How to make a garden composter with your own hands. Video: a simple DIY mesh composter

How to make compost with your own hands?
Fertilizing the soil is important requirement agricultural technology of any plant, and compost is considered one of the main components for adding to the soil. Today we will learn how to make compost at the dacha yourself.

Content:

Many summer residents have been preparing compost with their own hands for a long time, because this not only saves time and money, but also eliminates many unnecessary worries, which are already enough in the country.

What are the benefits of making compost at your dacha?

• Compost is considered one of the best fertilizers, which, when applied to the soil, fills it with a huge amount of microelements.
• Compost is the cheapest and most practical means for properly structuring the soil, as it increases moisture conservation and creates the loosening necessary for all plants.
• By scattering compost over the surface of the soil, you can create the best organic mulch that will conserve moisture and suppress the growth of many weeds in the area.
• Preparing compost in a dacha area is a very useful process, as well as a significant contribution to the development and protection environment. No mineral fertilizer can compare with high-quality compost, and a properly formed pit in which organic components rot can become a real incubator for beneficial bacteria and microorganisms.
• Preparing compost significantly reduces your physical effort, since now you do not need to remove a good part of the garbage from the territory of your summer cottage; everything can simply be placed in a special pit.


Prepare compost for summer cottage very helpful!!!


What is garden compost?

Compost is a specific product obtained from organic waste under the influence of the environment and huge amount various insects and microorganisms. It is used for structuring the soil, mulching, and fertilizing.

The bark and branches of trees, stems and leaves of plants - all this can be placed in a certain order in a special hole or simply on a heap, provide conditions for rotting and processing, and obtain high-quality, truly environmentally friendly compost without any harmful or toxic compounds. Naturally, the process of decomposition of all organic residues will force you to wait seriously, maybe even several years, but you will get real quality, and not a mixture prepared on the basis of unknown components from the store.


What is compost? What does this soil nutrient mixture consist of?


How to make compost?

Professionals are familiar with making compost using the fast and slow methods. They are also called cold and hot methods for producing compost at the dacha.

Before we look at the “recipes,” we would like to talk about building the right container or pit for compost.


It is necessary to prepare compost correctly, because only then can you obtain a high quality product


How to make a compost bin?

Making a container for compost is very simple, the main thing is to assemble a medium-sized box according to certain requirements.

So, initially we need to prepare the material for the production of a compost box in size. Almost any boards or planks that are not rotten and have not previously been in contact with toxic materials are suitable for this. In the first case, during the biological process, rotted planks can deteriorate; in the second, planks covered in paint or oil can simply poison the compost, ruining its quality irreversibly.

A properly constructed compost bin is the key to making compost. High Quality


We would advise you to take unedged pine in boards or beams so that the finished box will last for many years, and work with this material. This way you will make a quality box without spending a lot of money.

We begin the construction of a compost box made of wood


Now we choose a place for compost and begin construction. On a hill or on a flat area, it doesn’t really matter if your terrain is not rainy and the groundwater level is low. In general, it is advisable to place the place for compost slightly above the standard soil level so that it does not get washed away. So, we create four sides of a box, like a standard vegetable box, but much larger in size.

Do-it-yourself ready-made compost box walls


It is imperative to maintain gaps between the collecting slats to ensure ventilation of the compost for the correct internal biological processes.

We install supports at the place where the box is collected, and attach three ready-made walls made of pine boards or timber to the supports. We leave the last side removable so that it is convenient for us to take it out finished product for fertilizing or mulching the soil in the country.

By by and large, if you don’t go into a lot of details, such as how to hold a hammer and where to drive the first nail, the design is ready, and we can safely start preparing.

A ready-made wooden box in which we will prepare compost to fertilize the garden


It is advisable to place some material, for example, old linoleum, at the bottom of the box or, as they say, compost pit.

How to make proper compost quickly?

How to make compost quickly? This question interests many newcomers to the dacha business, and therefore we move on to it without delay.

First of all, we create a special box - a frame that will contain all organic residues entering the compost on a single heap. This could be simply a pit fenced with wooden structures, a special wooden or plastic box that will have ventilation and access to the contents from above or from the side.

Create drainage at the bottom of the container. It can be made from a layer of hay, straw, spruce branches. The layer should be about 10 cm.


Preparing high-quality compost is the goal of every summer resident


Materials and various products for composting are stacked in layers. For example, you can immediately put branches and other fruit waste, then a layer of paper, the next layer of leaves, then a layer of mown annuals or grass, and so on. It is important that the layers alternate approximately as follows, dry waste with wet waste, soft with hard. This method of laying will provide access to air, ventilation, and speed up the composting process. In this case, it is necessary to remember that compaction is of no use here, and may even cause harm.

