Compost pit in the garden. Compost pit and heap: the secrets of experienced summer residents

First, about terms.
In a broad sense, these words are synonyms. In Russian, it happens that any word has different meanings, depending on the context in which it was pronounced and written.
If manure and other organic waste is placed in a special compost pit or box, it is turned over several times a season, loosened, watered, covered, thinking about the correct ratio of nitrogen and carbon, that is, composting, then a product similar to black earth is called compost .

And in the old days there was a lot of manure, it lay in huge piles near the sheds with animals, no one composted it, it rotted itself, and therefore the people simply called it humus.
Sometimes compost and humus are called humus. But humus is a borrowed Latin word, meaning earth, soil. And it is more correct to talk about humus in the context of talking about the soil, about the constituent part of the soil. Humus is what remains of organic matter that has been in the soil for a long time, processed by soil inhabitants, joined together with soil particles into a single complex and lost the fibrous structure of organic matter visible to the eye.

When we take the soil in our hands in the spring, we feel the pleasant smell of the earth and see its black color, we say that there is a lot of humus in the earth, this is black soil. Therefore, the closest synonym for humus is chernozem.
When we take good compost in our hand and also see the black color and smell a pleasant smell, we still do not call it humus or soil, but when we introduce such compost into poor soil, we understand that we are enriching the soil with humus, turning the soil into black soil .

But when we approach a heap of rotted manure, take humus in our hand, we do not always smell the soil, sometimes the humus has an unpleasant putrefactive smell. Intuitively, we understand the difference between black soil, between good compost, and between humus (an old pile of pig manure that we did not want to compost properly).
So we understood at the ordinary level what compost is, it is organic matter with which we worked, which we composted.

Why Gardeners Make Compost Differently

I myself went through several stages of understanding what good compost is, and now reading hundreds of articles about composting and talking on this topic with gardening friends, I see that how many people, so many different opinions on how to make it.
Many people like to strictly follow the instructions, hang them correctly in grams, mix manure, straw, grass, and food waste in strict proportions. When a beginner reads such advice, he is confused and afraid to start creating compost heaps.

Someone is afraid of worms, read a lot of esoteric literature and strictly monitors the temperature of the heap so that all eggs and microbes die. Washes hands and vegetables endlessly with soap and brush after working in organic gardens.
Someone builds tables and calculates on a computer how much nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium is in which compost, and what additives should be added to it for each crop.

For some, compost is just a way to utilize the existing organic matter, reduce its volume, reduce the putrefactive smell, so that it is easier to take it out and bring it to the beds. For these purposes, I just put it in bags for six months.

There are fanatical naturalists who believe in the myths of soil digestion, who believe that compost is a loss of carbon energy, and all organic matter must be composted in the garden so that there is no loss, and all the sun's energy goes to the roots of plants. And humus is a dummy, bacteria poop that does not contain nitrogen.

I used to compost the other way too

If I had been asked one or five years ago what is the value of compost for a gardener, what is the essence of its proper preparation, I would have answered: in the quantity and quality of soil organisms, in the stability of the ecosystem that has developed during its preparation.
If you ask me now why a novice gardener needs to have the right compost, I will say in order to cure my dead land of bacterial and fungal diseases and start harvesting faster. And they will ask what is the main benefit of compost, I will answer that in the quantity and quality of antibiotics that the compost has accumulated, thanks to the vital activity of fungi and bacteria, in the ability of the extract from the compost to fight putrefactive organisms, in the ability of compost to heal the land, in the possibility of using infusions and from such compost to restore the fertility of dead soils.

Soil, especially depleted by agriculture, does not always contain all the beneficial microorganisms. Therefore, in order to restore the soil, we must introduce composts with a high content of bacteria, fungi and other microorganisms into it. Such inoculants can be: live compost, biohumus, vermicay, compost tea.

All novice gardeners have confusion in their heads

I want everything at once and quickly. And in order to avoid diseases, I want to kill all harmful fungi and bacteria, introduce pesticides and herbicides into the soil. In addition, I want to get a harvest in the first year on the acquired land. Not pesticides will help here, but extracts from compost.
Live compost for these purposes can be obtained in three weeks, for this you need to make compost in a heap using a special method.

What materials should be used for the rapid maturation of compost

• Various types of manure and litter from pets (waste from the toilet and feces should settle for 3-4 months). This is a nitrogenous material. It causes "burning" of the compost heap.
• Hay, straw, leaves, coarse grass are carbonaceous material. All materials must be crushed: otherwise they are difficult to turn over, and it is more difficult for microorganisms to process them.
• Green grass with turf - contains soil microorganisms, it is with green material that they enter the compost heap.
• Wood mulch is food for mushrooms, mushrooms love to recycle wood fiber.
• In the middle of the compost heap, you can add a kind of seed - comfrey, nettle, yarrow, fish, food waste. This will speed up the overall decomposition process. These are compost activators or accelerators that help warm up the pile.

I'll tell you in detail, in order
First, we make a loose base of the heap: put hay, small branches at the very bottom. It is very important that air is easily drawn into the pile from below. Then we lay a layer of nitrogenous material, alternating with carbonaceous.
After laying the heap, pour water over it so that it is moderately moist.
Then we cover the pile with waterproof material and leave it for 4 days.
On the fourth day, we make the first transfer of the heap. Our task in this case is to place the outer material inward, and the inner material outward. This is necessary for even composting, as the inside of the pile is hotter than the outside.
Then on the sixth day we do the second transfer of the heap. We control the heap temperature. We throw a bunch every other day, the outer material inward, and the inner material outward. On the 18th or 24th day, the compost should be ready, if it is not overheated or overdried.

