An old barrel instead of a compost heap. DIY composter made from a metal barrel. DIY compost pit from a barrel. Advantages over compost pit Humus in a barrel

A leaky metal barrel makes a great mobile place for making compost.
Compost is usually prepared in special containers, boxes or piles. The preparation time ranges from two to three months to two years, depending on the volume of contents and the number of times it is handled.

To create our own unique place and method of preparing compost, we need a large diameter pipe. Using a hammer and chisel (an ax is better instead of a chisel), we cut out both bottoms in the leaky barrel. Now the pipe is ready.

For the good ones country houses or country ones you will always need to buy new furniture. Furniture for the dacha is bought in the same place where kitchen tables are sold. After all kitchen table- Very important element interior country house. Choosing quality furniture to the kitchen, you take care of your wife, who can easily prepare you many tasty and healthy dinners.

Using a grinder (angle grinder), we make two cuts into two unequal parts, put them “on the butt” and connect them using a strong synthetic rope, but wire is more reliable. The result is a new, easily detachable pipe. This is a container for compost. It is necessary to make several holes - “pockets” for air access.

They put there: cut branches, mown weeds and grass, turf, collected leaves, sawdust, paper waste, rags and so on. The process of compost formation goes faster if the container is covered with a lid, and to increase the temperature inside, it is necessary to paint it dark color. And also periodically water the contents with a solution of ammonium nitrate ( matchbox per bucket of water) and use organic waste: leftovers from dining table, fish waste during processing and so on, but this is provided that your unique container is tightly closed.

The advantages over a compost pit are obvious:

maneuverability of the object, it is enough to place it near the treated area and there is no need to carry the selected roots, sod land to the place compost heap;

ease of manufacture; no complex engineering solutions are required when marking and cutting;

availability of the source material (for worms and bacteria from below) and for the gardener - just untie the rope (wire) and in front of you are 20 buckets (200 liter barrel) of the most beautiful compost loved by plants. And if there are two or more barrels...

It takes approximately 9-10 months to prepare compost in the usual way. In a rotating closed plastic barrel-drum, the cooking time is reduced to 15-20 days.

Loading - from the cylindrical side. The lid clings to the hinges and is secured with two screws. On the sides there are openings for air intake, blocked by fine mesh. The barrel is placed on the frame. There are toothed rollers at the corners of the frame, these are connected to the toothed rim of the barrel, and it can be turned by hand to mix the compost. The smaller container is structurally designed somewhat differently and rotates on an axis running through the center. To obtain compost, ordinary plant and household waste is used.

We use:

Used barrel (with lid)

A galvanized pipe on which the composter will rotate (a bar of smooth fittings will also work)

Bolts with washers and nuts

4 latches

Door hinges

1. Drill two holes in the barrel in the center of the ends for the pipe - the axis. The axle will rest on a wooden frame

2. Cut out a door in the barrel and attach it to the hinges. We fasten the latches. An improvised handle was made from a cord that came to hand.

3. We punch or drill many holes in the barrel for ventilation. In several places we drive long nails into the barrel - dividers for better mixing of the contents (instead of nails, you can use a sander, tightening it with bolts).

3. We make a frame for the composter from boards. We install the barrel on the frame.

4. Putting the finished composter into operation

For quick composting, simply load the waste into the composter and spin it every few days.

Variations on a theme

Vertical position of the barrel:

Two-level composter (for it, the wooden frame posts were concreted into the ground):

To connect plumbing fixtures to the water supply network, a flexible water supply is used. It is in demand when connecting faucets, showers, toilets and other water intake points, and significantly simplifies the installation process. Flexible connections are also used when installing gas equipment. It differs from similar water devices in its manufacturing technology and special safety requirements.

Characteristics and types

The flexible hose for connecting plumbing is a hose of different lengths made of non-toxic synthetic rubber. Thanks to the elasticity and softness of the material, it easily takes the desired position and allows installation in hard to reach places. To protect the flexible hose, there is an upper reinforcing layer in the form of a braid, which is made from the following materials:

Aluminum. Such models can withstand no more than +80 °C and retain functionality for 3 years. At high humidity Aluminum braiding is prone to rust.
Stainless steel. Thanks to this reinforcing layer, the service life of the flexible water line is at least 10 years, and the maximum temperature of the transported medium is +95 °C.
Nylon. This braid is used for the manufacture of reinforced models that can withstand temperatures up to +110 °C and are designed for intensive use for 15 years.

