What can be thrown into the compost. How to make the right compost? Questions that cause controversy among gardeners

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

You just need to know that in order to get a complete nutrient for the soil, the compost heap must be properly prepared. After all, compost will not only fertilize the earth, but also serve as an improver of its structure, friability and ability to retain and absorb moisture.

What is compost

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

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

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

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

Prepared compost is applied to the holes before planting. horticultural crops in open ground or for planting in greenhouses. Or it is scattered over the site before planting seed material and lightly mixed with soil.

What is compost made from?

Many people think that to make compost it is enough to dump all kinds of waste in a pile in some corner of the garden. Time will pass, they will overheat, and fertilizer will turn out. But this is far from true.

To get safe and healthy compost, you need to arrange the correct compost heaps, so you need to take into account some points. First of all, the composition of such a heap. It may include:

• ash, chalk, charcoal, eggshell;
• cut grass, straw and hay;
• sawdust and tree residues;
• vegetable food waste;
• weed grasses and healthy plant greens;
• bird droppings and animal manure;
• compost stimulants.

Compost bin dimensions

Composting ingredients are put into the compost bin. Proper composting does not release harmful substances into the soil and does not cause inconvenience to strong bad smell.

It is important to observe the dimensions of the compost bin, otherwise it will be difficult to create a comfortable temperature and humidity regime for the compost. Optimal sizes the piles are one and a half meters in width and as much or more in length. If you make a bunch smaller size, then it will quickly lose moisture and will not be able to warm up well. This will lead to the fact that the composting process will be delayed for a long time.

compost ban

Before you make a compost heap, you need to know what you can’t add to its composition:

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

Open composting device

You can run a compost maker, as gardeners are taught in specialized publications, in the following way:

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

Building an indoor compost bin

A more reliable and durable design than an open compost bin is a closed compost bin. It is built with walls that have slots for ventilation, and with a lid that will mix the compost. Such a compost heap in the country has a neater appearance, does not interfere with the aesthetic perception of space. As a rule, such a container is made of plastic, which does not rot, does not fall apart and will last for a long time.

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

The advantages of an enclosed compost heap are that it allows heat to build up quickly and retains it well. From this, pests die, and the fermentation process occurs faster.

Another plus is that in these containers you do not need to comply with without fail proportions of constituent ingredients. Various acceptable wastes, residues and grass can be dumped into the pile in any convenient quantities. It is only important to mix it all systematically.

How to make a compost heap

For proper cooking heap ingredients needed:

1. Prepare necessary components by grinding them as finely as possible. Branches can be broken, and plant remains can be chopped with a shovel. The smaller the heap components are, the faster the compost will mature.
2. Lay the components in layers, the thickness of each of the layers should be up to 15 cm. In this case, it is necessary to alternate the laying of food waste, wood residues and green mass of plants.
3. Layers can be shifted with manure or droppings, or commercially available liquid fertilizers can be applied. Compost stimulants are also used at this stage. As manure for a heap, it is better to use cow or horse manure, and the best bird manure is chicken manure.
4. From above, the pyramidal compost heap is covered with straw, spandbond, boards or plant stems. This is necessary for free air circulation. Often gardeners cover the pile with polyethylene, but this is not recommended: when covered with plastic wrap, the compost will overheat without air access. And this is fraught with the appearance of a putrefactive, unpleasant persistent odor.

Compost maturation

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

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

To provide correct mode fermentation, it is important that good moisture and air exchange be provided inside the pyramid.

Ensuring fermentation

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

1. When the weather is hot and dry, the compost pile needs to be watered. Moreover, the water should wet all the layers of the heap. This process is most conveniently done with a large garden hose, because a large amount of water will be required.
2. Watering the heap must be done in the morning, in this case, during the day, the wet compost will have time to warm up well, and the process of active decomposition will start.
3. How to water the compost heap? Water it with ordinary warm water, but from time to time it is necessary to add a compost stimulant to the water or insist fresh manure in it.
4. A couple of times during the season, the compost needs to be shoveled. This helps to carry the well-fermented inner layers to the top. In this case, the upper ones move inward.
5. Also, when mixing, the compost is saturated with air and gets rid of accumulated gases.
6. With the onset of cold weather, the compost bin needs to be warmed, while the process of active composting is prolonged. For warming, a pile is sprinkled with humus or peat, and then tops from the harvested root crops, sunflower stalks or fresh straw are laid on top. This year, the remains of the plants will keep warm, and next year they will serve as ingredients for a new pile.

Fallen leaf compost

Separately, it is worth mentioning the compost from fallen leaves, popularly known as “leafy soil”. How to make a compost heap from fallen leaves?