Overheating will occur during the second third throwing - on the 6-8th day. Stick your arm up to your elbow in the compost heap. If you succeeded and you shout "Hot!" they pulled the hand back, which means that the temperature is above +50 ° C, and everything is fine. At +70 ° C, you will not be able to put your hand in a pile, it hurts.
During the composting process, optimal humidity should be observed, for this we take a little material from the base of the pile and squeeze it very strongly between the palms. If it drips a little, that's what you need.

What happens in the compost heap

During the first 4 days of composting, the population of microorganisms in the heap increases. We turn the pile, many organisms will die - and their bodies will become food for the next generation of microorganisms. There will be a population explosion, they will multiply rapidly and give off a lot of heat.
During the composting process, carbon organics will bind nitrogen and all other elements into humus. Rough organics - absorbent; nitrous - fuel for the heap. Even toxic substances - if any of them end up in a pile - will be bound by long chains of carbon molecules and become inert. This is one of the most remarkable properties of humus.
So, the main secret of a good and fast compost is the optimum temperature of the compost heap, +55…+65 °С. And optimal humidity with good aeration.

How can live compost be used?

I use ready-made compost in four different ways, depending on the purpose.
1. To quickly improve the humus-poor garden soil, I prepare compost, which contains a lot of woody material and, accordingly, mushrooms.
Trees need fungi, they grow in soil in which fungi predominate. Fungi form mycorrhiza, a symbiotic relationship with woody plants. Mushrooms get carbon from plants, giving away nutrients from the soil in return. Mushroom threads - hyphae - stretch for many kilometers, they can extract batteries over long distances. In addition, hyphae provide an exchange of information between trees. This is a kind of Internet in the soil. Fungal spores and hyphae are easily damaged by improper tillage. By inoculating the soil with mushroom compost, fungal diversity in the soil can be quickly restored.

2. For vegetable beds, I prepare compost rich in nitrogen, which is dominated by bacteria. It has more grass, manure, food waste. Such compost is better suited for fertilizing herbaceous plants and vegetables.

3. For the production of ACC, I leave the compost for 6-13 months for good maturation, it is better if it is overgrown with weeds. In this case, the ecosystem of compost organisms will be the most developed and diverse.
4. For the production of compost infusion, fresh compost 10-14 days before use should be shed with 1% molasses solution with the addition of 0.05% fish emulsion. (I make a "stink in a barrel" where I add nettle or comfrey, they have a good balance, a lot of nitrogen, and phosphorus, and carbohydrates). Then it is necessary to loosen well, this causes the rapid reproduction of all soil living creatures, followed by the lysis of most bacteria and fungi, while the compost is maximally saturated with antibiotics, amino acids and vitamins, and the infusion from it is the best medicine for treating rot-infected soils.

So, we need compost to quickly restore the fertility of the lands killed by the previous exploitation.

Why old drugs can not cure the earth

The use of EM preparations, trichoderma and hay bacillus on infected soils does not give a visible effect, they work well on healthy soils with a high content of humus. It is the same with ACh, poor in humus, soils infected with bacterioses, microorganisms introduced into the soil together with ACh and organics are treated, but slowly, in the first year of soil development, the crop is not obtained.

Modern mixed bacterial-fungal diseases reduce the immunity of plants, their resistance to frost, drought, pests, weeds, and no agrotechnical measures can save them from these diseases. We treat mushrooms - we get an outbreak of bacterioses, we treat bacteria with antibiotics - we get an outbreak of fungal diseases.

I have forty years of experience in the treatment of children from mixed microbial-fungal diseases, I use drugs - four in one, kill fungi, microbes, relieve inflammation and restore disturbed microflora of the skin or intestines.

What I saw in vermicoff and what I learned now

So it is with the soil. For the first time I saw that the soils are superbly treated with fresh extracts from vermicomposts. There are no pathogenic bacteria and fungi in the intestines of worms, but there are thousands of microorganisms with hundreds of antibiotics that protect worms from diseases, because worms crawl for millions of years in the dirtiest rotting manure. Last year I described my experience that beds watered with vermicaffe (an extract from vermicompost), and then sprayed with ACH, give an unprecedented increase in yield.

Not everyone can make worm compost, but everyone can make quality compost following the guidelines above. In compost, where there are no temperatures above 55 degrees, micro worms and millions of other micro soil animals manage to multiply in three to four weeks, and all of them excrete coprolites no worse than dung worms, and the composition of bacteria in it is no worse than in worm compost and the content of antibiotics that suppress all known soil pathogens is not worse, and the composition of beneficial soil anaerobes and protozoa is excellent. We get the effect of four in one.

How to make hoods and how to use them

If you take 2-3 liters of high-quality fresh compost in a bucket of water, stir well and leave for about an hour until the color of dark coffee, pour it over your diseased beds, at the rate of half to two liters per square meter, then this infusion will suppress both pathogenic fungi, and bacteria, relieve inflammation of the roots and create a protective layer of beneficial microorganisms in the rhizosphere. Vitamins from compost infusion will increase the immunity of plants, and they will successfully resist diseases, pests, drought and frost.