It is necessary to lay each layer with special process accelerators, for example, nitrogen additives, which are offered in garden stores, manure of herbivores, plants such as legumes, nettles, dandelions, yarrow. You can also use rotted manure or ordinary garden soil.

To maintain the temperature and the correct internal environment, it is necessary to cover the compost storage special materials- oilcloth, old rags, a piece of linoleum or carpet. The main thing is to maintain warmth inside, which will help you make compost at your dacha quickly and correctly.


Don't forget to cover the compost, as this is very important for proper preparation


In the summer, when there is a drought outside, the compost can be shed a little in order to maintain the required humidity inside the storage facility. But remember, only spill, and not fill to the top.

If you smell specific aromas from the compost bin, this may indicate that the composting process has failed and is not proceeding correctly. If it smells like ammonia, there are too many nitrogen components in the pit (the situation can be improved by adding some torn paper). If you smell rotten eggs, this means that there is not enough oxygen in the pit or box, and the contents must be well stirred by sprinkling the layers with straw or shavings.


In such compost storages you can prepare an excellent nutrient mixture for the soil


If you manage to make the compost bin correctly and fill it in even layers, the compost will be ready in a few months. It is better to select it from the lower layers, so that the upper ones fall evenly, pressing on top with new organic residues.

How to compost slowly?

How to make compost from grass or branches? How to get the most correct and high-quality compost? Naturally, this method a little more difficult, or rather, longer, but as a result you will get very high quality compost.

By and large, you don’t have to do anything special, just prepare everything for rotting once and wait for several years. By the way, you can install a new compost pit in the corner of your plot every year so that in 2-3 years you can reach constant, annual volumes.


By choosing a slow composting method, you can obtain the highest quality product


So, how do you make your own compost?

If you can make compost in a barrel in a quick way, then for a slow, cold method, you will need an ordinary pit at some elevation in the area. The hole you dig is small, about the size of a shovel, but wide enough to accommodate enough branches and logs for composting. Next, broken tree branches and arrows, trimmings and rotten logs in a crushed state are poured inside the pit. Our entire pile is covered with soil on top and forgotten for a long time. In the second year, if you are very lucky, or in the third, which is stable if prepared correctly, you will receive excellent fertilizer for the garden.

When choosing from methods of preparing fertilizer, many choose the fast one, and it’s not even worth explaining the reason to anyone. But now I want to talk not about the method, but about what should go into the compost pit and what should not.

What can you make compost from?

If you want to make high-quality compost and also save time, throw only the following into the rotting area:

• Kitchen waste (fruits, vegetables, cereals, tea leaves, coffee grounds);
• Straw, hay, shavings, sawdust, mown grass;
• Thin branches and stems of garden bushes and trees;
• Recycled wood from a garden shredder;
• Rotted animal manure;
• Rotted leaves and other garden waste;
• Various algae;
• Other natural materials – fabric and paper;
• Chopped weeds (avoiding rhizomatous weeds from entering the compost).


What products and components are most appropriate for composting?


What can't you compost from?

When preparing fertilizer, you must remember what should not be placed in the compost storage:

Bones, large and hard, waste of poultry, meat, fish, droppings of domestic animals;

Fresh leaves, rhizomatous and perennial weeds;

Plants or debris infested with diseases or insect pests;

Fresh manure, which can only be added to slow-cooking compost;

Garden waste that contains toxins, poisons, herbicides and so on;

Unnecessary waste - metal, glass, rubber, plastic, polyethylene, etc.


Pay close attention to the recipe and requirements for preparing compost.


How to make compost (video)

Following the simplest rules and advice experienced summer residents who have been preparing a useful “potion” for their garden for several years, you can make compost at your dacha with your own hands very simply, and immediately begin fertilizing the soil to improve the quality of crops.

Proper garden compost beneficial in every sense. For plants compost added to the soil is a good organic fertilizer, rich in essential microelements and humus. For soil compost is a natural conditioner: it improves the structure of the soil, loosens and retains moisture and fertilizers at the roots of plants. Spread out in a layer on the surface of the soil, compost makes an excellent organic mulch. The living inhabitants of the garden appreciate compost heap deservedly. compost pit- an excellent “dining room” for birds and small insectivorous animals, as well as a place of mass habitat and reproduction of earthworms, which (along with bacteria and fungi) actually do making compost, recycling organic matter.

At DIY garden compost production There is no need to burn garden trimmings, old leaves, paper, packaging and cardboard, poisoning the surrounding atmosphere and neighbors with smoke. There is no need to buy expensive garden soil or soil mixtures. Thus, preparing and using garden compost not only makes life easier for the gardener, but also contributes to environmental protection. Zero waste gardening and application of compost, mulch and organic fertilizers instead of synthetic ones are important components of the concept of organic gardening.