Fallen leaves are taken as the basis of such compost. The advantage of this approach is that at the end of autumn the leaves lose minerals, and only lignin, tannin and hemicellulose, which are valuable ingredients of humus, remain in their tissues. And the downside is that these components overheat rather slowly, which prolongs the composting time. A lot of tannin contains the foliage of oaks, beeches, chestnuts, willows and plane trees. Therefore, their sheet mass should not be used for laying in a pile, but only for its shelter.

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

To receive good result Composting needs to take into account some points:

1. When creating a compost bin, you need to take into account that microorganisms come from the ground, so you need to arrange it in a clean space where chemicals have not been used.
2. Accelerates composting by adding valerian officinalis, yarrow, chamomile and dandelion to a bunch of herbs.
3. To speed up fermentation, bioconcentrates are added to the compost. In this case, the so-called fast compost heap is obtained, which can mature in three weeks.
4. You need to know that a high content of fresh coniferous sawdust in the compost significantly reduces the potassium balance, so such compost at the stage of readiness must be enriched with potassium-phosphorus fertilizers.
5. The presence of green constituents in the compost should not exceed one third of the total volume, because the herbs ferment slowly and may rot. If it turns out that the main volume will consist of grass, then it must first be dried in the sun.
6. The highest quality compost is obtained, created using a variety of components. Not only organic components, but also mineral ones should be present. For this purpose, the compost heap is supplied with superphosphates, dolomite flour, and complex mineral fertilizers.
7. It should be borne in mind that manure is a concentrated fertilizer, so its content in the compost should not exceed 10%.
8. For better stability and increased air exchange processes, the compost heap should be laid cone-shaped or in the form of a pyramid.
9. In order for the heap to ripen faster, components containing a lot of nitrogen, such as straw, legumes or leguminous plants, are added to it.

WHAT CAN AND SHOULD NOT BE PUT IN COMPOST organic farming is constantly gaining momentum, while this method of working with the land implies the mandatory use of compost, which serves as a replacement for the entire set of purchased fertilizers. As I have already noted, it is far from immediately possible for many gardening neophytes to make a truly high-quality compost, but over the years, experience and practice do their job and most gardeners become true experts in composting. We can say that composting is 50% science and 50% art. We can say that the final nutritional value of this fertilizer is decisively influenced by its component composition, that is, those substances and materials that you add to it during the cooking process. All materials put into compost can be conditionally divided into nitrogen-containing and carbon-containing. The expediency of such a separation is due to the fact that composting is the best way when elements such as nitrogen and carbon are present in the compost heap in a certain proportion (their optimal ratio will be discussed in one of the following posts). So, from nitrogen-containing materials to compost will go: Green grass without roots, fresh green leaves, freshly weeds, green corn stalks and leaves, apple carrion (if it is not affected by rot), etc. Lake and river silt. Trimmings of fish, meat and medium-sized bones. Such additives are quite to the taste of soil microorganisms, but keep in mind that they also attract various pests, in particular rats and mice. Therefore, if you want to put them in compost, then they need to be sprinkled on top with a dense layer of earth. Dung slurry. Bird, horse, cow and other types of manure. The soil. Fermented grass without dilution, as well as the thick of the herbal infusion, left after feeding the plants. There are different opinions about whether to add human waste to the compost heap. Some avoid adding these things for fear of spreading worms, but many don't take this threat too seriously and consume vegetables grown in their own faeces for years. Although I believe that if a cow refuses to eat grass that grows on cow cakes, then we should not do this either. A list of carbon-containing materials that will work well in compost includes: Dry grass with roots, dry weeds, dried last year's leaves, dry corn stalks and leaves, branch clippings, etc. Straw, dry hay, peat. Wood sawdust. This component although it does not add nutritional value to the compost and decomposes poorly, it can still and should be put in the compost heap. The benefit of sawdust lies in the fact that they give the compost greater friability and absorb a large amount of moisture, contributing to its better preservation. Paper, cardboard, old plywood. These materials must be properly moistened with water before laying in the compost heap. Some food and household waste will be a great addition when preparing compost: egg shells, coffee grounds and tea leaves, fruit and vegetable waste, wilted flowers, spoiled animal feed, etc. However, I do not advise you to throw citrus peels into the compost, as it contains natural preservatives in the form essential oils, which will inhibit the maturation of this fertilizer. The nutritional composition of the compost will also improve significantly if you add some lime, ash and mineral fertilizers to it. There are, however, a number of substances that should not be added to compost production: Leftovers from cooked food Weeds with a strong root system (especially goutweed, couch grass). Sick plants. Horticultural chemicals. Remains of building materials. Plastic bags. Diseased leaves and stems of plants can be composted only if you are absolutely sure that the combustion process has been initiated in the compost heap, that is, the temperature inside it has risen to 60 degrees and above (otherwise it is better to burn the affected tops for ashes). However, there is an exception here: some pathogens are highly viable and able to survive even under heating conditions. In addition, the layers of the compost heap may not warm up evenly, and in some places the temperature will not be high enough to destroy all foci of infection. It is strongly not recommended to compost plants that are sick with clubroot, rotten root crops, celery and legumes, on the surface of which a white dense fungal coating or black balls are visible. Such tops are also burned, and the ash can then be used to make compost. Before laying in the compost, all its components (especially coarse elements) must be crushed, as this will greatly accelerate its maturation. At the same time, it should be borne in mind that large segments (for example, tree bark or branches) will contribute to better air circulation inside the compost heap, without continuous access to which full combustion cannot be initiated. In a word, it is important to observe the correct ratio of large and small components, which is determined rather empirically, and not on the basis of any strict recommendations. Material from the Internet.