The fasteners used are nut-nut and nut-fitting pairs, which are made of brass or stainless steel. Devices with different permissible temperatures differ in the color of the braid. Blue ones are used for connecting to a pipeline with cold water, and red ones - with hot ones.

When choosing a water line, you need to pay attention to its elasticity, reliability of fasteners and purpose. It is also mandatory to have a certificate that prevents the rubber from releasing toxic components during operation.

Features of gas connections

When connected gas stoves, speakers and other types of equipment also use flexible hoses. Unlike models for water, they have yellow and are not tested for environmental safety. For fixation, end steel or aluminum reinforcement is used. Distinguish the following types accessories for connecting gas appliances:

PVC hoses reinforced with polyester thread;
made of synthetic rubber with stainless steel braid;
bellows, made in the form of a corrugated stainless steel tube.

Santekhkomplekt holding offers engineering equipment, fittings, plumbing and devices for connecting it to communications. The range is represented by products and materials from well-known foreign and domestic manufacturers. Discounts apply for bulk purchases, and product quality is confirmed by standard certificates. For information support and assistance, each client is assigned a personal manager. The ability to arrange delivery within Moscow and to other regions of the Russian Federation allows you to quickly receive the purchased goods without unnecessary hassle.

Drainage is a drainage and drainage measure to remove excess groundwater.

If water does not leave the site for a long time, the soil becomes gleyed, if shrubs and trees quickly disappear (get wet), you need to urgently take action and drain the site.

Causes of soil waterlogging

There are several reasons for soil waterlogging:

clay heavy soil structure with poor water permeability;
aquifer in the form of gray-green and red-brown clays is located close to the surface;
high groundwater table;
technogenic factors (construction of roads, pipelines, various objects) that interfere with natural drainage;
disruption of the water balance by the construction of irrigation systems;
The landscape area is located in a lowland, ravine, or hollow. In this case, precipitation and the influx of water from higher places play a big role.

What are the consequences of excess moisture in the soil?

You can see the results of this phenomenon yourself - trees and shrubs die. Why is this happening?

the oxygen content in the soil decreases and the carbon dioxide content increases, which leads to disruption of air exchange processes, water regime and nutritional regime in the soil;
oxygen starvation of the root-forming layer occurs, which leads to the death of plant roots;
the supply of macro and microelements by plants (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, etc.) is disrupted, because excess water washes out mobile forms of elements from the soil, and they become inaccessible for absorption;
intensive breakdown of proteins occurs and, accordingly, the processes of decay are activated.

Plants can tell you at what level groundwater lies

Take a close look at the flora of your area. The species inhabiting it will tell you at what depth the ground water layers are located:

perched water - it is best to dig a reservoir in this place;
at a depth of up to 0.5 m - marigold, horsetails, varieties of sedges grow - bladderwrack, holly, foxweed, Langsdorff's reed;
at a depth of 0.5 m to 1 m - meadowsweet, canary grass, ;
from 1 m to 1.5 m – favorable conditions for meadow fescue, bluegrass, mouse pea, china;
from 1.5 m - wheatgrass, clover, wormwood, plantain.

What is important to know when planning site drainage

Each group of plants has its own moisture needs:

at a groundwater depth of 0.5 to 1 m they can grow on raised beds vegetables and annual flowers;
depth of water layer up to 1.5 m is well tolerated by vegetable crops, grains, annuals and perennials (flowers), ornamental and fruit and berry bushes, trees on a dwarf rootstock;
if the groundwater is more than 2 m deep, fruit trees can be grown;
optimal depth of groundwater for agriculture– from 3.5 m.

Is site drainage necessary?

Write down your observations for at least some time. You yourself can understand how much drainage is needed.

Maybe it makes sense to simply redirect melt and sediment water along the bypass channel, rather than allowing it to flow through your site?

Perhaps it is necessary to design and equip a storm drain and improve the composition of the soil and this will be enough?

Or is it worth doing drainage system only for fruit and ornamental trees?

A specialist will give you the exact answer, and we strongly recommend calling him. But after reading this article, you will gain some awareness on this issue.

Upon completion of technological and production tasks related to the arrangement sewer system V apartment building, industrial building, as well as in private households, it is required to test the involved system using the forced flow method. This task is used to identify possible defects or improper installation of the entire involved sewerage part and the test report for internal sewerage and drainage systems will be material evidence of the work on acceptance of the facility.

A visual inspection should be accompanied by inclusion in the test report of internal sewerage and drainage systems according to SNIP, which is currently represented by the current regulations of the “D” series appendix, which corresponds to SP 73.13330.2012 “Internal sanitary systems of a building”, recently a new one has been applied updated working edition according to SNiP 3.05.01-85.