Then you can add organic matter to such a cured soil, without fear of intensifying bacterioses, add ACh, and beneficial microbes will take root.
If a dozen beneficial bacteria are added to millions of pathogens, they do not take root, and if millions of beneficial bacteria are added to the ten remaining pathogens in the soil, they will take root, create their own ecosystem and will not let pathogens into their paradise.
Thus, the gardener can already in the first year on the killed soil get a crop and not reduce, but increase fertility.

This is the essence of my understanding of why a gardener needs the right compost.

Every summer resident and owner of a private household, who has been growing vegetables in his own garden for more than a year, knows that the land tends to be depleted, while the yield and quality of garden products are reduced. Naturally, the limited area of ​​the land plot does not make it possible to carry out a full-fledged crop rotation, leaving some part of it unused for a year or two: in this case, the soil is, as they say, “fallow” and has the opportunity to restore its fertile potential. We have to solve the issue by fertilizing the soil, and here many people have all sorts of problems.

All (or almost all) issues related to soil improvement can be solved with the help of such a wonderful substance as compost.

This is a very effective natural fertilizer that can be produced without any financial costs in natural conditions literally from nothing, more precisely, from garbage that is usually burned or thrown away.

It is only necessary to make a little effort to create optimal production conditions - to make compost pit. Next, we'll show you how.

In simple terms, compost is the result of the process of decomposition of organic waste with the help of microorganisms and the obligatory access of oxygen in conditions of sufficient humidity and biological heat. An important role in the formation of high-quality compost is played by earthworms and dung worms.

Immediately make a reservation that the process of formation (ripening) of compost is quite long and without the use of special auxiliary compounds lasts from one and a half to two years. In rare cases, when creating the best natural conditions, it is possible to get good compost in a year, but this process does not tolerate haste, especially since, if the process is properly organized, it will be possible to receive a portion of fertilizer almost annually in the future.

The multilayer structure of the compost mass. Below - a drainage layer of large branches, above - a fresh layer of household waste

So, we mentioned that ordinary garbage and organic waste are used to create compost. This is true, and the arrangement of the compost pit will allow you to solve two pressing issues at once - to dispose of most of the household waste and to get a quality soil conditioner.

In the compost pit you will throw:

• fallen leaves;
• cut grass;
• dry branches from trees and shrubs, roots, wood waste;
• withered tops from the garden;
• potato (beetroot, carrot, etc.) peels, banana peels, apple peels, etc. bits, half-eaten salads, tea leaves, coffee grounds and other waste from the kitchen and dining table;
• paper and cardboard waste.

At the same time, you must remember that everything placed in the compost pit must be shredded (especially wood, paper, cardboard), free of paint and varnish coatings and any fats.

You should not place such items as meat, bones, animal intestines, cabbage leaves and dairy products (they rot and form a very bad smell), vegetable stalks affected by late blight and other diseases, as well as weeds - it is still better to burn them in order to there were no problems in the future. Many experts do not recommend throwing pet excrement into a compost pit, since they may contain helminth eggs (worms), which, although they should die from the heat generated inside the compost mass (from 40 ° C to 70 ° C), no one will give such a guarantee, so better beware. Naturally, plastic, rubber, metal and objects made of synthetic materials will not decompose in any way in the compost, which will remain garbage and then end up in your garden.

Making a compost pit with your own hands

For our purposes, it makes sense to talk about three types of compost pits that you can equip yourself, as well as get acquainted with some production samples from the large assortment available for sale in specialty stores and "gardening" departments of hypermarkets.

You can make your own:

1. the pit itself, the “working” part of which is below ground level;
2. a completely outdoor structure, generally representing a box or enclosed space;
3. a rare “universal” type that combines the two previous ones in its design.

In fact, making a compost pit with your own hands is not at all difficult, then we will consider the available designs and you will see for yourself.

Location of the compost pit

Before you start arranging a compost pit in your backyard or summer cottage, you should pay attention to some of the nuances of its correct location.

Considering the peculiarities of the waste composting process, the pit should be located at a distance from sources of drinking water - springs, wells, wells. The optimal distance is 25 meters: further is possible (if the territory allows), closer is not desirable.

An important point: if the terrain on your site is heterogeneous, with slopes, always choose the location of the compost pit below the level of the well, preferably at the lowest point of the site. This is done so that during rains (snow melting) decomposition products do not enter the source along with water flows. You can determine the lowest point if you follow the direction of streams during heavy rain.

Another problem is unpleasant odors, which may well come from the compost pit. This should be taken into account so as not to spoil relations with neighbors and your own mood. Therefore, find out in advance the predominant direction of the wind, which should become your assistant in this matter.

Usually, a compost pit is located somewhere away from the eyes - behind outbuildings, at the end of the garden, etc. However, you can still equip some suitable fence like a screen with climbing plants. In addition to the decorative function, such a fence should provide the pit with two extremely important conditions:

• protect from the sun, providing reliable shade;
• do not interfere with the free blowing of it by the wind.

Well, now, in fact, about the pit itself.

The first option can be considered the oldest, which gave the name to all other designs. This is a pit in its purest form, no more than 1 meter deep, 3 meters long and about 1.5 meters wide. Such calculations are due to practical expediency: it will be more difficult to fill a larger volume, and the resulting compost is quite enough for a garden of 8-10 acres.

