DIY compost manufacturing options. Do-it-yourself compost pit - manufacturing options. Regular waste pile

compost pit - This is a place for recycling organic waste. As a result of the activity of microorganisms, garden waste decomposes in it, which becomes the basis for highly effective organic fertilizer. In this article we will look at options for making a compost pit with your own hands.

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

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

Principles of constructing a compost pit

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

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

Compost bins are made from any available materials. These can be boards, slate scraps, corrugated sheets, metal construction mesh and even car tires. More permanent structures are built from brick or concrete. There are also lightweight, portable waste disposal units in metal or plastic barrels.

Main sanitary requirement when constructing a compost pit, its distance is 20 meters from reservoirs and sources drinking water. Rain streams should not flow from the compost heap in the direction of wells, boreholes, and swimming pools.

Choosing a site for a compost pit

The location of the composter on the site should not become a source of infection groundwater, a threat to human and animal health. Do not place the compost bin in wetlands or areas with standing water.

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

Making a compost pit with your own hands

In a garden or personal plot, you can use the most simple tools manufacture high-quality construction and turn piles of garden waste and decomposing household waste into valuable fertilizer. There are the most different kinds compost heaps, from earthen ditches to actual concrete structures.

Compost pit in the ground

To create a compost bin:

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

The first layer serves as drainage and promotes aeration of the pile and consists of trimmed branches.

The following are laid on them in layers:

• cut grass;
• dry leaves;
• sawdust;
• household food waste;
• manure;
• weeds.

The layers are sprinkled with peat or garden soil and spilled with water. To speed up the decomposition process, it is advisable to chop all the ingredients before adding them, simply chopping them with a shovel.

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

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

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

Making a compost pit from boards

For ease of use and speeding up the recycling process, the compost container is made of boards. Optimal size compost bin 1x1.5 meters.

Instructions for making a pit from boards:

Place garbage in such a container through the top general principle, starting from the branches. And you can rake out the finished compost from below.

Photo: drawing of a compost box, composter diagram

Options for compost pits made from boards

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

Options for making a slate composter:

1. Markings are made at the location of the compost heap and deepen the sheets cut to size. They can be secured with external, wooden or iron sheathing.
2. In another option, metal pipes are buried in the ground. A frame of bars is attached to them. The outside is sheathed with slate. The second design is more durable.

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

Compost pit made of corrugated sheets

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

Work order:

1. At the selected location, a base is constructed from a metal or wooden block.
2. The dimensions of the pit are selected according to the length of the sheets, which allows you to make a compost bin with two or three compartments.
3. The base is made, as for a wooden structure.
4. On the outside, the profile strips are fastened with self-tapping screws with gaps of 3-5 cm.
5. It must be taken into account that metal surface gets very hot during hot summer periods.
6. A cover of plywood or boards is made on top. It is advisable to cover the frame protective composition.

Metal mesh compost bin

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

How to make a compost bin:

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

Concreted compost pit

A concrete compost pit creates many advantages:

• Thick walls maintain a positive temperature for a long time.
• Such a pit is durable and reliable, not subject to the influence of adverse natural conditions.

It is advisable to make it large, with two or even three compartments. In the first and second blocks, compost from different seasons will ripen. In the third, bags of finished compost are stored.

How to make a concrete compost pit:

When using a concrete pit, you need to take into account that the process of making compost is slow. To speed up the process, you need to manually add earthworms or commercially available ones. special means.

Other material options for compost pits

Compost pit made from car tires

Car tires are quite suitable for arranging a compost heap:

Compost in an iron barrel

Old iron barrels are great for composting:

1. We cut out both bottoms with a chisel and place them near the path.
2. We put weeds, grass clippings, and kitchen waste into the barrel in layers.
3. To increase the temperature, you can paint the barrel black and pour a solution of ammonium nitrate onto the compost (a matchbox in a bucket of water).
4. We take out the finished compost from below. To do this, you need to lift the barrel with a crowbar.