Astrakhan tomatoes ripen remarkably lying on the ground, but you should not repeat this experience in the Moscow region. Our tomatoes need support, support, a garter. My neighbors use all sorts of pegs, garters, loops, ready-made plant supports, and mesh fences. Each method of plant fixation in vertical position has its merits and side effects". I'll tell you how I place tomato bushes on trellises, and what comes of it.

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Spicy pickled watermelon is a savory snack for fatty meat. Watermelons and watermelon rinds have been pickled since time immemorial, but the process is laborious and time consuming. According to my recipe, it’s easy to cook pickled watermelon in 10 minutes, and a spicy snack will be ready by the evening. The watermelon marinated with spices and chili is stored in the refrigerator for several days. Be sure to keep the jar in the refrigerator, not only for the sake of preservation - chilled, this snack is just licking your fingers!

Among the variety of species and hybrids of philodendrons, there are many plants, both gigantic and compact. But not a single species competes in unpretentiousness with the main modest - blushing philodendron. True, his modesty does not concern the appearance of the plant. Reddening stems and cuttings, huge leaves, long shoots, forming, although very large, but also strikingly elegant silhouette, look very elegant. Philodendron blushing requires only one thing - at least minimal care.

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Chile con carne translated from Spanish- chili with meat. This is a Texan and Mexican dish whose main ingredients are chili peppers and minced beef. In addition to the main products bow goes, carrots, tomatoes, beans. This red lentil chili recipe is delicious! The dish is fiery, burning, very satisfying and amazingly tasty! You can cook a large pot, arrange in containers and freeze - a whole week will be a delicious dinner.

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Laying compost in the fall is undoubtedly an important matter, since this is what organic fertilizer used throughout agriculture. How much will your future harvest. Remember a compost heap is not a trash can.

Here we will reveal reverse side bookmarks of organic fertilizer, namely what organic fertilizer cannot be made from:

• Damaged plants by any diseases or pests. All plant residues, of course, will rot over time, but many pathogens and pests will remain alive. As a result of using such a fertilizer, you yourself will bring the "infection" into the soil. Those plants on which damage is visible to the naked eye should be burned, and if possible not in their own area.

• It is impossible to add tops of tomatoes, potatoes and other crops that can suffer from late blight to the compost. Moreover, the compost from the tops is slippery with an unpleasant odor instead of a crumbly mixture.
• Dry stems of cereal crops in compost rot for quite a long time.
• Weed herbs. The seeds of many flowering weeds are not able to rot, so don't be surprised if ragweed, dandelion, or any other weed appears among peppers, tomatoes, or your favorite flowers.
• Do not throw nuts, grains of cereals and any seeds of fruit crops into the compost heap. All this will become an attractive beacon for rodents.
• Fresh roots of creepers are able to take root and grow. Such rhizomes can be used in compost only in dried form.
• It is impossible to put large fragments of branches and stems into the compost - they will not rot. Everything needs to be cut into small pieces.
• You can not put the components of the compost in one big pile. So the microorganisms will not receive enough oxygen, which will delay the decomposition process or the result will be incorrect. In the compost, there should be an alternation of juicy grass with dry grass.
• Do not add any leftover protein foods and dairy products (meat, bones, fish, cottage cheese), as this attracts flies and decomposes to a very unpleasant odor.
• Plants that emit toxic substances (broom, lily of the valley, belladonna, common buttercup, canadian, henbane).
• You can not throw hair, woolen and synthetic threads, plastics, ceramics, glass, wire and any other garbage into the compost heap.

There are different opinions about some of the items on this list, but everyone should know the basic rules. Next, we present another video about what you should not add to compost.

Recently, the popularity of organic farming is constantly gaining momentum, while this method of working with the land implies the mandatory use of compost, which serves as a replacement for the entire set of purchased fertilizers. As I have already noted, it is far from immediately possible for many gardening neophytes to make a truly high-quality compost, but over the years, experience and practice do their job and most gardeners become true experts in composting. We can say that it is 50% science and 50% art.