However, everything is not so simple: the formation of compost is an aerobic process, requiring free access of air to the entire mass, which dense soil is not able to provide. To solve this problem, the walls of the pit should be sheathed from the inside with wooden boards at a certain distance (about 20 cm) from the earthen walls. To do this, columns are dug in at the corners of the pit, to which the boards are nailed. The boards themselves do not fit tightly to each other, they leave a distance of 4-5 cm between them. Such measures are necessary for better ventilation of the compost mass, as well as for earthworms to access it.

A drainage layer of pieces of wood and branches is thrown at the bottom of the pit for better ventilation.

Now you need to build a wooden shield and block the hole exactly in the middle, dividing it into two equal parts. Waste will be placed in one, and the other is needed for periodic shifting (several times per season) of the mass in order to better saturate it with oxygen.

Some people prefer to line the walls of the compost pit with bricks (as in the photo above), cinder blocks, or concrete. Such "thoroughness" is completely useless for the reasons outlined above.

Compost bin design

The overhead structure is considered more popular - the so-called. compost box.

For its construction, special skills and calculations are not needed: the main thing is to provide a certain volume for the mass of waste in which they can be and gradually overheat into a nutrient substrate, as well as supplying a sufficient amount of air.

Compost bin made of wooden pallets

A compost bin can be made both portable and stationary by digging columns of the required height (1 m above the ground) into the ground at the corners from a thick wooden beam or metal pipe. These posts are then sheathed with narrow (10-12 cm) wooden planks, maintaining an interval of 1-2 cm, sufficient to ensure drainage functions.

Good so-called. “Finnish” type of compost bin, the main part of which is a cube with a side of 1 m. Such dimensions are calculated in order to ensure that the mass is overheated, and not dried out (with a smaller volume) or burned out from excess internal heat in a significantly larger volume.

A gable roof is being built on top, one slope of which is used for laying waste in a box and is a lid with a convenient handle that leans back on the door hinges. In the lower part of one of the surfaces, it is necessary to place a door 30-40 cm high on the same hinges, through which it will be convenient to take out the finished (mature) compost located in the lower conditional third of the mass (mature, ripening compost and fresh waste on top).

One wall of the box facing the courtyard can be made deaf. As in the case of the pit, the box can be built into two compartments, but this is not so important here.

As you know, demand creates supply, and therefore various manufacturers offer to purchase ready-made compost boxes - composters, made of high-strength plastic or metal (sometimes wood), with a modern design and designed in such a way as to create the most favorable conditions for mass composting.

Composters vary greatly in their cost, manufacturability (some models are equipped with temperature sensors and electromechanical mass rippers), dimensions and design features, which can be both solid and collapsible.

In the presented photos you can see some samples, but it is better to choose in consultation with the seller.

Compost care

Having acquired your own compost pit (or box), you will have to take care of the mass gradually turning into fertilizer. It is not difficult, all care consists in periodically moistening the mass and ventilating it.

It is convenient to moisten with a garden watering can, wetting, but not filling the mass with water. They ventilate the ripening compost with the help of garden forks, piercing and turning the mass to the maximum depth in several places or shifting it from compartment to compartment.

For better maturation and quality of the future compost, you can add a small amount of overripe (two-year-old) manure to the mass.

The maturation of compost can be significantly accelerated with the help of commercially available special compound preparations: in some cases, the result is already obtained in one month, although the consistency of the compost will be different, and it will have to ripen in the soil, which, according to many experts, is even good for plants.

» Preparations

The annual use of the site for growing various crops greatly depletes the soil. To restore its fertility, it is necessary to periodically apply fertilizers. Compost is one of the most nutrient-rich foods available. Such fertilizer can be made in the country with your own hands.

Compost is one of the types of organic fertilizers that can be harvested independently using various household and plant waste. A high-quality composition containing minerals and valuable trace elements is equated to humus. The nutrient mixture reaches readiness as a result of the decomposition of organic matter under the influence of heat and moisture. The compost heap is identified with a living biological reactor. The process of converting waste into a valuable nutritious product occurs due to intensively developing microorganisms.

Composting is not a labor-intensive process, but the technology still has some features. Only the right composition is able to restore the vitality of the soil, increase its fertility and improve its structure. There are a lot of recipes and methods for harvesting organic fertilizer. Each experienced gardener has his own exclusive secrets, which consist in the use of various additives, the combination of certain components, etc.

For those who did not take care of the arrangement of the compost pit in advance, packaged humus is offered. But before buying, it is worth collecting information about the manufacturer, otherwise you can get a neutral or negative result after fertilizing the land.

Natural compost is rotted organic waste

What is it made from

No matter how tempting the offers to purchase ready-made compost are, you can only fully trust the product prepared with your own hands. To obtain organic fertilizer, you can use:

• waste and cleaning of vegetables/fruits;
• eggshell (only from eggs that have not undergone heat treatment);
• tea leaves, coffee grounds;
• cut grass;
• dry leaves;
• peat;
• manure of domestic animals, bird droppings;
• thin twigs, stems;
• paper, natural fabrics, feathers (crushed raw materials);
• straw, shavings, seed husks.

All or part of the ingredients are filled into a box or pit in a certain order. To start the fermentation process, it is necessary to create a favorable temperature regime and high humidity.

Compost is made from the remains of fruits, vegetables, eggs, straw and other things.