To improve the design:

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

Compost in a plastic barrel

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

For this:

1. Fill the barrel halfway with mowed grass or weeds, and fill it with water to the top.
2. After about three days, the fermentation process will begin.
3. After using the solution, you can add water to the barrel again and let it brew for one week.
4. Having used up the liquid compost completely, the remaining grass is placed in a compost heap.

Brick compost pit

The compost pit is made of brick and has three walls. It can be done on cement mortar or without it. A compost pit using cement mortar is made no more than 1 meter high. Gaps must be left between the bricks for ventilation.

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

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

Compost pit made of concrete rings

In the internal cavity concrete ring You can successfully store garden waste and end up with compost. For comfort the ring is partially buried in the ground, and after filling, cover with a lid or film material.

One of the disadvantages of the design is the lack of a low front wall. To unload the finished compost you need to climb inside. Otherwise, such reinforced concrete products make very durable compost chambers.

Compost pit using Finnish technology

If you don’t want to make a compost pit, you can purchase a composter at Finnish technology. It is modern with two containers with a capacity of 80 liters. Its contents are mixed with a layer of peat and sawdust. You can also recycle food.

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

Compost pits and cesspools should not be confused. Organic matter is stored in containers for preparing compost. garden plot. Remains of protein food should be disposed of in a cesspool.

What can and cannot be put in a compost bin?

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

First of all, organic garden waste is placed in the compost pit, in the form of:

• branches;
• dry leaves;
• mown grass;
• weeds;
• straw.

Good ingredients for a compost heap are:

• food leftovers from vegetarian food;
• egg shells;
• onion peel.

You can layer the compost with manure and chicken droppings.

Prohibited compost heap ingredients include:

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

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

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

• sow thistle;
• wheatgrass;
• loach.

Drought-tolerant plants need to be dried out before being placed in the compost heap so that they lose their ability to take root. Sawdust can be used in in moderation, as they slowly decompose and take up nitrogen. They also do not use feces of domestic animals or humans for composting.

Preparations for compost pit

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

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

1. Compost preparation can be significantly accelerated by using Baikal EM. This preparation contains effective microorganisms (EM).
2. The drug "Doctor Robik" significantly increases the number of effective microorganisms (EM) in the compost. They process organic matter into humus, and also prevent pathogenic microflora from developing and destroy the larvae of harmful insects.
3. The bioactivator has similar properties. The Green-Master bioactivator package should be diluted in 20 liters of warm water, let it brew for 4 hours and water the compost heap. After 2 weeks you need to turn the pile over with a pitchfork. To prepare compost, one treatment with a bioactivator solution is sufficient.
4. Compost Boost gives good results. for composting.
5. Manufacturer Happy Summer Resident produces “Biocompostin”– a means for preparing compost. Sanex Plus produces EcoCompost.
6. The manufacturer Dezon Bio K produces several types of drugs:“Green universal”, “Compost for one season”, “Compost for the next agricultural season”, “Bioactivator for compost”.

Using preparations you can significantly speed up microbiological processes and obtain compost in 2-3 months.

Bioactivator preparations for compost

Rules for operating a compost pit

After building a compost bin and filling it, all that remains is to occasionally look inside and, depending on the changes that occur, adjust the decomposition process.

Tips for using the composter:

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

Summarizing

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

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

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Compost – faithful assistant gardener in caring for plants and improving soil properties. It is used to improve soil quality, as a fertilizer, and for mulching. There is no need to prepare compost with your own hands at your dacha. special effort and high material costs. To do this, you just need to select and arrange appropriate place, where herbs and other organic waste can be composted. Let's look at how to make a compost heap and use it correctly.

Rules for the location of the compost pit

Before making a compost pit, you need to select correct area in the country where your organic fertilizer will mature. To do this, it is important to adhere to the following rules:

• to prevent composting waste from getting into drinking water, the pile is placed no closer than 30 meters from sources - wells, boreholes, streams and other bodies of water;
• if there is a slope on the plot, the pit is located below the level of water sources;

• the heap is located away from residential buildings, taking into account the prevailing winds so that the smell of composted grass does not cause inconvenience to you or your neighbors in the country;
• It is not advisable to leave fertilizer in the open sun - in such conditions, the processes of decomposition of organic substances slow down or stop altogether, so it is better to place the pit in the shade.