Cultivated plants and trees require a regular supply of nutrients, and the soil is gradually depleted. Therefore, the soil needs to be regularly fertilized – organic and mineral. Chemicals have not only a positive effect on green spaces, therefore modern vegetable growers prefer not to use such products to fertilize vegetables and fruits, but prefer fertilizers made from natural ingredients.

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

Pits are dug for compost in the plots, where plant waste is placed, which later becomes an excellent tool for improving soil fertility. But some gardeners make compost fertilizer in old boxes, an iron barrel and in any other containers that are no longer used for their intended purpose.

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

Top dressing obtained by decomposing organic elements has a positive effect on the composition of the soil, increases fertility, and the cost of its preparation is practically absent. As a basis for compost, they dig a hole (or make a container in which organic waste will rot), and then put all the plant residues from the site there.

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

Advantages over a compost pit

Advantages of the barrel:

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

But making compost in a pit also has benefits:

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

But such recesses without lids with accumulations formed on top spoil the appearance of the area and spread an unpleasant odor around.

What to put in a barrel?

Make compost at your dacha with my own hands easily. A barrel of any size is suitable for this, but a larger one is better - it will fit more waste. The only caveat is that there should be no organic residues in the decomposition container metal parts in contact with rotting products.

Place in the barrel:

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

You cannot add weeds with seeds, diseased parts of plants, or animal manure to the compost: along with it there is a risk of introducing pathogenic microflora into the prepared organic matter.

The procedure for laying raw materials

All plant and food residues should be placed in a container in crushed form so that they rot faster. Layers of organic matter are sprinkled with earth, peat or chicken droppings.

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

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

plant remains;
bird droppings;
wood ash;
priming.

Maturing time for compost in a barrel

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

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

Signs of compost maturing

It is easy to determine the degree of readiness of organic matter:

in high-quality fertilizer, all plant residues have rotted;
it is homogeneous and loose (no sifting is required before adding to the soil);
you can easily pick it up - it will be soft and dry;
Completely rotted compost smells pleasantly of forest, mushrooms and fallen leaves.

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

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

This nutritional supplement is added in large quantities when digging up the garden in the fall, when the plants have extracted a large amount of nutrients from the soil during the season.

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

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

After choosing a location, it’s up to the filling container itself. Plastic box or wooden? Plastic is more beautiful and more durable, but the boards are more accessible - everyone has a stack of old boards in their barn...

DIY compost bin

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

For many, a box 2-3 boards high will be quite sufficient for the season; by autumn you will just fill it up to the brim.

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

Types of composts

IN garden centers and other economic retail outlets you can find plastic composters of various shapes and sizes (what they offer us there: boxes, “suitcases,” tanks, “hives,” “flying saucers.”). Volume from one barrel (150-200 l) and above (400-900 l). Such an organic storage tank is installed in the garden. With their help you can prepare the most various types compost, because plastic container Very favorable conditions are created for the reheating and processing of any type of waste.

Plastic can be considered the best material for processing organic matter. It is neutral (steel quickly corrodes from organic compounds), lightweight, durable (unlike boards, which rot underneath) and relatively cheap.

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

Any other household plastic container is also used for composting: boxes, buckets building materials, leaky basins. If necessary, plastic containers are immediately interchangeable; they can be temporarily removed from fertilizer production for other garden needs (sheltering plants on cold nights, heating water in the sun for irrigation, growing seedlings...). For this reason, one cannot give unconditional preference to large containers such as 150-200 liter plastic barrels. Such barrels are, of course, very practical, very productive, but in addition to them, a “park” of smaller buckets and containers of 50-60 liters or 10-20 liters would not hurt. Organic feeding at the height of the season there is no such thing as too much!

Today, fruit merchants use all kinds of disposable plastic boxes with a lattice bottom, which they often throw away after being released. These small boxes are suitable for a multi-tier composter, since they have a lattice bottom and are joined to each other with special grooves. So, they are used for vermicompost: another box with fresh food for earthworms is delivered above the lower boxes with food that has turned into humus. The boxes can also be used for regular compost, since the grates will create layers of air between the layers - this is very beneficial for compost, which is periodically moistened from a watering can.

The simplest plastic composter is a plastic garbage bag or a regular grocery bag. Some gardeners use this “container”. The bag is filled with wet grass or leaves, tied and left somewhere in the shade for several months, and the decomposed humus substance is removed. It is important that the packages do not cake during storage.