Do not put the following ingredients in a composter or pit:

• vegetable waste and fruits that have undergone heat treatment(there are practically no useful microelements in them, the composition will turn out to be non-nutritious);
• weed grass(all types of weeds contain poisonous or toxic substances that are dangerous for the soil and cultivated crops);
• plants affected by any diseases or pests(compost with such a component will provoke the spread of the disease on the soil and plants);
• synthetic material(it is not subject to the process of decomposition and decay);
• citrus waste(essential oils inhibit decomposition processes, a large number of crusts can increase the acidity of the soil).

According to popular belief, feces of dogs, cats, as well as used toilet litter can be added to the compost. Experts do not recommend using this type of waste, as animal waste products may contain worms that are dangerous to human health. Being in a warm and humid environment, they survive perfectly, and then they successfully settle in raspberries, strawberries and other fruits.

Advantages and disadvantages

To appreciate the full benefits of using compost, you need to consider its impact on the soil environment and plants.

• The compost contains a large amount of valuable minerals and trace elements in the correct proportion. When it enters the soil, a rapid metabolic process occurs, as a result of which the deficiency of the missing substances is instantly compensated.
• Organics, when combined with soil, form a single structure. After heavy irrigation or rain, micronutrients remain on the surface, unlike mineral fertilizers, which settle into deeper soil layers.
• Compost is well-permeable to moisture and air, which allows it to improve the structure of the soil in the upper layers. This is important for the normal development of the root system.
• The composition of the fertilizer includes a large amount of humus which increases the fertility of the land.
• It is almost impossible to overfeed plants with organic matter. All components are of natural origin. They undergo natural decay processes without polluting the soil with various toxins.
• Compost from organic fertilizers is the most accessible way to enrich the soil with useful substances.

True compost has virtually no flaws and is completely mixed into the soil.

Compost has practically no disadvantages. However, it is worth noting that when arranging a compost heap or pit, you need to choose a place away from the recreation area and at home, since the process of decay is accompanied by the release of an unpleasant odor. In addition, this object attracts flies, ants and other insects. The arrangement of a special box, which is equipped with doors, will help to avoid problems with such a neighborhood. Insulating the compost pile in this way also has aesthetic value, the corner of the site will not look dull.

How to make a DIY compost bin

To organize a place for collecting organic waste in order to obtain fertilizer, it is recommended to use a compost bin. Making storage is quite easy, following simple rules.

site design requirements

In order for the manufactured container to meet all the requirements, when assembling it, it is worth considering important points:

• the side walls must have holes to ensure air circulation (you can leave gaps of 2 cm between the boards);
• there is no such element as the bottom in the box;
• the presence of a cover will limit the flow of water during heavy rains (excessive moisture will provoke the development of the fungus);
• the lower part of the box must be openable to ensure the intake of fertilizer (from below the composition matures faster).

Materials for the manufacture of organic fertilizer

For the manufacture of a compost box, bars and boards are selected. You can also use wooden shields. Instead of a wooden cover, a frame upholstered with polyethylene film or polycarbonate is often used. Fixation of individual elements of the container is carried out with hardware and loops (unlockable fragments).

The optimal dimensions of the box: height - 1 m, width - 1.2 m.

Manufacturing instructions

1. Clear the area under the compost box from plant debris and remove the sod layer. Make markings according to the drawing.
2. Dig holes 35-50 cm deep in the corners for the installation of supports.
3. Install the supports in the pits, align them vertically and fill them with gravel to half the depth. The part remaining to the surface of the soil is poured with cement.
4. After 1-2 days after the cement hardens, cover the cement pour with earth.
5. Connect the supports at the top and bottom with bars (on 4 sides).
6. Sheathe the frame with boards around the perimeter, leaving 2 cm gaps for air access. On one or both sides below, you need to attach the board to the hinges so that it can open for fertilizer intake.
7. Equip the top with an unlockable lid, knocked down from several boards without gaps.

How to make a compost heap

As an option, prepare a compost heap in one of the secluded corners of the site. A heap does not mean a random dump of garbage, but a systematic collection of organic waste. It is better to choose a place in the shade, the components will dry out in the sun. A shady shelter provides the necessary moisture, which favorably affects the rotting process. Decomposition is also facilitated by worms, wood lice and other microorganisms.

Right materials

Such products are made on the basis of natural components; they cannot harm the soil or plants. For example, the preparation Embiko Compost (Gringo) ensures the maturation of the fertilizer in just 6-8 weeks.

How to tell if compost is ready

Ready compost can be identified by the characteristic dark color of the composition. It should be crumbly, moist, not emitting a stench. Ripened fertilizer has the smell of forest land.

By following the rules for making compost, you can regularly replenish stocks of nutrient mixture for the garden with your own hands, without spending additional money on ready-made fertilizers.

There is always a lot of organic waste on the farm - leaves in autumn, vegetables, fruits, manure of domestic animals and birds. From all this, you can make excellent fertilizer without spending a lot of effort. Fertilizer is called - compost, which means composed of individual components.

The principle of preparation is simple - to arrange the layers, let them cake and rot. To prepare compost, certain types of bacteria are needed - anaerobic or aerobic, depending on how the components are laid.

Varieties of fertilizer

How to make compost in the country with your own hands - any experienced gardener who practices natural organic fertilizers to restore the land will tell. Only now the recipe is different for everyone - in terms of the quantity and quality of the components, the ripening time, the use of bacteria.

How do the recipes differ in general terms:

• What microorganisms are involved in the composting process.

• Whether manure is added, or only plant residues.

• Which box is used or the components are put in a pit without air access.