Important! It is necessary to provide free access to the pit so that nothing interferes with laying waste and removing the finished compost in a wheelbarrow.

Construction of a compost pit

The universal sizes for a compost heap are:

• width – 1.5 m;
• length – 2 m;
• height above ground level – 1.5 m;
• depth – 0.5 m.

The design is made of both open and closed types.

1. For the most ordinary compost heap open type At the dacha they dig a shallow hole. The walls are covered with slate. The bottom of the pit does not need to be insulated; through it there should be free access to the compost for worms and microorganisms that promote fermentation. Leaves, herbs and other organic waste are placed at the bottom. To prevent the spread of smell, cover with a tarpaulin.

Open design

2. A closed pit involves more complex design. A wooden or concrete frame. The wood is pre-treated with compounds that will prevent the material from rotting. The frame is sheathed with timber, boards or covered with brick. It is more convenient to make a structure with a pitched lid, which is attached to hinges to one of the sides.

Closed option

Filling the compost pit

The compost pit can be filled gradually as organic residues accumulate. But if your goal is to fertilize the area as quickly as possible, then it is better to fill it right away. Not only herbs are suitable for this, but also other waste that often appears in the country.
The following compost laying scheme is optimal:

1. the lowest layer is formed from cut branches or large sawdust, roots and bark of trees; there may also be fallen leaves and pine needles;
2. the next layer is filled with plant debris - unsuitable for food raw vegetables and berries, grass, straw, you can also put shredded paper and cardboard;
3. the third layer is formed by rotted manure of herbivores or bird droppings. You can add ammonium nitrate.

Reference. When filling a compost pit, take into account the composition of the soil in your area. If the soil is acidic, wood ash is added there.

The second and third layers are alternated until the hole is completely filled.

Compost heap arrangement diagram

As the remains decompose, all contents are periodically shoveled.
Not all plant residues are allowed to be composted.

1. It is unacceptable for it to go there weed with seeds or vegetables infected with late blight and other fungal diseases. Together with the compost, they will move to the site and continue their harmful effects among healthy crops.
2. Do not throw bones and meat waste, insects, polyethylene and other synthetics, as well as plants treated with chemicals into the compost.

Watering the compost heap

Compost fertilizer must be watered. The humidity level must be sufficient for the effective functioning of microorganisms that contribute to the formation of useful organic elements.
Watering is carried out warm water. After moistening, the pile is covered with film to create a greenhouse effect. To speed up decomposition, add a glass of sugar diluted in warm water with yeast to the fertilizer. This will increase the speed of compost maturation several times.

Component balance

The ripening process is accompanied by the release of heat. This is easy to check when the owner shovels the compost. In the center the temperature reaches +60…+70°С. If the contents are cold to the touch, add more nitrogenous components - grains, bread products, rotting fruits and vegetables, rotted manure.

Another scheme for constructing a compost heap

Ideally, compost should be made from equal amounts of nitrogenous and carbonaceous materials. The latter contribute to greater breathability. These include: straw, grass, sawdust, paper, shredded cardboard.

A compost pit is a place where organic waste is disposed of. All garden waste here decomposes under the influence of microorganisms. Later this becomes the basis for organic fertilizers. How make your own compost bin hands discussed in this article.

In some way, such heaps exist on every personal plot. These are ordinary heaps into which garbage is dumped. But such garbage can be turned into valuable fertilizer. To do this, it is necessary to design the pits correctly or make special boxes. In this case, you can increase the amount of valuable fertilizer and the speed of its creation.

Making a compost pit correctly is quite easy, using available tools and Construction Materials, which will be found in the country and any personal plot.

Principles of constructing a compost pit

Why make these pits and what is the use of them? In such pits they are created optimal conditions for the vital activity of microorganisms, bacteria and worms, which contribute to the rapid formation of compost and increase the rate of its formation. These organisms live under certain conditions:

• sufficient humidity;
• elevated temperature;
• sufficient oxygen.

