without crumbling and without requiring repair. The construction of such a pit is recommended only if the volume of organic waste is large and constant, and there are sufficient options for using compost.

It is recommended to build such a pit initially in the form of 2 compartments of equal volume - as already mentioned, 2-compartment pits are more convenient to use, and subsequently it will be problematic to separate the main pit. You also need to provide a pit cover.

The problem with a concrete pit is that earthworms will not get into it, and they are an important condition for the formation of high-quality compost.

Therefore, it will be necessary to arrange a “great migration of peoples” for garden worms - to collect those that come to hand and put them in a compost pit. Also, compost requires a constant supply of fresh air, for which holes can be provided in the walls protruding to the surface.

By the way, the concrete walls of such a compost pit can be decorated in every possible way so that it does not resemble a burial ground. Firstly, you need to correctly calculate the height of the walls above ground level, secondly, you need to carefully pour concrete, and thirdly, the surface of the walls can be trimmed with decorative elements, painted with paints and decorated with any other means.

You can also build a compost pit from a barrel - if there is an extra metal barrel, then it can simply be dug into the ground and filled with waste.

However, due to the fact that the volume of the barrel is limited, it will be necessary to stir up the compost regularly so that it does not cake under the mass of waste piled on top and spread evenly. In addition, again, you will have to add earthworms to the barrel.

Thus, a do-it-yourself compost pit in the country is both difficult and easy. If you approach the matter carelessly and thoughtlessly, then your pit will certainly fill up, and if you prepare and show responsibility in your work, then everything will come out easily and correctly the first time.

Interesting fact:
Already in the X century, the secrets of making compost
were known to the Slavic tribes,
for example, the Polabian Slavs.

Compost is a natural universal organic fertilizer, which any gardener, gardener and summer resident can get without unnecessary material costs and without much difficulty. Compost has a beneficial effect on the structure and fertility of the soil. You just need to know how to cook it right.

Rule 1
Where and what is the best way to compost

There are two options:

Compost pit/heap
Compost bin or barrel

Benefits of a compost pit/heap

If the compost pit / heap is supported by walls, then comfortable conditions will be created inside the pit for the work of anaerobic organisms that live only in the absence of atmospheric oxygen

Disadvantages of a compost pit/heap

In a compost pit for 1 year it will not be possible to obtain high-quality compost. It will take at least 3 years. But in it, it is apparently invisible. Worms are free there, they grow long and fat. It is in the compost pit that the husband digs for worms when he goes fishing. And carp on such a worm are excellent.

(pelvis diameter - 40 cm)

Compost bin or barrel

I adapted a leaky metal barrel and a cracked plastic one for compost. I additionally punched holes in the bottom of the plastic.

The height of the barrels is no more than 70 cm, so that with my short stature it would be convenient for me to put plant residues in them and pour out the slop.

My compost bin is made from boards. But you can make it from cement-bonded particle boards 20 mm thick or metal mesh.

Benefits of barrels or boxes

Can be placed anywhere in the garden/garden.
Thanks to its compactness, it won't take up much space.
Looks more aesthetically pleasing than a pit/pile.
Thanks to holes and crevices, we get a kind of ventilation, which means that enough air enters the future compost, which is so necessary for the life of microorganisms.
Ready compost can be taken from the lower layers (through pre-made holes) as needed.
In a barrel or box, the compost does not dry out and does not wash out.
A barrel or box with ripened compost can be adapted for growing cucumbers or zucchini. It turns out a kind of high bed.

Rule 2
What can be put in compost

1. All plant residues and weeds from garden beds and gardens, except:

* weeds with mature seeds
* diseased plants
* weeds treated with herbicides

Plant residues that are not suitable for compost I put in a special pile, hidden behind the fence in the back. Or take it out of the field.

2. Mowed grass, fallen leaves, straw, sawdust and, if any, peat.

Speaking of fallen leaves.
Leaf litter significantly improves the quality of the compost. But it all depends on the type of wood. For example, linden leaves, containing a lot of lime, quickly decompose and form neutral humus, thereby enriching the compost.

3. Household (kitchen) waste, slop.

If slop from the kitchen is regularly poured into the compost barrel, then the barrel can not be specially watered. And so it takes up to 3-4 buckets of water per day.

4. Ash and, if any, bird droppings.

The alternation of layers occurs by itself, which has a beneficial effect on the compost. The fact is that vegetable peelings, weeds, cut grass contain a lot of nitrogen, sawdust - carbon, ash - potassium and trace elements.

Manure (slurry) I don't compost. Firstly, we do not have this "good". Secondly, with manure there is a risk of introducing diseases and pests into the compost. Here it is necessary to ensure that the compost rots for 2 years, or maybe 3, depending on the conditions.