Photo above: here in the UK gardeners are encouraged to making compost at the level of local councils. With significant discounts you can buy boxes (containers) for compost and also get the information you need

What is compost

Word compost comes from Latin componere And compositum and means mixture, something put together. Compost- This is a composition of organic substances decomposed under the influence of microorganisms. Compost used to improve soil structure, as well as fertilizer and mulch. Not to be confused garden compost with ready-made soil mixtures, which garden centers often sold under the name compost .

Making compost: a quick (hot) method

If you put it into one heap (pit) bark, tree branches, mown grass, leaves, annual weeds (not during the flowering period!) and other garden waste and leave it all for a while in a secluded corner of the garden (so as not to spoil the view), then in the end all this will eventually something will rot and turn into quality compost. This process will just take several years. This is the so-called slow (cold) composting method. Unlike him, quick (hot) method of making compost takes about 4-6 months. To make compost quickly, will have to be provided in compost pit or compost bins the following conditions:

1. availability of fresh "green" materials containing nitrogen
2. presence of dry carbon-containing “brown” materials
3. Availability compost accelerators
4. access of oxygen to compost container
5. constant humidity compost mixture
6. heat (temperature at industrial compost production reaches +85°С!)

Photo on the left: rotating compost container - a device for quickly preparing compost at home. According to the manufacturers, obtaining finished compost in such a container perhaps in 2 - 4 weeks. Quick compost preparation is ensured by uniform distribution in container of compost mixture, moisture and heat. The gardener will only need to rotate twice a day compost container using a special pen

How to make compost

1. Install composting device(see below) in a specially designated area of ​​the garden.
2. Place approx. 20 cm of "brown" material for drainage and ventilation.
3. Add to compost, evenly alternating: crushed dry "brown" materials(branches of trees and shrubs, paper, cardboard, sawdust, bark, straw, hay, shavings, wood ash, dry leaves); moisture-containing "green" materials(kitchen waste, grass clippings, weeds, algae, tops, green manure); compost accelerators(EM effective microorganisms, special preparations for accelerating compost, rotted manure of herbivores and bird droppings, urine, ready-made compost, earthworms, garden soil, etc.). Significantly improve quality compost plants rich useful substances: nettle, comfrey and other green manure crops, yarrow, dandelion (not roots or flowers!) and others. Alternating “green” and “brown” layers ensures air penetration into compost heap, uniform and balanced ripening compost in a container, and later - structural, fertile, proper compost. Never push or compact the contents as this will interfere with air circulation in the compost bin. Over time, the mixture will go down and waste can be added to the container. When compost bin has already been filled to the top several times, you can stop filling it and move on to the next one.
4. Stir and shovel the cooking mixture from time to time. compost forks for better air access and uniform humidification compost. Maintain Humidity ripening compost in a box with the help of irrigation. However, avoid stagnant water in compost container. Unpleasant odor of ammonia (rotten eggs, rotting) from compost container speaks of excess “green” materials and lack of oxygen. Add to compostarium"brown" waste and stir the mixture.

After a few months the contents compost heap must acquire Brown color and the fresh, sweetish smell of earth. Compost ready for use in the garden.

Compost pile, compost bin or container?

Benefits of open wooden box for compost is that it allows air and moisture to pass through and maintains good ventilation. Compost bin You can buy it at a garden center or make it yourself from boards and metal mesh. Volume compost bin must be at least 1 cubic meter. In fact, such a device is placed in wooden frames compost heap(see photo above).

Photo: industrial compost production at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (London). Shredded garden waste is mixed with horse manure from the Royal Mews in Knightsbridge. The mixture is contained in huge compost heaps, regularly moisten with settled rainwater and mix and turn over. Volume compost production at Kew is impressive, using 20 tonnes of manure and 100 tonnes of garden waste each week! The composting process takes 10-12 weeks. The results are also impressive: Kew recycles 99% of its own garden waste and all that it receives. compost is used for the further prosperity of the botanical garden. This is such a constant cycle of economical environmental production! All this is presented to the attention of visitors to the botanical garden. Here you can also get detailed instructions on preparing compost in your garden

What else can you put in compost?

1. Raw vegetables, fruits, grains
2. Leftover prepared food, meat waste (only in closed compost containers!)
3. Unpainted and untreated chipped wood
4. Fresh herbivore manure and bird droppings (only during slow periods) compost heaps)
5. Feathers and down of birds, fur of pets
6. Paper: napkins, shredded newspaper*, printer paper*, packaging, cardboard
7. Shredded natural fabrics*: cotton, silk, linen, wool, etc.
8. Evergreens (only in slow seasons) compost heaps)

What not to put in garden compost

1. Large and hard meat bones
2. Feces of humans and carnivores (including domestic animals). For safe composting human feces need special compost toilet. Dog feces can be recycled into worm compost systems. Cat feces are generally not recommended for composting
3. Ash from burning coal in a stove or fireplace
4. Flowering, seeded and perennial rhizomatous weeds
5. Garden waste affected by diseases and pests
6. Insect pests, their eggs and larvae
7. Garden waste from herbicide use (unless otherwise stated by the manufacturer)