What is needed for all of the above conditions to be met.

• The required volume of the compost facility must be at least 1 cubic meter. This will keep the temperature high and stable.
• Gaps on the sides of the structure are made to regularly supply oxygen to the internal layers of the compost heap.
• The lid on top should be removable so that moisture can flow in sufficient quantities.
• The bottom of the structure should be on the soil so that worms and bacteria can get inside.
• The front wall should be removable or discarded so that the finished compost can be removed.

Watch the video! Making compost

To make a compost pit, you can use those materials that are found on summer cottage: remnants of slate, corrugated sheets, boards, mesh or car tires. It is possible to build a pit with more durable materials, for example, brick. Also sold special structures made of plastic or metal, they are easier to install and transport.

Important! The compost pit must be installed at least 20 m from sources of drinking water. It is not permissible for water from the pit to flow towards a well or pool.

Choosing a location for a compost pit

The compost pit should not become a source of groundwater contamination. There is no need to make a hole in places where water stagnates.

What you need to remember when choosing a place for a pit:

• 20 meters to places where drinking water accumulates. These are wells, wells, ponds. It is imperative to ensure that it does not drain from the compost pit. rainwater towards them.
• 10 meters to residential buildings. It is necessary to take into account the buildings of neighbors. Be sure to keep an eye on the direction of the wind to bad smell did not spoil the rest. An excellent location option would be the far corner of the garden, so that the hole does not interfere and is not conspicuous.
• Maintain a distance from trees and shrubs so that they do not feed on rotting products that end up in groundwater. This can damage both the plantings themselves and the fruits.
• A good place would be partial shade. The bright sun will dry out the contents too much; it will have to be constantly moistened.
• In order not to spoil the external impression, the pit is installed in an inconspicuous place. It would be nice to pave a path to it so that you could bring the filling into the pit in a wheelbarrow.

Advice! The compost pit can be decorated if desired. Plant climbing flowers or put up a fence.

Making a compost pit with your own hands

To make a compost pit with your own hands, you use available tools and materials that can be found in most yards. Good design will last a long time, helping to transform garbage and waste into fertilizers that will be useful to plants. There are several types of structures; we will consider the design of each of them and manufacturing options.

Compost pit in the soil

To create a compost pit in the ground you need to:

1. Choose the right place.
2. Remove the top layer of soil of any length, 1.5 m wide.
3. Go deeper by 0.5m.
4. Pour a sand cushion to drain excess water from the bottom.

• Cut branches (for drainage and aeration of the pile);
• Grass;
• Dry leaves;
• Sawdust;
• Food waste;
• Manure;
• Weeds.

Between layers it is necessary to sprinkle earth or peat and spill water. If you need to speed up the process, you can chop it with a shovel before placing all the contents.

The heap should rise a maximum of a meter from the ground, its total height will be 1.5 m. You need to cover the top with something, maybe slate. When the temperature outside is very high, it is necessary to water it with water.

In just two seasons, the entire heap will turn into fertilizer under the most ordinary conditions. This method is the most economical and simple.
Additionally, EM preparations can be used. In order for microorganisms to process waste in the pit, a temperature of +4 degrees is sufficient.

Compost pit made of boards

A compost box is made from boards for ease of use and speeding up the recycling process. The size 1*1.5m is the most convenient and suitable for these purposes.

Step-by-step construction of a plank structure:

• Determination of place.
• Marking.
• Removing the top layer of turf 10 cm thick.
• You have to dig in the corners copper pipes, insert bars that will serve as supports. If necessary, they must be supported.
• It is recommended to treat wooden materials that will be used with protective agents. When rotting, substances are released that will damage the boards.
• You need to choose stronger boards and secure them with self-tapping screws. A distance of up to 5 cm is left between the boards so that air can pass into the pile.
• A distance of approximately 30 cm is left below so that ready-made fertilizers can be selected, and new ones will be added from above.
• As an alternative to boards, construction pallets are used. They can be connected to each other or disassembled into separate boards, from which the box can be built.
• It is necessary to ensure that the pit is covered from heavy rainfall and bright sun. To do this, you can make a convenient lid on which to attach a handle. It will be convenient to attach it to the back wall.