It is not necessary to add earth to the compost heap. This can lower the rotting temperature and thus slow down the organic composting process.

Rich harvests to you,
Katerina Shlykova

Quoting and partial copying articles and stories, possibly indicating the source in the form active link to the corresponding page on the site.

Compost heap for the lazy
11/20/2009 Labels: humus, compost, compost box, manure, DIY

Of course, you should place a compost heap or waste composting boxes in secluded places so that they do not catch the eye and do not spoil the view. Nevertheless, they should always be at hand. In the case of a classic composting solution, three sections are needed for the production of compost: in one, the process of laying waste is underway, in the other, the compost matures, and in the third, the finished fertilizer is ready for removal to the beds. In terms of size, many converge to the following proportions: width -1.5 m, height - 1-1.2 m, length - up to 3-4 m. These dimensions are given in many reference books, they are considered the minimum necessary to ensure temperature and stable humidity for the normal course of the composting process. According to the same theory, it is advised to shovel the contents of the compost heap annually to supply air to the ripening compost, i.e. to speed up the process of waste decomposition. This task requires serious physical effort.
How to speed up the composting process?

So a modern compost heap can be made compact or, for this purpose, waste can be folded into a small container with a capacity of about 1 cubic meter. meters, making it from boards.

But, as you know, laziness is the engine of progress, so it may not cost anything to build. Let's just take an old metal barrel without a bottom and modify it a bit:

Secondly, we paint the outside of the barrel in a dark color for better heating in the sun, which will ensure a high temperature inside and speed up the composting process.

To speed up the production of compost, the fertilizer components should be laid in a certain order, forming layers of a certain thickness:

First, we place green plants or carbon-rich substances, making a layer of them 15-20 cm thick.

Then we put 5 cm of manure or substances rich in nitrogen.

After we break everything with a centimeter layer of earth.

So we fill the barrel to the top, continuing to lay the layers in the same sequence - weeds, manure, ash, earth.

The simplest compost pit can be made with your own hands from auxiliary building materials available in the country.

Compost pit principles

To do this, the compost tank must have the following design features:

Choosing a site for a compost pit

The external design of the compost pit can be absolutely anything. It can be decorated with beautifully colored shields, fenced with loach plantings and perennial ornamental plants.

Making a compost pit with your own hands

Compost pit in the ground

To create a compost pit:

In the ground, a site is selected away from residential buildings.
On an area 1.5 m wide and of arbitrary length, the top layer of turf and soil is removed.
The bottom of the pit should be located at a depth of no more than 0.5 meters.
The bottom is covered with a sand cushion to drain excess water.

The first layer performs the function of drainage and promotes aeration of the pile and consists of cut branches.

They are laid in layers:

cut grass;
dry foliage;
sawdust;
household food waste;
manure;
weedy herbs.

Layers are sprinkled with peat or garden soil, spilled with water. To speed up the decomposition process, it is advisable to grind all the ingredients before laying, simply chopping with a shovel.

Under natural conditions, microorganisms will be able to process such a waste dump in two summer seasons. This is the easiest and most economical way to get compost.

Use EM drugs. A temperature of +4°C inside the compost heap is enough for microorganisms to successfully process waste.

Making a compost pit from boards

For ease of use and speed up the recycling process, the compost bin is made from boards. The optimal size of the compost box is 1x1.5 meters.

Instructions for making a pit from boards:

Lay garbage in such a container through the top according to the general principle, starting with the branches. And you can rake out the finished compost already from below.

Photo: drawing of a compost box, composter diagram

Variants of compost pits made from boards

Slate is durable and is perfect for the walls of the compost bin. You can use both wave and flat sheet slate.

Options for making a composter from slate:

Marking is done at the location of the compost heap and deepen cut-to-size sheets. They can be fixed with an external, wooden or iron crate.
In another embodiment, metal pipes are buried in the ground. A frame of bars is attached to them. Outside, it is sheathed with slate. The second design is more durable.

Compost pit from corrugated board

When making a compost bin from corrugated board, choose a material with an anti-corrosion coating.

Work order:

At the chosen place, a base is constructed from a metal or wooden bar.
The dimensions of the pit are chosen according to the length of the sheets, which allows you to make a compost bin with two or three compartments.
The base is made, as for a wooden structure.
Outside, the profile strips are fastened with self-tapping screws with gaps of 3-5 cm.
It should be borne in mind that the metal surface becomes very hot during hot summer periods.
From above they make a shelter for their plywood or boards. It is desirable to cover the frame with a protective compound.

Metal mesh compost bin

To make compost, you can make a cylindrical container from a metal mesh. In such a cylinder, the compost is well ventilated and does not rot.

How to make a compost bin:

Concrete compost pit

A concrete compost pit creates many benefits:

Thick walls maintain a positive temperature for a long time.
Such a pit is durable and reliable, not affected by adverse environmental conditions.