* In the EU and US, newspapers and other printed materials have been free of heavy metals and other harmful additives in their inks for decades. Newspaper recycling compost recommended here by leading environmental organizations ( HDRA Garden Organic and etc.). The same applies to fabrics. If you are in doubt about the composition of paints in your country, do not add these materials to compost

Soil fertility is an important parameter. It will determine how quickly and well the plants grow on plot of land. Therefore, owners of suburban areas Special attention pay attention to soil fertility. This property of the earth can be improved with the help of fertilizers. Today there is a wide range of such products on the market. But compost, which you can make at the dacha with your own hands, is especially popular.

Compost is an indispensable component of fertile soil, which can be made in the country with minimal financial costs. It is mainly made from waste. With the help of such fertilizer, you can replenish the plants’ needs for certain nutrients, as well as improve the soil structure. Therefore, the application of fertilizer is an important undertaking.

Preparing high-quality fertilizer at the dacha yourself

Some rules for making compost

Composting, like aeration, is a rather important and responsible process that must be approached very carefully. Many people think that such fertilizer is just a heap in the corner of the plot where you can throw anything you want. It's very easy and quick to do. But in order for it to be useful and safe for plants, you must follow some rules.

First of all, you should pay attention to what kind of waste you need to make fertilizer from at your summer cottage with your own hands. So, for composting they use:

• hay, straw and grass clippings;
• weeds and green parts of a healthy plant;
• sawdust, remains of wood and branches;
• from food waste plant origin it turns out quality fertilizer;
• special composting accelerators;
• coal and ash;
• eggshells and others.

Composting is carried out on separately allocated land. Many people use the compost heap for other purposes, throwing various garbage there. This is absolutely impossible to do. If you want to get high-quality compost, then you need to know what waste you should discard:

• from animal waste, which leads to rotting and the appearance of a persistent unpleasant odor;
• feces of people and some animals, which may contain worm eggs;
• bones, stones and other substances that do not decompose during the composting process;
• plants that have been damaged by various viral and other diseases;
• chemicals and disinfectants.

How to improve productivity?

We are constantly receiving letters in which amateur gardeners are worried that due to the cold summer this year there will be a poor harvest of potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, and other vegetables. Last year we published TIPS on this matter. But unfortunately, many did not listen, but some still applied. Here is a report from our reader, we would like to recommend plant growth biostimulants that will help increase the yield by up to 50-70%.

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As already mentioned, fertilizer needs to be made on specially separated land. For this purpose, a special compartment or hole in the ground can be constructed. If you choose the right place and set up a composting site, then the waste will not emit an unpleasant odor.

How to make a composter

To make high-quality fertilizer with your own hands, you need the right approach to setting up a compost heap. It is quite simple to carry out such a structure. The main thing here is to strictly follow some rules and recommendations of professionals:

• Choose a place on your garden soil where you will make a compost heap. Often, a composting site is set up in a remote corner away from a residential building. The location should be in the shade to prevent the components from heating up.
  Level the area and fence it with boards, slate sheets and shields. A cushion is poured onto the bottom, which consists of sand, gravel and wood debris. large size. Thanks to it, water will easily drain from the compost heap. You also need to put a layer of ready-made fertilizer, which contains bacteria that ensure the fermentation of waste.
• Before adding fertilizer components, they should be crushed. So, grass or straw can be chopped with a garden shovel, branches can be cut or broken with your hands. The size of the components directly affects the ripening period of the fertilizer. If used for composting a large number of sawdust and coniferous wood, then you need to additionally apply potassium-phosphorus fertilizer. This is due to the fact that conifers wood reduce the concentration of potassium, which negatively affects the properties of natural fertilizer.
• The components must be placed in several layers, the thickness of which does not exceed 15 cm. The best option would be to alternate food waste with wood. The amount of plant components should not exceed a third of the total volume. This is due to the fact that the remains of vegetation are difficult to ferment and rot. If a large number of plants and grass are used for composting, then they are first dried in the sun. This will significantly speed up the fermentation of the components.
• Manure or droppings are placed between the layers of components. Also for this purpose, liquid fertilizer or composting accelerator is used, which can be found in specialized stores. For composting, it is best to use horse or cow manure. As for the litter, then the best option will become chicken feces. Before using such components, it is worth considering that they are concentrated fertilizers. This means that their number should not exceed 10% of the entire compost heap.
• The compost heap must be laid in the form of a pyramid or cone. This arrangement of components increases the stability of the heap and improves air exchange in it. Boards, stems or straw are laid on top of it. Many people use plastic film as a cover. But in reality it is not advisable to do this. The film prevents air from entering the heap, which leads to a clayey odor.