The final nutritional value of this fertilizer is decisively influenced by its component composition, that is, those substances and materials that you add to it during the preparation process.

All materials put into compost can be conditionally divided into nitrogen-containing and carbon-containing. The expediency of such a separation is due to the fact that composting is best when elements such as nitrogen and carbon are present in the compost heap in a certain proportion (their optimal ratio will be discussed in one of the following posts).

So, from nitrogen-containing materials to compost will go:

1. Rootless green grass, fresh green leaves, freshly weeds, green corn stalks and leaves, apple carrion (if not rotten), etc.
2. Lake and river silt.
3. Trimmings of fish, meat and medium-sized bones. Such additives are quite to the taste of soil microorganisms, but keep in mind that they also attract various pests, in particular rats and mice. Therefore, if you want to put them in compost, then they need to be sprinkled on top with a dense layer of earth.
4. Dung slurry.
5. Bird, horse, cow and other types of manure.
6. The soil.
7. Fermented grass without dilution, as well as the thick of the herbal infusion, left after feeding the plants.

There are different opinions about whether to add human waste to the compost heap. Some avoid adding these things for fear of spreading worms, but many don't take this threat too seriously and consume vegetables grown in their own faeces for years. Although I believe that if a cow refuses to eat grass that grows on cow cakes, then we should not do this either.

A list of carbonaceous materials that will work great in compost includes:

1. Dry grass with roots, dry weeds, dried last year's leaves, dry stalks and leaves of corn, cuttings of branches, etc.
2. Straw, dry hay, peat.
3. Wood sawdust. Although this component does not add nutritional value to the compost and decomposes poorly, it can still and should be put in the compost heap. The benefit of sawdust lies in the fact that they give the compost greater friability and absorb a large amount of moisture, contributing to its better preservation.
4. Paper, cardboard, old plywood. These materials must be properly moistened with water before laying in the compost heap.

Some food and household waste will be a great addition when preparing compost: egg shells, coffee grounds and tea leaves, fruit and vegetable waste, wilted flowers, spoiled animal feed, etc. However, I do not advise you to throw citrus peels into the compost, as it contains natural preservatives in the form of essential oils, which will inhibit the ripening of this fertilizer. The nutritional composition of the compost will also improve significantly if you add some lime, ash and mineral fertilizers to it.

There are, however, a number of substances that are not recommended to be added during the production of compost:

1. Leftover cooked food
2. Weeds with a strong root system (especially gout, couch grass).
3. Sick plants.
4. Horticultural chemicals.
5. Remains of building materials.
6. Plastic bags.

Diseased leaves and stems of plants can be composted only if you are absolutely sure that the combustion process has been initiated in the compost heap, that is, the temperature inside it has risen to 60 degrees and above (otherwise it is better to burn the affected tops for ashes). However, there is an exception here: some pathogens are highly viable and able to survive even under heating conditions. In addition, the layers of the compost heap may not warm up evenly, and in some places the temperature will not be high enough to destroy all foci of infection.

It is strongly not recommended to compost plants that are sick with clubroot, rotten root crops, celery and legumes, on the surface of which a white dense fungal coating or black balls are visible. Such tops are also burned, and the ash can then be used to make compost.

Before laying in the compost, all its components (especially coarse elements) must be crushed, as this will greatly accelerate its maturation. At the same time, it should be borne in mind that large segments (for example, tree bark or branches) will contribute to better air circulation inside the compost heap, without continuous access to which full combustion cannot be initiated. In a word, it is important to observe the correct ratio of large and small components, which is determined rather empirically, and not on the basis of any strict recommendations.

ogorodbezzabot.ru

Avoid Mistakes When Composting

Composting is an amazing process. It reduces waste in landfills and feeds our gardens for plants.

But not everything can and should end up in the compost heap. For example, some ideal, at first glance, biodegradable materials may contain many tiny particles of plastic or heavy metals, which do not belong in compost - because they do not decompose in the soil. Test Yourself: We'll take a look at 7 Ingredients You Should Never Compost and 7 good materials for composting.

Pet faeces

Use instead

But pet hair can be composted. The only condition: do not put combed wool into the compost if you have previously treated your pet with special flea or tick formulations.

Read also:

• Is it possible to use sawdust from a cat's tray in the country?
• Is it possible to pump out the contents of a country toilet into a compost heap?
• Can feces be used to fertilize a greenhouse?

Air cleaner filters

Why shouldn't it be used?