You need to put the contents there through the top, and take out the ready-made fertilizer from below. The procedure remains the same as when laying a hole in the ground.

Slate compost pit

One of positive properties slate is its strength. The material will not suffer from rotting contents. You can choose one that is convenient or is available.

This can be either a flat or sheet version.
How to make a composter:

• Make markings and deepen the sheets prepared in advance. WITH outside they are secured with wood or metal lathing.
• A more durable option would be to use recessed corners metal pipes, to which a frame of bars is attached and sheathed with slate.

If there are wooden parts, they are coated with special means so that they do not rot under the influence of the contents. The lid can be made from plywood or boards. In such a device, the front wall is made 2 times lower than the others. You can also use film or covering material, because they are very convenient to attach to durable bases.

Compost pit made of corrugated sheets

There is one advantage to using corrugated sheets to make a compost bin - you can immediately choose a material that is not afraid of corrosion.

How to make the design correctly:

• Choose locations and make the base. You can use metal or wood.
• The size of the box can be adjusted to the size of the sheets. If desired, you can create several sections in it.
• The base is made according to the same principle as in a wooden box.
• The corrugated sheeting is fixed from the outside; self-tapping screws with gaps of 3-5 cm are used for this.
• The top is made of boards or plywood. You can coat the frame with a protective compound to extend its service life.

Advice! In the warm season, the metal gets very hot, so it is necessary to monitor the level of moisture in the contents.

Metal mesh compost bin

You can also make a waste container from a metal mesh. Then you need to make it in the shape of a cylinder. The undoubted advantages of this design are that air gets into it well, the contents are ventilated and do not rot. These structures are easy to manufacture, lightweight, and can be transported and assembled.

Procedure:

• The mesh must be of the required length and have a margin of 20 cm for entry.
• The film or garden textiles must be the same size.
• You can fasten the mesh with wire and put textiles or film inside.
• To make the structure more stable, it is reinforced from the outside with beams. Sometimes they are buried.
• Secure the edges of the material that lies on the bottom from the outside with simple office clips.

To simplify the task, you can use huge garbage bags. You can use special bags that are sold in gardening stores. Fill according to the same general principle, starting with the branches.

Concrete compost pit

Such a pit has a number of advantages:

• her walls will for a long time maintain the required temperature;
• no impact environment she is not afraid;
• it is not afraid of excessive moisture or sun.

If you make such a pit with several sections, then use will be much more convenient and practical. For example, in one compartment there is compost from one season, in another from the next, and in the third there is ready-made fertilizer.

Procedure:

• The pit should have proportions of 1.5 m * 3.5 m in finished form. A depth of 70cm will be the most comfortable.
• It is necessary to make formwork, leaving a distance of about 15 cm to the edges of the pit. You can use plywood or boards.
• The walls of the finished structure should be 40 cm above ground level.
• An iron mesh is installed inside and filled with concrete.
• To make concrete you need cement, screenings and crushed stone in the proportion 1*3*3.
• You can compact it with a shovel or reinforcement so that there are no voids left in the walls.
• The formwork is removed when the concrete has hardened completely, after approximately 14 days.
• You can use a special covering material or wood as a cover.

It is worth remembering that when using a concrete pit, the process does not go very quickly. To speed it up, you can purchase special products and manually add earthworms.

Conclusion

There are no special tricks in the design of a compost pit. The materials that are used can be found in any garden or cottage.
The benefit of a compost pit is that household and household waste will be disposed of in it.
When a compost pit is constructed correctly, it produces fertilizer that does not contain any harmful substances and is environmentally friendly. Its use will increase productivity. Rational use and an economic approach will help reduce material costs and improve the environmental situation.
For achievement best result in making a compost pit or box, you can use the tips from the article and also get acquainted with photos and videos of production.