It is desirable to make it large, into two or even three compartments. Compost of different seasons will ripen in the first and second blocks. The third store bags of finished compost.

How to make a concrete compost pit:

Other material options for the compost pit

Compost pit from car tires

Car tires are quite suitable for arranging a compost heap:

Compost in an iron barrel

Old iron barrels are great for composting:

We cut down both bottoms with a chisel and put them near the track.
We put weeds, mowed grass, kitchen waste in layers in a barrel.
To increase the temperature, you can paint the barrel black, pour the compost with a solution of ammonium nitrate (a matchbox on a bucket of water).
We get the finished compost from below. To do this, you need to lift the barrel with a crowbar.

To improve the design:

Using a grinder (angle grinder), you need to cut the barrel into two unequal parts and punch holes in the walls for air circulation.
Then we put them on the priest and connect them with wire or rope. Cover with a lid on top.
The advantages of this design are the easy accessibility of the contents of the barrel for worms and bacteria from below.
To get ready-made compost, you only need to untie the rope, and you will receive two hundred liters of ready-made fertilizer.

Compost in a plastic barrel

For this:

We fill the barrel with cut grass or weeds to half, and fill it with water to the top.
After about three days, the fermentation process will begin.
After using the solution, you can again add water to the barrel and let it brew for one week.
Having spent the liquid compost completely, the remaining grass is folded into a compost heap.

Brick compost pit

A brick compost pit without a cement binder is convenient in that it can be moved to another location if necessary.

Compost pit made of concrete rings

Compost pit according to Finnish technology

Do not confuse compost and cesspool. Organic matter from the garden plot is stored in containers for making compost. The remains of protein food should be disposed of in a cesspool.

What can and cannot be put in a compost pit?

Thanks to composting, the amount of waste in landfills is reduced, and our vegetable gardens and orchards receive additional fertilizer.

In the compost pit, first of all, organic garden waste is laid, in the form of:

branches;
dry foliage;
cut grass;
weeds;
straw.

Good ingredients for a compost heap are:

food leftovers from vegetarian food;
egg shell;
onion peel.

You can layer the compost with manure and chicken manure.

The prohibited ingredients of the compost heap are:

construction and household waste with a high content of phenols;
remnants of printed products;
plastic.

Do not compost leftover protein and oily foods, as they decompose slowly and attract mice and rats.

From plant residues, weeds with matured seeds and with roots that can take root well, such as:

thistle;
wheatgrass;
loach.

Preparations for the compost pit

The main task of preparations containing biological activators is to accelerate the decomposition processes with the help of microorganisms.

The preparations do an excellent job with the processing of organic matter and do not allow pathogenic microflora to develop in the compost pit:

Compost preparation can be significantly accelerated by using Baikal EM. This preparation contains effective microorganisms (EM).
The drug "Doctor Robik" significantly increases the number of effective microorganisms (EM) in the compost. They are engaged in the processing of organic matter into humus, and also prevent the development of pathogenic microflora and destroy the larvae of harmful insects.
The bioactivator has similar properties. The Green-Master bioactivator package must be diluted in 20 liters of warm water, let it brew for 4 hours and water the compost heap. After 2 weeks, you need to turn a bunch of pitchforks. For the preparation of compost, one treatment with a bioactivator solution is sufficient.
Good results are obtained by the drug "Compost Boost" for composting.
Manufacturer Lucky summer resident produces "Biocompostin"- compost preparation. Saneks plus releases the EcoCompost product.
Manufacturer Dezon Bio K produces several types of drugs:"Green all-rounder", "Compost of one season", "Compost for the next agricultural season", "Bioactivator for compost".

By using preparations, microbiological processes can be significantly accelerated and compost can be obtained in 2-3 months.

Preparations-bioactivators for compost

Rules for the operation of a compost pit

After the construction of the compost box and its filling, it remains occasionally to look inside and, depending on the changes taking place, correct the decomposition process.

Tips for using the composter:

In dry periods, it is necessary to water the compost with plain water, preventing it from overheating, which leads to a reduction in the population of some types of beneficial bacteria.
At least once every two weeks, you should loosen the compost heap., thereby providing an influx of oxygen into all, even the lowest, layers.
Add "Effective Microorganisms" to your compost content in the form of solutions and various additives.
To speed up the process, you can add a ready-made compost substrate, which contains a full range of microbiological activators.
If the pit design does not have a top cover, then simply cover the top with a black garden cover, which will increase the temperature and greenhouse effect inside the structure.

Summarizing

Creating a compost pit does not require serious material investments. You can make it with your own hands from improvised materials, which are always enough in any personal plot.

Having spent a little time on making a compost pit, in the future you will not have to solve the problems of disposing of garden and household waste.