Compliance with all these rules will allow you to create high-quality fertilizer with your own hands. country land. It should be taken into account that the compost maturation period directly depends on the components used. So, in some cases, fertilizer can be obtained within a week after the start of composting.

Compost fermentation

Creating fertilizer at the dacha with your own hands, as well as aerating the site, is a very responsible process. Before you begin, you need to know how to place the components correctly. The maturation of the fertilizer will depend on this and other factors.

Maturation may continue for several months or years. It all depends on the size of the components, as well as the fermentation mode. Therefore, if you want to quickly prepare fertilizer, you need to use as few components as possible.
An important role in the fermentation of waste is played by temperature regime inside the heap. So, in order to make fertilizer in the country, it is necessary to raise the temperature to 60 degrees.

Thanks to this temperature, the components begin to decompose faster under the influence of certain bacteria. Also, this temperature regime prevents the germination of weed seeds and also kills insects.

When composting waste, you should seriously think about not only the temperature regime, but also the balance of air and moisture inside the heap. You can achieve optimal results thanks to simple advice from professionals:

• If the weather outside is hot and dry, then the pile must be thoroughly moistened with water. It must go through all layers. It is best to carry out the wetting procedure using a hose, since this will require a fairly large amount of water. Watering is carried out in the morning, when the heap has not yet had time to warm up under the sun.
• Before watering, a composting accelerator is added to the water. Also, water infused with fresh manure is used for this.
• The pile is periodically shoveled, which speeds up the fermentation process. Thus, the top layers are transferred to the middle, which improves their processing. Also shoveling allows you to supply a pile required quantity air.
• Before the onset of cold weather, the pile is insulated, which allows you to maintain the temperature regime inside it. This prolongs the period of active fermentation. Here the pyramid is covered with peat and covered with fresh straw or leaves.

Compost has quite a wide range of uses. It is used only when it acquires a homogeneous structure. Ripening is determined by smell. The fertilizer smells like rotten leaves and damp earth. At the same time, it should be free of fungus and mold. It is often used when planting trees and bushes in the country. It fits directly into the planting hole. Also, do not forget about such a concept as aeration, which plays important role in soil fertility.

And a little about the author’s secrets

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Compost is an indispensable component of nutritious soil in the garden of any gardener. In addition, it is also recognized as the most affordable fertilizer in terms of cost, since the main component of its production is waste. That is, it is made from practically nothing, because in any garden there will always be some kind of waste.

You just need to know that in order to obtain complete nutrients for the soil, the compost heap must be properly prepared. After all, compost will not only fertilize the soil, but will also improve its structure, looseness and ability to retain and absorb moisture.

What is compost

In order for the garden to be well-groomed and provide good harvest, it just needs to be fertilized. You can do this with the help of chemical fertilizers, or you can get by with your own free, useful and safe product.

Compost is a natural organic fertilizer that is obtained by fermentation under the action of earthworms and bacteria.

To obtain such fertilizer, a compost heap is laid. Often it is done by simply digging a hole in the ground, but it is better if it is a specially equipped place - a composting site.

Compost bins are made in the form of closed or open containers, but you can also purchase special plastic boxes equipped with a lid and door.

Prepared compost is added to the holes before planting. garden crops V open ground or for planting in greenhouses. Or it is scattered over the area before planting the seed and lightly mixed with the soil.

What is compost made from?

Many people think that to prepare compost it is enough to throw all kinds of waste into a heap in some corner of the garden. Time will pass, they will rot, and you will get fertilizer. But this is far from true.

To achieve safe and healthy compost, you need to have the right compost piles, so there are a few things to keep in mind. First of all, the composition of such a heap. It may include:

• ash, chalk, charcoal, eggshells;
• grass clippings, straw and hay;
• sawdust and tree debris;
• vegetable food waste;
• weeds and healthy green plants;
• bird droppings and animal manure;
• compost stimulants.

Composter dimensions

The components from which compost is made are placed in a compost bin. Proper compost does not release into the soil harmful substances and does not cause inconvenience with a strong unpleasant odor.

It is important to respect the dimensions of the compost bin, otherwise it will be difficult to create a comfortable temperature and humidity regime for the compost. The optimal dimensions of the heap are one and a half meters in width and the same or more in length. If you make a bunch smaller in size, then it will quickly lose moisture and will not be able to warm up well. This will cause the composting process to take a long time.

Ban on compost

Before you make a compost heap, you need to know that you cannot add to its composition:

• disinfectants and chemicals;
• remnants of weeds with seeds of long-term germination or roots of creeping plants, since they do not lose their germination during composting;
• the remains of coated glossy paper, rubber, textiles, as well as animal bones and stones - all these substances do not decompose in compost;
• human feces and pet waste, which may be contaminated with worm eggs;
• diseased plants that are affected by pests and fungi, such as late blight - such residues must be burned in the garden;
• food waste of animal origin, which triggers rotting processes and causes a persistent unpleasant odor.