Watch the video! How to make a compost pit with your own hands

A compost pit is a structure in which compost matures. This is a product of decay of organic waste, considered one of best options fertilizers Adding compost not only improves soil fertility, but also has a beneficial effect on its structure. Sandy soil thanks to it, it retains moisture better, and the clayey soil becomes more loose, which allows the earth to pass air and water.

The principle of “work” of a compost heap is very simple. Organic waste is placed in it and optimal conditions are created for it to decompose, resulting in compost. In order for waste to decompose, it must be provided required quantity oxygen and moisture. Therefore, the design of the pit must provide ventilation for the mass placed in it. In addition, the compost is shaken up 3-4 times during the summer and regularly shed with water.

The compost substrate takes two years to mature under natural conditions. If you need to get it faster, special bacteria are added to significantly speed up the decomposition process. You need to know what can be put in a compost bin and what cannot. An approximate set is presented in the table.

Choosing a place for construction

The best place for arranging a compost heap - a shaded area near a fence or wall of an outbuilding. If the sun's rays fall directly on the pit, the decomposition process will slow down or stop completely. Another point that needs to be taken into account is the periodic appearance of a specific smell, so it is advisable to place the structure away from places where people appear.

The compost pit should be equipped taking into account the height of the groundwater rise. The substrate should not come into contact with them. In addition, you need to take care of. So, if there is a pond nearby or, there should be a distance between them of at least 25-30 m. In this case, the slope of the soil should be such that after rains water does not flow from the pit to drinking source.

Setting up a compost bin

To obtain compost, two types of structures are used. This could be a pit or a special box. Let's look at both options in detail.

Construction of a compost pit

Before starting work, you should decide on its depth. You can make it small, then the contents of the heap will be easy to mix and the substrate will be ready faster. A deep hole is good because it completely hides the raw materials. At the same time, it is more difficult to establish ventilation here. The optimal depth is considered to be 40-50 cm. The pit is constructed in the following sequence:

1. A hole of the required size is dug.
2. Settling in wooden box. To do this, pegs are driven into the bottom at a distance of 20 cm from the walls in the corners, and boards are nailed onto them at some distance from each other.
3. The resulting box is divided into two halves using a wooden board.
4. A drainage layer 10-15 cm high is placed at the bottom of the structure. This can be bark or tree branches, straw, spruce branches, etc.

Now you can stack the waste. Only one half is filled with raw materials. This way you can regularly transfer the compost mixture from one part of the pit to another to allow for ventilation.

Setting up a compost bin

You can build such a structure with your own hands or purchase a ready-made one in a store. In the latter case it will be volumetric high drawer made of plastic, which will only need to be installed on Right place.

For self-assembly wood is usually used. A frame is constructed from the bars, onto which planks are placed at a short distance from each other. This is necessary to ventilate the rotting mass.

Be sure to make one wall removable or provide a lid - this will make it convenient to mix the contents of the box if necessary. Alternatively, you can equip one of the walls with a tightly closing door. For ease of maintenance, such a box is installed on concrete base. You can simply compact the earth well and lay any solid material on it. Before filling the raw materials, drainage is placed at the bottom of the box, the same as in the compost pit.

To obtain good fertilizer, you need to fill a hole or box in compliance with certain rules. The most important thing is to alternate “brown” and “green” layers and make sure that their volume is approximately the same. Experienced gardeners understand dry waste by brown raw materials, fresh grass by green raw materials, etc. By alternating soft and hard masses, you will be able to avoid excessive compaction.

A properly equipped compost pit will provide excellent fertilizer and help you profitably dispose of organic waste.

The process of creating a compost pit is clearly shown in this video.

At country houses and personal plots Often the problem of disposing of organic waste arises - leaves, weeds, cleaning, sawdust and other things. Unlike inorganic waste (glass, plastic, etc.), all this can be used to produce clean, environmentally friendly fertilizer - compost. It is obtained as a result of the biological process of decomposition under the influence of the vital activity of microorganisms. Adding compost to any soil improves its quality characteristics. Clay soils acquire a lighter, crumbly structure, and sandy ones retain moisture better. Let's look at how you can make a compost pit and prepare compost correctly.