Compost at home

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

At first glance, it puzzles the gardener: is it too small? But this is purely for peeling potatoes!

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

A small kitchen plastic composter is not just a “garbage can”, it has its own structure: at the bottom there is a grid to hold the bulk of waste. An air layer is formed under it, which allows the compost to breathe. It is important that this compartment does not fill with liquid. To drain it, a tap is made to drain excess liquid.

Kitchen composter. It is understood that it is not located in the kitchen itself, but somewhere on the staircase or in glass loggia, in a garage, in a frost-free shed, in a winter greenhouse, etc. Because the smell from it will inevitably be “not Chanel”, it is enough to remove the lid once to throw off the next trimmings. Of course, you won’t spare microbial preparations for it, but they don’t always cope... It fills up quickly. In the city, a battery of filled composters will accumulate in a glass loggia until spring. But in the spring they will go to the site in the back seat of a car.

Preparation of compost and compost heap

Boards are a favorite material for large composters among our gardeners. There are compost bins as tall as a person or higher, assembled from boards, sometimes lined with sheets of galvanized iron. Preparing compost and a compost heap begins with choosing a suitable place on the site and installing the device there.

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

In the first season it is filled with all kinds of plant material, and the next season, while it is ripening, pumpkins are planted on top so that the garden space does not go to waste. This produces very large pumpkins. There are so many nutrients in compost that taking some of them with pumpkin roots will not deplete our fertilizer. You've probably seen such tall thickets of pumpkins near fences and sheds - these are ripening compost heaps. Sometimes cucumbers are planted instead of pumpkins.

The same boxes are made for composting manure or peat.

Compost in a barrel

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

Unfortunately, we rarely find flat ones on sale. concrete blocks especially for composters. Wide garden tiles are suitable as a substitute. A box made of such tiles looks neater and more fundamental than a “kennel” made of boards. It is also worth considering the option of making compost in a barrel: this container is great for rotting any waste.

I needed compost. It doesn’t matter whether he is fully prepared or not, but autumn has come and the time has come to act. We extract the wealth and spend it economically “in the squares.” It is more convenient to remove the compost bin immediately, if possible.

How to make compost in a barrel?

There will definitely be undecomposed fibers of the stems in the compost, which will make it difficult to remove, carry and dig. Therefore, you usually have to chop it up a little with a shovel right on the spot with blows from above, so that the blade goes to the ground. But now the compost is easy to mix and pour into buckets.

You can grind the compost there, at the place of application, in the garden bed or in a tree trunk circle, if you carry it nearby and manage to throw it on a fork. This contributes to a more uniform digging: spread the compost over the surface of the bed, chop it with a shovel - it has already mixed a little with the soil - and then dug.

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

What if the compost is not ripe, is it possible to add it?

If it has been enriched with nitrogen, then you can apply it with confidence. After all, in the fall you can add it for digging along with nitrogen fertilizer even just received, completely undecomposed plant residues.

Cultivated plants and trees require a regular supply of nutrients, and the soil is gradually depleted. Therefore, the soil needs to be regularly fertilized – organic and mineral. Chemical preparations not only have a positive effect on green spaces, so modern vegetable growers prefer not to use such products to fertilize vegetables and fruits, but prefer fertilizers made from natural ingredients.

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

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

If there is no room in the garden for a hole (or there is no opportunity to dig one), then an ordinary barrel is suitable for preparing organic fertilizer. To prevent the fermentation process of plant waste from being accompanied by an unpleasant odor, a lid is attached to this container.

Advantages over a compost pit

Advantages of the barrel:

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

But making compost in a pit also has benefits:

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

But such recesses without lids with accumulations formed on top spoil the appearance of the area and spread an unpleasant odor around.

What to put in a barrel?

It’s easy to make compost at your dacha with your own hands. A barrel of any size is suitable for this, but a larger one is better - it will fit more waste. The only caveat is that in the container for decomposing organic residues there should be no metal parts that come into contact with the products of decay.

Place in the barrel:

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

You cannot add weeds with seeds, diseased parts of plants, or animal manure to the compost: along with it there is a risk of introducing pathogenic microflora into the prepared organic matter.

The procedure for laying raw materials

All plant and food residues should be placed in a container in crushed form so that they rot faster. Layers of organic matter are sprinkled with earth, peat or chicken droppings.

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

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

plant remains;
bird droppings;
wood ash;
priming.