Open composting facility

You can compost, as advice to gardeners in specialized publications teaches, in the following way:

1. Prepare a site for the composting bin. To do this you need to select appropriate place at the end or middle of the garden and level the ground. Shaded areas without access to direct sunlight are better suited for this purpose.
2. Then fence off the area required for the composter with boards, shields or sheets of slate. Or put together a wooden box with slots for air exchange. You can also attach it to metal supports special garden net. This can be one container or two separated by a partition, one of which will be filled this year, and the second - next year.
3. Dig a hole half a meter deep and add a drainage layer to the bottom. For this you can use sand, gravel, large wood debris. It is necessary to make such a layer, since it is impossible to allow the water that will wet the compost heap to collect in the compost bin. It should flow out of the compost bin without obstruction.
4. Then it is necessary to lay a small layer of ready-made mature compost from last or the year before on the drainage layer. This is necessary to supply the ingredients of the heap with bacteria, with the help of which the compost is fermented.

Creating a closed composting facility

More reliable and robust construction than an open compost bin is a closed compost bin. It is built with walls that have slits for ventilation, and with a lid that will allow you to mix the compost. Such a compost heap at the dacha has a neater appearance and does not interfere with the aesthetic perception of the space. As a rule, such a container is made of plastic that does not rot, does not fall apart, and will last for a long time.

To install the ventilation system, pipes are inserted into the box, which are protected with a mesh so that they do not become clogged with compost.

The advantages of a closed compost heap are that it allows heat to accumulate quickly and retains it well. This kills pests and speeds up the fermentation process.

Another advantage is that in these containers it is not necessary to strictly observe the proportions of the constituent ingredients. You can throw various acceptable waste, residues and grass into the pile in any convenient quantities. It is only important to mix it all systematically.

How to make a compost heap

To properly prepare the heap ingredients you need:

1. Prepare the necessary components by grinding them as finely as possible. Branches can be broken and plant debris can be chopped up with a shovel. The smaller the components of the pile, the faster the compost will mature.
2. Lay the components in layers, the thickness of each layer should be up to 15 cm. In this case, it is imperative to alternate the placement of food waste, wood residues and green plant matter.
3. The layers can be covered with manure or droppings, or commercial liquid fertilizers can be used. Compost stimulants are also used at this stage. It is better to use cow or horse manure for the heap, and the best poultry manure is chicken manure.
4. The top of the pyramidal compost heap is covered with straw, spandbond, boards or plant stems. This is necessary for free air circulation. Gardeners often cover the pile with polyethylene, but this is not recommended: when covered with plastic film, the compost will overheat without access to air. And this is fraught with the appearance of a putrid, unpleasant, persistent odor.

Aging of compost

The preparation of compost and the duration of its ripening is directly dependent on what fractions have compost components and what fermentation mode is set. In general, fermentation and composting take a very long time, the minimum period is several months, the maximum is two to three years.

The finer the fractions of the incorporated components, the faster composting will occur. It is also important that the temperature inside the compost pyramid is close to 60 degrees or higher. This will not only speed up the process of decomposition of ingredients, which occurs with the help of bacteria, but will also help to eliminate as much as possible the possibility of germination of weed seeds. Also with such high temperature harmful insects die.

To ensure the correct fermentation regime, it is important that there is good moisture and air exchange inside the pyramid.

Providing fermentation

In order to speed up the composting and fermentation of the components of the compost heap, it is necessary to perform the following actions:

1. When hot and dry weather sets in, the compost pyramid needs to be watered. Moreover, the water should wet all layers of the heap. This process is most conveniently carried out using a large-section garden hose, because a large amount of water will be required.
2. Watering the heap must be done in the morning; in this case, during the day, the wet compost will have time to warm up well, and the process of active decomposition will begin.
3. How to water the compost heap? Water it with regular water warm water, but from time to time it is necessary to add a compost stimulator to the water or infuse fresh manure in it.
4. The compost needs to be shoveled a couple of times a season. This helps bring the well-fermented inner layers to the top. In this case, the upper ones move inward.
5. Also, when mixed, the compost is saturated with air and gets rid of accumulated gases.
6. With the onset of cold weather, the composter needs to be insulated, which prolongs the process of active composting. To insulate the pile, sprinkle it with humus or peat, and then top it with tops from harvested root vegetables, sunflower stems or fresh straw. This year, the remains of plants will retain heat, and next year they will serve as ingredients for a new pile.

Compost from fallen leaves

Separately, it is worth mentioning compost from fallen leaves, popularly known as “leaf soil”. How to properly make a compost pile from fallen leaves?