Filters applied in systems exhaust ventilation(for example, in the kitchen) usually accumulate tiny particles of synthetics (in particular, from the fibers of our clothes), which do not decompose in the soil. Add to this the fact that many popular anti-static agents, fabric softeners, detergents contain toxic chemical substances- phthalates used in the creation of synthetic fragrances. Then it will become clear to you why all this place is only in the trash can.

Use instead

What do you do with wilted houseplant leaves? Before they completely dry out, toss them in the compost - and get an extra portion of nitrogen. The shoots, leaves, and wilting flowers left after trimming houseplants are ideal for a compost heap.

Fatty, oily foods

Why shouldn't it be used?

By adding high-fat foods to your compost, you are literally inviting four-legged guests to visit your compost heap. Although these substances will not cause harm in trace amounts, it is worth considering that they decompose very slowly in the soil - and this is another reason why it is worth keeping them away from the compost.

Use instead

You should also refrain from using dairy and meat products in your compost, but eggshells and veggie scraps should definitely be composted. Just bury them so as not to attract animals to the location of the compost heap.

Read also:

• Can citrus peel be used as compost? If so, for which plants is the zest useful?
• Why can't you use citrus peels when making compost?
• Is it possible to leave spoiled ones for compost? winter storage vegetables, fruits, sour preservation?
• Why is it not recommended to use food waste for compost?

Contents of the dust boxes

Why shouldn't it be used?

Household dust may seem completely innocent. However, studies have shown that it contains harmful pesticides - pesticide particles, fire retardants and phthalates. Their sources are household appliances and furniture, air fresheners and other artificial flavors.

Use instead

If composting the contents of the dustbin after house cleaning is a bad idea, then composting garden waste is a good idea! All kinds of leaves enrich the compost. And to keep them from sticking together, making it difficult to decompose, grind them with a lawn mower before laying them in a pile.

Pieces of drywall

Why shouldn't it be used?

At first glance, drywall might seem like a suitable dry material to add to your compost heap. But it's not! This construction material it is literally saturated with toxins, since waste from coal-fired power plants is often used for its production. Those who need additional arguments may recall the recent Chinese drywall scandal.

Use instead

You can use sawdust in your compost, but only in moderation, as it decomposes slowly and locks in nitrogen. Never use sawdust from painted or otherwise treated wood.

Some types of weeds

Why shouldn't it be used?

Do not put in the compost weeds that have developed seeds, or those plants in which pieces of rhizomes or stems take root easily, such as field bindweed. Also avoid weeds that are extremely drought tolerant, as they often have enough moisture in their leaves to survive even after being pulled out of the ground and tossed onto a compost heap. Such plants are able to take root in the compost and spread with it.

Use instead

Most weeds can be composted before seeding. Drought-resistant plants should first be exposed to the sun for several days so that they finally fade and are unable to take root. Weeds that are propagated by fast growing rhizomes (such as horsetail) are best avoided in the compost at all. As a last resort, put them in trash bags, close them, and leave them out in the sun for a few days. When the roots finally die and begin to rot, they can be safely added to the compost heap.

Read also:

• How to make leaf compost in 7 days

Glossy paper

Why shouldn't it be used?

Paper, especially glossy paper with color pictures and text, may contain heavy metals. It's better to recycle paper than throw it in the compost.

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What is compost?

If you look in the encyclopedia, you can find an exact description of what compost is: compost is a type of organic fertilizer obtained as a result of the decomposition of organic residues under the influence of the activity of various microorganisms. Therefore, several components are necessary for its formation: directly organic matter, microorganisms and conditions for their vital activity. Based on this, let's look at how to make compost with your own hands.

What is a compost heap made of?

The first thing to understand when forming a compost heap is that not everything can be thrown into it.

Organics in compost. © yvw

What can be put in compost?

Can: any plant residues (cut grass, chopped tree branches, weeds, leaves, tops), organic waste with kitchen table(peeling vegetables, egg shells, tea leaves, coffee grounds), straw, hay, manure (preferably horse or cow), paper used for bedding for livestock.

What should not be composted?

It is forbidden: diseased plants, rhizomes of malicious weeds, fats, inorganic debris, synthetic fabrics. It is not recommended to get cabbage into the compost, as its decay causes an unpleasant odor, as well as meat waste, since in addition to the stench, they also attract rats.

But that's not all. When forming a compost heap, you need to remember two rules. First, the smaller the waste, the faster it rots. Secondly, the ratio of green (rich in nitrogen) and brown (poor fiber) masses should correspond to 1:5. This ratio will allow bacteria to fully develop and significantly speed up the process of compost maturation.