• At what time of the year does the bookmarking take place.

The amount of nutrients in the fertilizer depends on how to make compost in the country - open or closed. In the absence of oxygen, the maturation process is slower, but most of the nutrients are preserved.

With a closed method, it is necessary to completely isolate the mass from air penetration. In such an environment, anaerobic bacteria develop well, which receive energy without oxygen.

If you give access to air, then the preparation of composts will go faster, but there will also be fewer nutrients at the exit. The aerobic method avoids souring, but requires regular mixing of the layers to ensure oxygen access. If this is not done, most of the beneficial microorganisms will die without air.

Biohumus

How to make compost with your own hands, so that 1 liter replaces 10 kg of manure - to enable earthworms to do their job. The fact is that they quickly process organic matter and release waste products into the environment - that is, into a compost heap.

The method of preparing biohumus will be somewhat different from the usual composting of waste in the country. The components are introduced in small layers, then red Californian worms are planted - they are champions in eating vegetation.

When the eukaryotes process the substances, more components are added from above and the worms move to the upper layer for a new portion of food. A door is made at the bottom of the box so that ready-made compost can be shipped.

This method has many advantages, but there are also disadvantages: the worms need a constant temperature - in the cold they hibernate, so the box is placed in a warm room. Moisture control is required so that the substrate does not dry out, as well as constant feeding of worms.

If you are interested in how to quickly make compost so that after a couple of months it can be used for its intended purpose, you need to attract worms. Quick compost does not need to wait a year and a half, but only a couple of months. It is used for both garden and indoor plants.

The benefits of organic compost

Organic fertilizers can restore even the most infertile land. The need for organics arises when mineral fertilizers have been used for too long - not chelated, but in the form of salts.

So that the soil does not lose its physical and chemical characteristics, it must be fertilized with organic matter once every three years. It can be manure, green manure, humus or compost.

Organics serve as food for soil bacteria, due to which humus is formed. Humic acids are the main factor of soil fertility. Organics increase soil volume and retain water. Without moisture, bacteria cannot survive, and therefore there will be no one to process organic matter.

Recycled organics are safe for the root system of plants. If fresh manure is introduced into the holes, then toxic methane and carbon dioxide will damage the young seedlings. In the process of maturation of the compost heap, all harmful substances disappear, only useful ones remain.

Minerals from organic compost are completely absorbed by plants, in contrast to chemical fertilizers, the degree of digestibility of which is about 30%. This is explained by the natural chelation of trace elements. Organics pass through the digestive tract of bacteria and come out in an organic shell of humic acids.

In this form, plants can fully assimilate nutrition - nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus and trace elements.

Components that make up organic fertilizer

Find out what compost is, how to make it - another question. The fact is that errors are also possible here:

• Ingredients mixed incorrectly. Some components should not be added to a ripening compost heap - they increase the ripening time or lead to a combustion stop.

• When using additional bacterial concentrates, the wrong species was used. For example, they added the starter of anaerobic microorganisms and opened access to air. Or vice versa - they closed the oxygen to aerobes, which is why they died.

• Components packed too tightly for open processing or materials not packed for cold processing.

• The humidity level was not maintained - the microorganisms died.

• Do not turn layers during maturation. The bacteria ran out of oxygen.

Video: How to make good compost

The composition of the compost heap includes all substances of plant and animal origin:

• fallen leaves - they are best mixed with green vegetation;

• pruning branches - you need to grind before laying;

• sawdust and tree bark - dosages must be observed so that the composted mixture does not acidify;

• wood ash - makes fertilizer more nutritious and accelerates ripening;

• tops of vegetable crops;

• manure or bird droppings;

• cut grass or straw;

• eggshells that have not been heat treated;

• yeast with sugar for quick heating of the pile;

• vegetables and fruits - also without heat treatment;

• paper, natural fabrics in shredded form;

• peat and soil.

To increase the nutritional value, superphosphate is added to the compost, since it is initially scarce in plants and manure. If the goal is to properly prepare compost in the country, so that it is both a nutritious top dressing for plants and a useful component of the soil, you need to add phosphorus.

What can disrupt the maturation of compost

Many people have the notion that all the garbage from the site can be placed in the compost heap. This is not true. Even natural ingredients are not all suitable for composting, let alone things like rubber tires, glass, plastic, synthetic fabrics.

In the manufacture of compost in the country, you can not use:

• Sick plants. If the haulm is infected with the fungus and if the burning temperature of the compost heap is insufficient, the spores can survive. Such fertilizer can cause infection of the entire area. Proper compost during maturation has a temperature of up to 70 degrees. To measure it, use a thermometer. If the temperature is below 60 - the fungus can survive.

• Feces of dogs and cats. They acidify the environment too much, so it is better not to use such components. In addition, animal feces contain pathogenic microflora or helminths.

• Organic residues that contain a lot of essential oils - lemon or orange peel. Although this issue is debatable: not a single summer resident will be able to collect so many cleanings so that the bacteria die.

• Waste from the sewer is also an open question. If the cottage has a two-chamber sump in which anaerobic microorganisms function, then such waste is a good fertilizer without composting. Therefore, they can be safely used. But if detergents or chlorine get into the wastewater, then such waste cannot be poured into the compost heap.

It is not advisable to fold into a collar fresh grass- it should lie down a little and dry.

This will reduce the risk of souring and bad odors from the compost heap. It is not recommended to use animal remains - bone meal, fish and meat waste. When decomposed, substances of protein origin emit a sharp unpleasant odor.