The following organic wastes are suitable for raw materials, which are divided into two large groups.

Brown waste

These include those that emit carbon.

Green waste

Waste that releases nitrogen is considered green.

• berries, vegetables and fruits unsuitable for food and processing;
• drunken tea and coffee cake;
• stubs and cleaning;
• scraps of wool;
• leftover soups, cereals;
• eggshell;
• waste products of herbivores.

When adding a large amount of freshly cut grass, the compost preparation time will increase significantly. To speed up the process, lightly cover small layers of grass with soil.

What should you not put?

Not all organic matter is suitable for fertilization.

The following cannot be placed in a compost bin:

• fresh pet excrement;
• loach, wheatgrass;
• bones;
• leaves and other parts of plants affected by diseases, especially powdery mildew;
• plants treated with any chemicals;
• weeds whose seeds have ripened;
• inorganic non-degradable waste (rubber, metal, glass, synthetic materials);
• tops of potatoes and tomatoes;
• fats, meat, dairy products;
• fresh and boiled eggs (except shells).

Potato and tomato tops, even healthy-looking ones, can be carriers of late blight. Subsequently, such fertilizer can infect all plants. In addition, this raw material takes a very long time to dispose of; the process will take about 5 years.

Anything that is not suitable for a compost pit should be thrown into a cesspool or removed from the site as garbage.

Requirements for placement

A place on the site is chosen, as a rule, out of sight and one that you don’t mind - where nothing grows due to dense shade or infertility of the soil, somewhere behind outbuildings, if any, in the outskirts.

There are other important points.

• You need to understand that rotting raw materials will not emit the most pleasant smell, so you should think about moving away from the resting place and about the neighbors. It would be good to know the compass rose so as not to place the pile on the leeward side.
• Consideration should be given to ensuring free access to the pit, since raw materials will be added and taken constantly throughout the season.
• It is advisable to choose a site on a flat surface, and not in a hole, you can slight slope to avoid stagnation of water, which interferes with the flow of oxygen, and therefore extends the process over time.
• Compost pile, although called a pit, must be above ground level. In this case, it will warm up better, it will be more convenient to loosen, water and generally maintain it. The optimal parameters are 50 cm deep, 1 m of fence above the ground. Higher walls will make it difficult to loosen and use compost.
• Avoid proximity to a source of drinking water (must be more than 25 m).
• The place should be in the shade or partial shade - sunlight slows down and dries out raw materials.
• Do not place the structure under trees, they may get sick and die. Neighborhood with conifers and other evergreen crops is especially not recommended. Best neighbors there will be alder and birch.

Do not cover the bottom of the pit with film, slate or other material that does not allow moisture to pass through! It must penetrate from the soil unhindered (depthing will facilitate this), otherwise everything will dry out. The bottom should remain earthen.

Design features

The ideal dimensions of a structure are usually indicated by the parameters 1.5m x 2m, but ultimately they are determined based on the amount of raw materials that can be accumulated in 2 years. This is how long the process of preparing the finished substrate will take. Therefore, the ideal pit should be twice as large and two-section, designed to last two cycles. The first compartment will contain ready-made waste, the other will contain fresh waste over the next two years.

It is important to know that a small pit will not warm up well as a result of rotting, and this temperature may not be enough to kill all pathogenic microflora and harmful spores. Experts determine desired temperature at 60C and the above-mentioned optimal sizes.

The structure must have a removable lid on top.

Design options

You can arrange a compost pit in different ways; let’s look at several common options.

Regular pit

The simplest construction that does not require additional costs and materials. A shallow hole is made, no more than half a meter deep, into which everything is folded according to the usual principle. The contents are covered with black polyethylene on top. To make it easier to remove for adding waste or using, it is rolled on both sides onto a long handle, which also serves as a load. After each new laying, it is recommended to cover the waste with grass.