Since it is difficult to form a compost heap at a time and in most cases it fits gradually, it is quite difficult to understand the amount of green and brown components laid into it by eye. But there are principles that you can follow to understand what needs to be added: if the compost heap has an unpleasant odor, then it lacks a brown component, if it is cool and has no visible fumes, you need to add green mass. If the balance is maintained, the compost heap should smell like earth, give off warmth, be damp, and float a little.

composter structure. © University of Tennessee

Ideally, a compost heap is laid out in layers, alternating not only green and brown fillings, but also finer and coarser fractions of the components. After final formation it is covered with a layer of earth (5 cm), and then with old straw or a specially perforated (for ventilation) film.

Formation of a compost heap

Collecting organic remains in one place is far from everything. For convenience and a neat appearance, the place reserved for the formation of compost must be protected. However, it is better to do this not with slate or metal, but by forming a wooden frame. This is necessary so that the heap can “breathe”. The dimensions for the box should be approximately 1.5 x 1 m (the first indicator is the width, the second is the height), the length can be any.

The place chosen for the formation of the compost heap also matters. First, it must be protected from the winds and the scorching midday sun. Secondly, it is hidden from prying eyes. And if necessary, it is decorated with green plantings or climbing plants.

Composters. © Racquel

The best period for the formation of a conceived business is rich in remnants plant origin autumn as well as spring and summer. winter period not suitable for composting due to unfavorable temperature conditions.

Before you start laying organics, it is good to lay out a film or a layer of peat 10 cm thick on the bottom of the future heap deep into the ground (by 20 cm). This will save nutrients and moisture. AND!!! You should not resort to the method of collecting residues in a pit, as excess moisture often accumulates in compost pits, which worsens and lengthens the composting process.

Compost heap care

Now that we know the basic principles of the formation of a compost heap, it is necessary to recall the rules for caring for it, since it depends on their implementation whether the compost will have time to form in a year or not, whether it will be complete and of high quality. And the rules are pretty simple.

Composters. © ben

1. The compost heap needs to be turned once a month. In this case, it is good to achieve the most complete mixing of the residues. This will make the organic loose, enrich it with oxygen, allow it to burn out, and not rot. If shoveling a pile is difficult for you, at least pierce it from all sides with a pitchfork.
2. It is very important to monitor the moisture content of the compost heap. If it dries out, moisten it regularly. However, you can’t overdo it here, but remember that it’s wet, it doesn’t mean it’s wet! Excess moisture displaces air, which means it impairs the work of bacteria necessary for composting. Therefore, carefully water your pile with a watering can, and not with a hose, preferring not to top up than to overflow. During heavy rains and after watering - cover it with a film.
3. If you want to speed up the maturation process of the compost, make sure that enough nitrogen gets into the pile - it is found in the green parts of plants and slurry. How to determine their disadvantage, we said above.

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is a valuable organic fertilizer, which is obtained from weeds, plant residues, kitchen waste and manure, decomposing under the influence of microorganisms. In addition to the organic component, the presence of moisture, oxygen and bacteria is also important for proper composting.

Humidity mass should be the same as that of a wrung out sponge. In a compost heap, it is very important to maintain enough level humidity (within 45-70%) and temperature (28-35°C). Dry material will not decompose, waterlogged material will cake, and the components will not interact well with each other. in dry and hot weather the mixture must be watered, with excessive rainfall, the contents of the compost heap must be constantly shoveled. Excessive "warming up" of the compost heap should not be allowed - at temperatures above 60 ° C, all microorganisms die.

For organic matter to decompose, it must contain oxygen. To ensure air flow and regulate the uniformity of compost preparation, it is necessary to turn the contents of the heap at least once every 2 weeks, placing the upper layers and the mass from the edges down and in the center. The more often you turn the pile, the faster and better the decomposition process takes place.

bacteria, insects and earthworms - irreplaceable participants in the process of decomposition of the components of the compost heap. Due to their presence, heat is generated, and the materials actively decompose.

The material for compost must be crushed as much as possible. If this is not done and the waste is loaded in large pieces, then the rotting process will take longer.

Compost components can be conditionally divided into two groups:
green mass (nitrogen components). This group includes: manure, bird droppings, mowed grass, dense stems of horticultural and horticultural crops, green weeds, vegetable and fruit waste. All these substances contain a large amount of nitrogen and maintain the carbon-nitrogen balance optimal for compost maturation;
brown mass (carbonaceous components). It's straw, fallen leaves, wood chips, paper, cardboard, chopped wood, bark, branch trimmings - these components contain a lot of fiber. They serve as food for bacteria that decompose organic matter, loosen the compost and enrich it with macro- and microelements.

When laying a compost heap, it is important that green("nitrogenous, wet and soft") layers alternated with brown("carbonaceous, dry and hard"). This will provide oxygen and speed up the composting process, resulting in a good texture of the finished fertilizer.