Where should the compost heap be located on the site?

Depending on which processing method is used. If earthworms are involved in the process, then the collar must be warm. Given the outgoing smell when the components rot, it is better to place the pile or pit away from the housing on the leeward side. The pit in its location should be below the level of the drinking well at a distance of at least 15 meters.

It is recommended to place the collar in the shade. The best place is under a tree. But if the pile is open-bottomed, then the roots of the tree will change direction of growth in order to receive nutrients. Therefore, stationary boxes are best done with a solid bottom.

One of the types of organic fertilizer is humus. This is manure that has been compacted for two years. The way to make humus from manure is similar to composting in a heap. It is necessary to put organic matter in a special box. In this case, you need to understand exactly how to store the substance.

It is rammed to restrict air access, or vice versa, loosened to rot faster. In the first case, the temperature will be about 30 degrees and will not rise above. In the second - as expected for the maturation of the compost heap - about 75 degrees.

When manure rots, pungent odors are released that can cause discontent among neighbors. There is a way to make humus in the country for odorless soil fertilization. This is an anaerobic method. Bacteria that destroy sewer odors will help prevent the spread of odors coming from the pit. But in this case, it is necessary to equip the storage.

How to make a box for maturing organics

For the anaerobic method, a pit or sealed collar is needed to completely exclude air access. To equip the pit, its bottom and walls must be filled with concrete. This is done so that the liquid flowing down during the preparation of the fertilizer is not absorbed into the soil.

It is rich in nutrients, so it is desirable to save it. Before laying the components, the bottom is lined with peat, soil, straw or sawdust. These substances hold the nutrient fluid.

After laying the pit is covered with a film and sprinkled with earth. Complete darkness and an airless environment are formed. When using manure, methane will accumulate under the film.

Ventilation is used in sewer drains. In the case of a pit, you can also attach a pipe for venting gases, at the end of which there is a valve. The accumulated gases open the valve, go out, the valve closes, and with it the access of air.

If you put a bunch in a box, then there are 2 options - for aerobic and anaerobic methods. The collar is installed on a concrete platform. The distance between the boards for the aerobic method is at least 3 cm around the entire perimeter. You need a door to make it convenient to turn the layers with a pitchfork.

For an anaerobic collar, the boards are nailed close to each other, and the inner surface is lined with a film or other solid material.

For ease of use, two-chamber collars or pits are made. A new portion of the components is laid in one, and fertilizer for the current season is taken from the other.

If the ripening time is not running out, you can use a grid: fence off a place on the site with it and put household waste there. Through the grid, air penetrates well inside, especially if you do not tamp the components. When it rains, the storage must be covered so that the prepared nutrients are not washed out. In a fine mesh, you can make humus - fill in straw manure and wait for its natural decomposition.

Do-it-yourself fertilizer preparation - ways

How to make compost in the country:

• Using earthworms.

• Using only bacteria.

Instant compost can only be obtained if earthworms are planted in organic matter. Those species that have a good appetite are recommended. They quickly digest the ingredients and crawl up for a new portion.

How to make compost in the country quickly with the help of worms:

• Put the peelings, bread, food waste, rotten fruit in a compost bin by half or a third. Check for moisture: if water comes out when squeezed, add sawdust, crushed cardboard or soil.

• Add starter from EO preparations.

• Mix everything and leave for 2 - 3 days. The mixture should not emit a putrid odor.

• Before settling the worms, stir the soil, so that the ratio is 1:3.

• Run the worms and make holes for air in the lid.

• Wait for adults to process waste.

When the worms eat the entire portion, add a new one. If the compost bin is equipped with a lower door, the finished fertilizer can be taken out and used. All adult worms will crawl up.

Steps to create a compost heap

What is the right compost:

• the substance is dark in color, loose, moist;

• has a pleasant smell.

To make a bookmark of a compost heap, you need to prepare the components and grind them. Regardless of who will process the organics - bacteria or worms - they will eat the small parts faster.

It is advisable to remove the diseased tops of vegetable plants. Hold the green grass in the air to dry.

Often summer residents come across a plot with infertile soil on which plants grow poorly. Of course, you can bring black soil, but it is quite expensive. Abundant use of chemistry is also undesirable, because the harvested crop will be used by family members. The only way left is to make healthy compost. These are organic fertilizers obtained in the process of decomposition of natural waste due to the vital activity of microorganisms.

Choosing a place for a pile

Before dumping organic waste into a huge pile, it is important to decide on a place. Usually, a site is allocated at the end of the garden or behind outbuildings so that it does not spoil the overall view. It is desirable that the site is not blown by the winds and is located in the shade. You can decorate a bunch of climbing ornamental plants.

It is also necessary to find out the direction of rain flows during heavy rainfall. It is desirable that they do not flow down to the source of drinking water, and the products obtained in the process of decay do not spoil it.

Board compost bin

A rational option for storing organic fertilizers is a wooden box with three special sections: for waste, saturation of top dressing with oxygen and ready-made humus.