This compost is based on fallen leaves. The advantage of this approach is that at the end of autumn the leaves lose minerals, and only lignin, tannin and hemicellulose, which are valuable ingredients of humus, remain in their tissues. The downside is that these components rot rather slowly, which prolongs the composting time. The foliage of oaks, beeches, chestnuts, willows and plane trees contains a lot of tannin. Therefore, their leaf mass should not be used for laying in a pile, but only for covering it.

Leaf compost matures noticeably longer than usual, about two years. But gardeners do it because it is very valuable because it improves the quality of the soil. It also contains microfungi that decompose hemicellulose and lignin. And this becomes useful for those garden plants, in which the roots interact with fungal microflora in the process of symbiosis.

To get a good composting result, you need to consider some points:

1. When creating a compost bin, you need to take into account that microorganisms come from the ground, so you need to set it up in a clean space where no chemicals have been used.
2. Composting is accelerated by adding valerian officinalis, yarrow, chamomile and dandelion to the pile of herbs.
3. To speed up fermentation, bioconcentrates are added to the compost. In this case, you get a so-called fast compost heap, which can mature in three weeks.
4. You need to know that the high content of fresh pine sawdust in compost significantly reduces the potassium balance, therefore such compost at the ready stage must be enriched with potassium-phosphorus fertilizers.
5. The presence of green components in compost should not exceed one third of the total volume, because herbs ferment slowly and can rot. If it turns out that the bulk will consist of grass, then it must first be dried in the sun.
6. The highest quality compost is created using a variety of components. Not only organic components must be present, but also mineral ones. For this purpose, the compost heap is supplied with superphosphates, dolomite flour, and complex mineral fertilizers.
7. It should be borne in mind that manure is a concentrated fertilizer, so its content in compost should not be higher than 10%.
8. For better stability and increased air exchange processes, the compost heap should be laid in a cone shape or in the form of a pyramid.
9. In order for the heap to ripen faster, components containing a lot of nitrogen, such as straw, legumes or legumes, are added to it.

They say that every good gardener has a compost heap. It's hard to argue with that. Producing your own compost does not require any special skill or effort and is almost free. Moreover, it saves the gardener money, energy and time on the purchase and delivery of other fertilizers, on watering the garden and weeding, as well as on garbage disposal (all garden, vegetable and fruit waste will now be sent to the compost heap).

Why is garden compost so good and useful?

Yes, literally everyone!
* Compost added to the soil is wonderful organic fertilizer for plants, saturated with essential microelements, so-called humus.
* Compost - natural soil structure improver: it has a loosening and moisture-saving effect.
* A layer of compost spread on the soil surface - great organic mulch, suppressing the growth of weeds and helping to retain moisture at the roots of plants.
* Of course, the production and use of gardeners’ own compost makes a significant contribution to environmental conservation- after all, organic garden compost in its beneficial effect on the soil is not even comparable to mineral fertilizers. You can be sure that the living inhabitants of your garden will appreciate the compost heap! Insects and earthworms, bacteria and fungi are directly involved in the process of decomposition of organic matter, being direct producers of compost. Thus, the compost heap serves as a “dining room” for useful microscopic living creatures, for birds and other insectivores.
* In compost production no need to burn waste after pruning plants, plant debris, leaves, paper and cardboard, poisoning the surrounding atmosphere and neighbors with smoke.
*By producing your own garden compost no need to use commercial compost based on peat. Long-term devastation of peatlands leads to disruption of the natural balance. In England, for example, this problem has become so acute that encouraging gardeners to produce their own garden compost is carried out at the level of county councils. In a few years, natural peat will probably disappear from the commercial network. Peat will be completely replaced by compost produced from green waste from gardens, parks and forests across the country. In addition, in addition to environmental purposes, compost has advantages over peat: it is nutritious and does not require deoxidation.

Compost production at Kew Botanic Gardens

Here's how compost is made at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Branches, wood, grass clippings and other plant waste are shredded in a garden shredder and mixed with horse manure (the manure is delivered here from the Royal Mews in Knightsbridge). This mixture is stored in huge compost heaps, which are regularly moistened with settled rainwater and turned over.
The production volume is impressive: 20 tons of manure and 100 tons of garden waste are used weekly to produce compost! The compost production process takes 10-12 weeks.
The consumption results are also impressive: Botanical Garden Kew recycles 99% of its own garden waste, all resulting compost is used to keep the garden thriving.
This is the constant cycle of environmentally friendly and lean production composting takes place at Kew, all on display to the public. You can also get detailed instructions for making compost in your garden here.