Depending on the content of nitrogen or carbon, organic waste decomposes in different ways. Nitrogen compounds generate heat. The decomposition process is very fast, bacteria multiply and absorb a lot of oxygen. Carbonaceous materials are loose, contain a lot of oxygen, and consume nitrogen during decay. If you take both in equal quantities, you will be able to maintain the necessary balance.

Lay out the layers alternately or mix different materials in the composter so that they are in contact with each other, thus preventing the formation of large lumps. You can add some between layers. chicken manure, manure or fermentation stimulator.

Most optimal composition compost - these are materials taken in a 1: 1 ratio from the brown and green groups.

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Compost pit device

The construction of a compost pit largely depends on the purpose for which it is created. If the residents of the dacha simply have nowhere to throw organic garbage, and after three years there is a desire to get valuable fertilizer, then equip compost pit follows the most simplified scheme.

First you need to dig a ditch fifty to sixty centimeters wide and about half a meter deep. Line the bottom of the ditch with weeds, dry leaves, and other plant debris. Food waste can be dumped directly into the pit and immediately covered with pre-prepared dry foliage and weeds. In this case, the gardener does not risk breeding a cloud of flies and prevents the appearance of an unpleasant odor.

Of course, for equipping a compost pit of this type, one should choose a place on the site so that the pit is not conspicuous, located at some distance from the fences of neighboring sites.

compost pit closed type- this is a much more complex design. The dimensions of the pit must fully comply with the so-called "two-year cycle" rule. That is, the pit should be divided into two parts, one of which is intended for old compost, and the other for regular replenishment.

Closed-type pits are equipped with a lid, which is removed when it is necessary to collect humus.

For the preparation of high-quality compost, the use of weeds is undesirable: they can multiply and “stuff” the soil mass with harmful seeds. A closed pit should be easy to penetrate earthworms otherwise the compost will "ripen" much longer. You should also take care of the appearance of the structure, making it in such a way that it decorates the site, and does not disfigure it.

The main components of a closed compost pit are:

1. Pipes.
2. Plinth.
3. Columns.
4. Playground.
5. Roof with frame.
6. Removable cover or hinged "doors".

Before constructing a closed-type pit, specialists level the site, remove upper layer soil. Then they break through a ditch up to seventy centimeters deep, three meters long and two meters wide. You can not do without the construction of formwork, pouring walls with cement mortar or concrete about ten centimeters thick.

How to prepare concrete for closed pit equipment

It would seem that it is not difficult to make concrete correctly. However, in practice, many make mistakes, the correction of which takes a lot of time. A closed-type compost pit is a complex structure and its construction should be approached with all seriousness: it is necessary to strictly observe the proportions of the components necessary to prepare the solution.

So, for concrete you will need: river sand, gravel, cement, water. To determine the most appropriate proportions of all components, you need to pour gravel into a ten-liter bucket, shake well. Then slowly add water with a measuring container. If five liters of water fit in a bucket, this means that the voidness of the gravel is fifty percent and you need to adhere to the proportions of two to one, that is, add half a bucket of sand to a ten-liter bucket of gravel.

It is better to pour water into the solution as little as possible. When there is a lot of water, numerous small holes appear on the surface of the concrete when it dries.

Perhaps more important correct selection components - high-quality mixing. For these purposes, it is good to use a construction vibrator, but in the absence of this tool, the work can be done manually.

Instead of concrete, you can successfully use self-made wood concrete.

A compost pit is conveniently placed near the kitchen.

Do it yourself

Building a compost pit with your own hands is not as difficult as it seems. Moreover, all the work can be done in such a way that the design will in no way interfere with either the neighbors or the summer residents themselves.

Here great way construction of such a compost pit.

First of all, sections of pipes should be installed in the corners of the pit, while the racks should be made from ten by ten centimeters timber.

The lower part of the bar should be sharpened, fitting it to the diameter of the pipes. It will be useful to impregnate the bars and pipes with a special bioprotective component.

Drive the bars into the pipes. Now you should fill the upper parts with longitudinal and peppered boards, which will serve as the walls of the pit.

It is best to fix the boards with self-tapping screws and "corners" made of metal. After the boards are installed, the crate can be installed.

The resulting structure must be painted with acrylic paint.

The main thing to consider is that the diameter of the pipe must be larger than the cross section of the timber used for the racks. As a rule, a compost pit is made one meter high. Higher and more massive buildings make it difficult to dig up the compost and extract it.

Many make a removable cover in the form of the most ordinary plywood shield, hinged to the back wall of the building. To keep the lid open, you need to make special props, for example, pieces of a bar, metal rods or thick branches.

What can and cannot be thrown into the compost pit

It is necessary to immediately decide what can be thrown into the compost pit and what is not.