Making containers from boards with your own hands takes place in 5 stages:

1. 1. Wooden bars are dug into the ground in the amount of 8 pieces. To protect the wood, parts that are in the ground are smeared with tar or another moisture-repellent agent. If the box is placed along the fence, some of the pegs can be tied to it so as not to dig additional holes.
2. 2. The dug-in bars are connected with wooden boards to form partitions. It is important to leave gaps between adjacent planks to improve air exchange. In front of sections 1 and 2, the boards are fixed to the middle. In the future, doors will be made at this place. In the last compartment with a large door, only one lower bar is nailed.
3. 3. The ends, partitions and the back wall are reinforced with additional crossbars. Doors are mounted that simultaneously act as a cover in the first two sections. In the last compartment, 1 large door is installed.
4. 4. For protection, all sections of the box are covered with two layers of paint. The choice of the color of the paintwork is a purely individual matter, but it is better that it fits into the overall landscape design.
5. 5. Fittings are installed: handles, latches. The box is ready to use.

Board compost bin

A place for storing organic fertilizers is mounted for a long time. Experienced summer residents recommend concreted the bottom of the box and put drainage. You can use plastic shields or slate.

Pallet manure box

Putting organic waste in one pile is the first step in getting fertilizer. The convenience and neat appearance of compost requires a wooden fence. The use of such material will help it to be enriched with oxygen. The device of the pallet box is simple. Make it easy by following the following plan:

1. 1. To obtain a single crate, the pallets are disassembled.
2. 2. Using a chisel and a hammer, remove excess elements.
3. 3. The remains of protruding nails are cut off with an electric grinder.
4. 4. One crate is removed from the bottom, where there will be a hole for extracting the finished compost.
5. 5. For the stability of the structure, the partitions are set according to the level.
6. 6. Wood screws are used to fix the walls.

Pallet manure box

By properly organizing the accumulation of organic waste, it is possible to provide a summer cottage with high-quality fertilizer in six months. Under normal conditions, the maturation of compost lasts 1-2 years.

Compost heap ingredients

High-quality fertilizers are obtained if the heap is formed by a variety of organic waste. So, humus is enriched with minerals. It is important to maintain the correct content of nitrogen and carbon. The main component of top dressing is carbon, which is contained in large quantities in the stems of green plants. Microorganisms feed on nitrogen found in bone meal, chicken manure, weeds, legumes and vegetable stalks growing in the garden.

To activate a chemical reaction in humus, the amount of nitrogen in relation to carbon is 1 to 10. The excess of substances is excreted in the process of formation of carbon dioxide and ammonia. You can get high-quality fertilizer by saturating it with minerals. To do this, just add superphosphate.

Components undesirable for compost

Do not add diseased greenery and weeds with seeds to the container. Remember, compost is not a garbage dump. It is strictly forbidden to use as organic waste:

• poorly crushed plants;
• fruit pits;
• litter of domestic dogs and cats;
• spoiled food.

Some ingredients speed up the chemical reaction in the compost heap, forming humus. Others, on the contrary, slow down the processes, increasing the formation of top dressing.

Rules for the preparation of organic fertilizers

The preparation of high-quality organic fertilizers in the shortest possible time implies compliance with certain rules. Experienced gardeners recommend:

1. 1. Mix different components, stacking them in layers. At the bottom of the box, lay out 30 cm of soil, 10 cm of dry and high-quality chopped grass, covering everything with leaves and weeds, 25 cm each.
2. 2. Regularly add to the compost waste food products that do not contain bones and adipose tissue.
3. 3. Moisten all layers with water when laying.
4. 4. Apply bone meal and mineral-based fertilizer at regular intervals.
5. 5. Turn the pile regularly, maintaining sufficient moisture. For work it is better to use garden forks.

You can determine the readiness of the fertilizer by color and smell. Ripe compost is crumbly, with a pleasant aroma of forest soil and a dark brown hue.

Fallen leaf litter

Leaves fallen in autumn in the garden are the best component for nutrient fertilizer. At the moment of fall, the foliage loses the main part of the minerals. Lignin and hemicellulose remain in the tissues - poorly soluble substances. These are valuable elements of high-quality humus, although their decay period lasts more than a year.

Equipping a bunch of fallen leaves in the garden, you should take into account the high concentration of tannin. This is a component with disinfecting properties that slows down the process of compost formation. The maximum content of tannin was found in beech, oak and chestnut leaves. Therefore, they are rarely used in the compost heap as the main ingredient. Experienced gardeners recommend using the leaves of fruit trees.

Heap Care Features

To speed up the process of decay after compost formation, it is important to follow the simplest rules of care. In order for fertilizers to be ready for use in a year, it is necessary:

1. 1. Loosen the compost at least once a month. It is advisable to mix all the ingredients to the very bottom. This enriches the humus with oxygen, allowing it to burn out efficiently. If you can’t turn the whole pile over, at least pierce it with a garden pitchfork from different sides. The main thing is that the fertilizer does not rot.
2. 2. Maintain optimal moisture content of organic waste. If the compost is dry, it is necessary to moisten it abundantly. But don't make a swamp. Excess moisture pushes air out, slowing down the work of microorganisms important for composting. Gently water the compost heap with water from a watering can, not from a garden hose. You can protect the fertilizer during heavy rains by covering it with plastic wrap.
3. 3. To speed up the process of burning humus, add nitrogen in large quantities, contained in the green stems of plants and in manure. Additionally, put superphosphate, which enriches the mixture with minerals.

Having created a compost box at the dacha on their own, summer residents will provide high-quality soil fertilizer for many years. At the same time, they will get rid of organic waste that accumulates in the process of human life. In turn, fertile land will allow you to get rich harvests in the garden and in the garden at no additional cost.