The option is simple, but it is difficult to call it effective and convenient. There will be difficulties with mixing, and such a pile will not be able to warm up sufficiently, which means that it will take a longer time for it to rot.

Two-section composter

The material for production can be boards, old slate, metal sheets, corrugated sheets, walls from plastic containers, brick, etc. Optimal sizes depending on the size of the plot - 1.5-2 m wide and 2-3 m long. Make a deepening of 0.5-0.8 m. To secure the structure in the corners (stepping back the required distance from the pit), sections of pipes or large-diameter metal rods that can withstand the weight of the compost heap are dug in. Wooden pillars they are not suitable for this purpose, since the process of decay will invariably affect them, and the structure will not last long due to the load.

Install the walls, not forgetting about ventilation holes. A partition is installed in the middle, dividing the structure into two equal-sized compartments. Ready humus will be stored in one of them, and “young” waste will be stored in the second. It is better to make the lid hinged, on hinges, so that it does not move and tightly covers the contents.

It is advisable to treat the supporting sections of metal pipes with an anti-corrosion bioprotective compound, and all wooden parts - protective impregnation, and then cover with two layers of acrylic paint.

The bottom, as already mentioned, cannot be covered with waterproof material, but straw, sawdust or tree bark are perfect for this - they will provide the necessary air exchange and allow excess moisture to escape quietly.

If desired, you can make three sections. In the first there will be a ready-made substrate, in the second there will be a fully laid ripening one, and the third will be intended for laying new raw materials.

Single section composter

More simple and sufficient compact version. You will have to pick up the finished product from below, for which purpose in one of the walls (or even better - from different sides) you need to make a hole from which the ripe fertilizer will be selected. There should be a distance of at least 30-40 cm between the wall of the box and the ground. In this case, there is no need to mix the substrate.

Concrete box

A structure that will be completed literally once and for all. Neat and reliable. To do this, you need to dig a trench of the required perimeter with a depth of 70-80 cm and make formwork. Pour concrete into it, remove the formwork and remove the soil from the box to the required depth. Can be used as a lid wooden shield or film pressed with a metal mesh.

Ready made plastic container

The modern market offers ready-made composter structures made of plastic. They have different size(within 400 -1000l), the necessary ventilation holes (make sure of this!) and a lid.

Their cost depends on the size, design and region and usually ranges from 2 to 10 thousand rubles.

Do not make compost pits that are too large; their contents will overheat, which is also undesirable, since this will lead to the death of the necessary microorganisms.

How to properly fill a compost bin?

Before laying the raw materials, clear the bottom of the pit from the turf and dig it well to a depth of 30 cm. This will provide conditions for the active life of worms and the penetration of beneficial microorganisms, which will provide indispensable assistance in the waste processing process. In addition, excess water will drain well into the loose soil.

We begin laying, alternating layers of wet and dry, brown and green raw materials. Their optimal ratio should be approximately the following: 3 parts brown waste to 1 part green waste, and there should be 5 times more wet raw materials than dry ones. Anything large should be broken or chopped.

Moisten (not too much) and close with a lid.

The raw materials should not be compacted too much, but excessive looseness is also undesirable. Everything should be in moderation, especially humidity.

Storing compost is not everything. Proper further actions will help speed up the decay process and make the fertilizer more nutritious. Please adhere to the following guidelines.

More quick cooking The following supplements help.

• Rotted horse manure.
• Some types of plants (valerian, chamomile, dandelions, yarrow).
• Specially produced activating preparations, for example, Baikal EM-1, Compostin and Compostar.
• Stale (dried) bird droppings.
• Legume stems.
• Bone and dolomite meal.
• Superphosphate and complex mineral fertilizers.

As the contents rot, the temperature inside rises, and may even rise from the heap. light steam. This is normal and indicates that everything is going well.

Spare no effort and time for this simple structure. This will solve the problem of recycling a considerable part of organic waste, and will give the most valuable fertilizer, in the quality and environmental friendliness of which you will be absolutely sure.