Can:

1. Raw fruits, vegetables, cereals, berries.
2. Straw, hay, grass.
3. Foliage.
4. Ash.
5. Bark, branches, roots of shrubs.
6. Needles.
7. Shredded paper.
8. Sawdust.
9. Manure from cows and horses (but not fresh, but at least second-year).

It is forbidden:

1. Bones.
2. Excrement of cats, dogs and other domestic animals.
3. Potato and tomato tops.
4. Leaves treated with herbicides.
5. Inorganic waste: plastic, rubber, iron, synthetics, etc.

For successful formation of compost, high looseness and moisture are necessary. To do this, you should regularly water the pit, or cover it with a film, creating a kind of greenhouse effect.

For greater looseness of the compost, from time to time you should turn the mass with a pitchfork.

There are those who do not want to spend time and effort on building a compost pit, but prefer to put organic remains in one place, gradually forming a heap. Of course, this method is not the most aesthetic, but in terms of functionality, it can be quite viable if you water the pile with special EO preparations and cover it with dark material to speed up the formation of compost.

plastic containers

This option is in a single bundle with a simple compost pit and is great for people who do not want to spend extra money. Plastic container minimizes the chance of compost getting into drinking water(for example, in a well). However, in this case, you will have to regularly water the compost with preparations that accelerate the process of decomposition of organic components, and in addition, constantly “settle” earthworms in a container.

Some summer residents equip compost heaps as follows: they simply put a large polyethylene film, and organic residues are dumped on it. They explain the use of the film by the fact that with it useful elements compost will not be washed out. In fact, these compost heaps are the worst. Compost isolated from the ground rots much more slowly, moisture from it evaporates too quickly.

Quick way to improve appearance at home - sheathe it with siding.

You can also think about finishing the plinth, as here.

In order not to be bothered by smells, think about a ventilation device - http://personalhouse.net/kommunikacii/ventilyaciya/sistema-ventilyacii-chastnogo-doma.

Whatever type of compost pit you decide to build, you can be sure that you are doing an exceptionally useful thing for your site. Plus, having equipped a compost pit, you can no longer worry about where to put food leftovers, which is especially convenient if you live in the country all the time.

personalhouse.net

Rules for good compost

As in every useful business, before laying a compost heap, you need to decide on the stages of its competent creation.

1. Determine a place where it will be located: preferably away from fruit trees. And the rest is a question rather of the aesthetic appearance of the site.
2. Select capacity for storage useful waste. Which one is better to use? The easiest way to make a compost pit is with the help of ready-made specialized plastic tanks. And you can make a container on your own, and even better and cheaper. For such a case, the following options are suitable:
   • deep wooden boxes;
   • an earthen pit dug about half a meter deep;
   • concreted or cemented pit with air holes.

Rules for obtaining good and healthy compost:

• If there are soil features: the content of a significant proportion of sand or clay, it is necessary to balance its properties by adding clay to the sand at the base of the pit and vice versa.
• To regulate the degree of moisture in the thickness of the pile, you need to place small tree branches in the pit as the first layer, which will make it possible for excess water to escape. In addition, pieces of bark, sawdust in compost are suitable. Then you can already put fresh ingredients: cabbage leaves (not affected by anything), nettles, tops in weed compost without flowers and roots. Avoid throwing tomato and potato tops into the compost heap.
• The compost mixture must be ventilated. Therefore, air access is required. To do this, holes are made in the cement frames, and a gap is left between the boards of wooden boxes. In addition, the compost heap must be periodically mixed and not compacted in order to save space in the container.
• It is not necessary to make the container completely closed, "processors" - earthworms - should get there naturally. This option does not work if they are used plastic tanks. In this case, the addition special formulations to help reduce processing time.
• You can start collecting waste in a compost pit regardless of the season. The only condition is the absence of frost.

Contents of the compost bin

Now about the most interesting. Many amateur gardeners ask questions about what can be put in a compost pit:

1. Can you throw any leftover food into the compost?
2. Should I put in a compost pit vegetable plants and what tops are suitable for this?
3. Is it possible to throw fallen apples with rot?
4. Is it worth throwing cucumber tops with signs of late blight?
5. What should never be composted?

However, there will always be people who, without taking an interest in the characteristics of waste decay, throw all organic waste in a row into the compost pit. But is it possible to throw everything in there indiscriminately?

You CAN compost the following ingredients

What NOT to put in compost

Now about what is harmful. Quite a large number household waste not suitable for composting. It's not a trash can. The content must properly rot and be recycled for good, not just for some reason. Therefore, the following items should be excluded:

Summing up, we can say that making compost is not difficult, but a serious approach is required both to the creation and to the bookmarking process. The main thing is that the processed mixture becomes useful for all plants in the garden and vegetable garden on the site.

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