Garden compost

The word "compost" comes from the Latin. componere And compositum and means mixture, something folded together.
Organic matter mixed together and then decomposed by microorganisms and earthworms forms compost, which is used to improve soil structure and fertilize plants.
Bags of prepared substrate sold at garden centers are also often referred to as “compost”, which can cause some confusion. Here we talk about garden compost (made from garden, fruit and vegetable plant waste) and how to produce it efficiently in your own garden.
Waste-free gardening and using garden compost (along with other organic fertilizers) instead of dangerous and expensive chemical fertilizers - important components of the concept of organic gardening.

If you put together bark, tree branches, grass clippings, leaves, etc. (what else organic comes to hand in the garden) and leave it all for some time in a secluded corner (so that the look of the garden does not spoil), then eventually the mixture will someday rot and turn into high-quality compost. This process will only take several years - the so-called slow or cold method of producing compost.
Unlike cold fast, or hot way composting takes approximately 3-6 months. Its implementation is ensured by several essential conditions: air access, the presence of nitrogen, humidity and heat (the temperature in large industrial compost heaps can reach 85 degrees!).

The benefits of a wooden structure for compost production are that it allows air to pass through and maintains good ventilation. You can purchase this design at a garden center or make it yourself. For a successful production process, the volume of the wooden structure must be at least 1 cubic meter (1x1x1m)

A plastic container for composting retains heat well and is more mobile; it can be used in different parts of the garden.

Fast way compost production

1.You will need a plank structure or plastic container for compost production, installed in a specially designated place. Any compost system must have an opening top or lateral surface(some plastic baskets do not have a bottom or the bottom is removable) for easy access to ready-made compost.

2. Place about a 10 cm layer of straw, hay, twigs or spruce branches at the very bottom of the container. These materials are needed to ensure drainage in the container and air access.

3. Place composting material in alternating layers. For example, on a layer of vegetable or fruit waste, place a layer of torn paper, then a thin layer of mowed grass, then a layer of dug up annuals, then a layer of last year's leaves, and so on. It is important that “wet”, “dry”, “hard” and “soft” layers alternate. This will ensure ventilation of the layers, speeding up the process, and in the future - good texture finished compost. Never push or compact the contents, which will disrupt the normal composting process.

4. A little soil or rotted manure (from herbivores only) can be added on top of each layer to speed up the decomposition process. Garden centers sell special “accelerators” for composting; you can use them too. Catalysts for the decomposition reaction are also mown grass and some plants rich in nitrogen and nutrients: all legumes, nettle (Urtica), yarrow (Achillea), comfrey (Symphytum), dandelion (Taraxacum) and others.

5. Keep your compost system covered at the top to maintain proper humidity levels and maintain heat. Plastic baskets usually already have a top, but for homemade ones wooden structures you can use garden film, a piece of old carpet or something similar. The ideal temperature for compost production is 55 degrees C.

6. From time to time, you can turn the contents of the container over, ensuring air access to the system.

7. In dry weather (this applies to plank systems) or when there is a predominance of “dry” materials in the contents of the compost mixture, you should use watering to maintain the necessary humidity (but not soaking!) of the compost.

8. Unpleasant odors from the contents of the compost structure indicate that the composting process is not proceeding correctly. The smell of ammonia (ammonia) indicates an excessive amount of nitrogen-containing substances in the compost mixture - it is necessary to add carbon-containing materials (for example, shredded paper). The smell of rotten eggs indicates a lack of oxygen in the compost heap- Requires turning the pile and adding coarse, loose materials (such as straw, shavings or shredded twigs).

If everything is done correctly, then after a few months the contents of the compost structure acquire a brown color and a fresh, sweetish smell of earth. These are signs that the compost is ready to be used in the garden.

If the structure was filled in layers gradually (which is most likely with established continuous production), then you should start choosing ready-made compost from the bottom. In this way, the layers of compost above will move downwards, freeing up space at the top of the structure for new starting material to be added.

What goes into compost

- Kitchen waste (from vegetables, fruits, cereals)
- Spilled coffee and used tea leaves
- Sawdust, shavings, hay, straw
- Natural materials, used for pets (except toilet)
- Thin branches after pruning trees and shrubs
- Thick branches, wood, bark and plant roots shredded in a garden shredder
- Last year’s (half-rotten) leaves
- Mown grass from the lawn
- Young weeds (except rhizomatous)
- Other organic garden waste
- Rotted manure
- Wood ash
- Sea or freshwater algae
- Shredded natural paper* (napkins, bags, packaging, cardboard)
- Shredded natural fabrics* (cotton, linen, wool, silk)

In the UK, these products and their components do not contain harmful substances, they are allowed and recommended for use in compost by leading environmental organizations (for example, HDRA Garden Organic). The same regulations apply in many EU countries. If you are unsure whether these products are environmentally friendly in your country and are concerned that they may contain heavy metals or other harmful substances, then do not use them in compost until you have received confirmation of their safety from authorized organizations

Lavender English (England)
COUNTRY LIVING (CountrysideLiving.net)

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