Maturing time for compost in a barrel

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

Signs of compost maturing

It is easy to determine the degree of readiness of organic matter:

in high-quality fertilizer, all plant residues have rotted;
it is homogeneous and loose (no sifting is required before adding to the soil);
you can easily pick it up - it will be soft and dry;
Completely rotted compost smells pleasantly of forest, mushrooms and fallen leaves.

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

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

This nutritional supplement is added in large quantities when digging up the garden in the fall, when the plants have extracted a large amount of nutrients from the soil during the season.

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

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 high temperature 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 location on the site for a compost pit

The location of the composter on the site should not become a source of groundwater contamination or a threat to the health of people and animals. 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 make a high-quality structure and turn a pile of garden waste and decomposing household waste into valuable fertilizer. There are many different types of compost piles, from earthen ditches to actual concrete structures.

Compost pit in the ground

To create a compost bin:

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

The first layer 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 most economical way to produce 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:

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.
In another option, metal pipes are buried in the ground. A frame of bars is attached to them. The outside is covered 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 pit 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:

At the selected location, a base is constructed from a metal or wooden block.
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.
The base is made, as for a wooden structure.
On the outside, the profile strips are fastened with self-tapping screws with gaps of 3-5 cm.
It must be taken into account that the metal surface gets very hot during hot summer periods.
A cover of plywood or boards is made on top. It is advisable to cover the frame with a protective compound.

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. Compost will ripen in the first and second blocks different seasons. 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 special products.

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:

We cut out both bottoms with a chisel and place them near the path.
We put weeds, grass clippings, and kitchen waste into the barrel in layers.
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).
We take out the finished compost from below. To do this, you need to lift the barrel with a crowbar.

To improve the design:

Using a grinder (angle grinder), you need to cut the barrel into two unequal parts and punch holes in the walls for air circulation.
Then we put them on the butt and connect them with wire or rope. Cover the top with a lid.
The advantages of this design are that the contents of the barrel are easily accessible to worms and bacteria from below.
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.

To do this:

Fill the barrel halfway with mowed grass or weeds, and fill it with water to the top.
After about three days, the fermentation process will begin.
After using the solution, you can add water to the barrel again and let it brew for one week.
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 convenience 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 using Finnish technology. It is modern with two containers with a capacity of 80 liters. Its contents are mixed with a layer of peat and sawdust. You can also recycle food.

When the container is full, it is pulled out and another 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 from the garden plot is stored in containers for preparing compost. 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 pile 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 moderation as it decomposes slowly and takes up nitrogen. They also do not use feces from 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:

Compost preparation can be significantly accelerated by using Baikal EM. This preparation contains effective microorganisms (EM).
The drug "Doctor Robik" significantly increases the number of effective microorganisms (EM) in the compost. They process organic matter into humus, and also prevent pathogenic microflora from developing and destroy the larvae of harmful insects.
The bioactivator has similar properties. The Green-Master bioactivator package should be diluted in 20 liters warm water, let it sit 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.
Compost Boost gives good results. for composting.
Manufacturer Happy Summer Resident produces “Biocompostin”– a means for preparing compost. Sanex Plus produces EcoCompost.
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.

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

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

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

Old metal containers quickly rot when exposed to moisture, but plastic is neutral.

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

Benefits of using a plastic composting bin

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

You can make your own barrel composter aerobic and anaerobic. In the first case, you need to organize regular air access to plant residues. This compost matures faster. If you use accelerators - bacterial preparations, then you can get fertilizer in 1 - 1.5 months.

Video: Compost barrels

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

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

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

How to set up a composter from a barrel

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

For making horizontal compost barrel need some tools and additional materials– wood or metal pipes. The first step is to weld or knock down a frame that will hold a barrel filled with compost raw materials.

This could be something like a frame with welded support pipes or wooden blocks. A barrel will be attached to them, in the center of which there will be metal pipe. To avoid damaging the plastic, place it on metal. PVC pipe– it is smooth and durable.

How to prepare a barrel:

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

Holes are made on both sides - in the bottom and in the lid - to thread the pipe through.

The lid closes tightly and the barrel is placed on the pipe, securing it to the frame. You can make a handle for convenience, but many people do without it.

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

Preparation and laying of raw materials

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

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

After laying the compost stand for 5 – 6 days with the lid open and then turned over. When shoveling on the bed, the lid is closed, then opened again to allow oxygen access. Subsequently, the compost is turned every 3 to 4 days. This speeds up its maturation.

To get the finished fertilizer, place a bucket, wheelbarrow or other container under the lid and pour out the required amount.

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