How to make compost in an iron barrel. How to make compost in a barrel: installation methods, laying raw materials, ripening dates. Compost in a plastic barrel

Cultivated plants and trees require a regular supply of nutrients, and the soil is gradually depleted. Therefore, it is required to regularly apply top dressing to the soil - organic and mineral. Chemical preparations have not only a positive effect on green spaces, therefore, modern vegetable growers prefer not to use such products for fertilizing vegetables and fruits, but prefer dressings made from natural ingredients.

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

Pits are dug under the compost in the plots, where they put plant waste, from which in the future an excellent tool is obtained to improve soil fertility. But some gardeners do compost dressing 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, about the main advantages of natural fertilizer, as well as about the nuances of preparing organic matter in this way.

Top dressing, obtained by decomposition of organic elements, has a positive effect on the composition of the soil, increases fertility, and there are practically no costs for its preparation. As a basis for the compost, they dig a hole (or make a container in which organic garbage will overheat), and then put all the plant debris from the site there.

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

Advantages over a compost pit

Barrel advantages:

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

But there are benefits to composting in a pit too:

• no need to start large-scale construction, it is enough to dig a square recess 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 put into a pit and after filling it, if it is not possible to dig another one, then a compost heap will grow from above.

But such recesses without covers with clusters formed on top spoil the view of the site, spread an unpleasant smell around.

What to put in a barrel?

Making compost in the country with your own hands is easy. A barrel of any size is suitable for this, but a large one is better - more waste will fit in it. The only caveat is that in the container for the decomposition of organic residues there should not be metal parts in contact with decay products.

Put into the barrel:

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

You can not add weeds with seeds, diseased parts of plants, as well as animal manure to the compost: with it there is a risk of bringing pathogenic microflora into the preparing organic matter.

The order of laying raw materials

It is necessary to lay all plant and food residues in a container in crushed form so that they rot faster. Layers of organic matter are sprinkled with earth, peat or chicken manure.

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

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

• plant remains;
• bird droppings;
• wood ash;
• priming.

Compost maturation in a barrel

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

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

Signs of compost maturation

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 friable (no sieving is required before entering into the soil);
• you can calmly take it in your hands - 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 supplement in any container, the main thing is to put only plant residues and food into it, and also regularly add moisture for better decay.

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

This nutritional supplement is applied in large quantities when digging the garden and vegetable garden in the fall, when during the season the plants have taken a large amount of nutrients from the soil.

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

compost pit This is a place for the disposal of organic waste. As a result of the activity of microorganisms, garden debris decomposes in it, which becomes the basis for highly effective organic fertilizer. In the article, we will consider options for making a compost pit with our own hands.

In one form or another, compost pits, in the form of the simplest 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 in the country.

Compost pit principles

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

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

Make compost boxes from any available materials. These can be boards, slate trims, corrugated board, metal building mesh, and even car tires. More capital structures are built of brick or concrete. There are also lightweight, portable utilizers in metal or plastic barrels.

The main sanitary requirement for the construction of a compost pit is its distance of 20 meters from water bodies and sources of drinking water. Rain streams should not drain from the compost heap in the direction of wells, wells, pools.

Choosing a site for a compost pit

The location of the composter on the site should not become a source of groundwater contamination, a threat to human and animal health. Do not place a compost pit in wetlands or in places with stagnant water.

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

Making a compost pit with your own hands

In a garden or backyard, you can use the simplest tools to make a quality structure and turn a pile of garden debris and decomposable household waste into valuable fertilizer. There are a wide variety of types of compost heaps, from earthen ditches to real concrete structures.

Compost pit in the ground

To create a compost pit:

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

The first layer performs the function of drainage and promotes aeration of the pile and consists of cut branches.

They are laid in layers:

• cut grass;
• dry foliage;
• sawdust;
• household food waste;
• manure;
• weedy herbs.

Layers are sprinkled with peat or garden soil, spilled with water. To speed up the decomposition process, it is advisable to grind all the ingredients before laying, simply chopping 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 a covering material or a slate shield. In hot weather, a 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 easiest and most economical way to get compost.

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

Making a compost pit from boards

For ease of use and speed up the recycling process, the compost bin is made from boards. The optimal size of the compost box is 1x1.5 meters.

Instructions for making a pit from boards:

Lay garbage in such a container through the top according to the general principle, starting with the branches. And you can rake out the finished compost already from below.

Photo: drawing of a compost box, composter diagram

Variants of compost pits made from boards

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

Options for making a composter from slate:

1. Marking is done at the location of the compost heap and deepen cut-to-size sheets. They can be fixed with an external, wooden or iron crate.
2. In another embodiment, metal pipes are buried in the ground. A frame of bars is attached to them. Outside, it is sheathed with slate. The second design is more durable.

All wooden elements should be treated with an antiseptic to prevent 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 a film or garden covering material.

Compost pit from corrugated board

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

Work order:

1. At the chosen place, a base is constructed from a metal or wooden block.
2. The dimensions of the pit are chosen according to the length of the sheets, which allows you to make a compost bin with two or three compartments.
3. The base is made, as for a wooden structure.
4. Outside, the profile strips are fastened with self-tapping screws with gaps of 3-5 cm.
5. It should be borne in mind that the metal surface becomes very hot during hot summer periods.
6. From above they make a shelter for their plywood or boards. It is desirable to cover the frame with a protective compound.

Metal mesh compost bin

To make compost, you can make a cylindrical container from a 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 plastic 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. And also compost can be made in special bags that are sold at garden centers.

Concrete compost pit

A concrete compost pit creates many benefits:

• Thick walls maintain a positive temperature for a long time.
• Such a pit is durable and reliable, not affected by adverse environmental conditions.

It is desirable to make it large, into two or even three compartments. Compost of different seasons will ripen in the first and second blocks. The third store bags of finished compost.

How to make a concrete compost pit:

When operating a concrete pit, it must be taken into account that the composting process is slowed down. To speed up the process, you need to manually add earthworms or commercially available special products to it.

Other material options for the compost pit

Compost pit from car tires

Car tires are quite suitable for arranging a compost heap:

Compost in an iron barrel

Old iron barrels are great for composting:

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

To improve the design:

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

Compost in a plastic barrel

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

For this:

1. We fill the barrel with cut grass or weeds to half, and fill it with water to the top.
2. After about three days, the fermentation process will begin.
3. After using the solution, you can again add water to the barrel and let it brew for one week.
4. Having spent the liquid compost completely, the remaining grass is folded into a compost heap.

Brick compost pit

A brick compost pit is made in three walls. It can be done with or without cement mortar. On a cement mortar, a compost pit is made no more than 1 meter high. Between the bricks you need to leave gaps for ventilation.

A brick compost pit 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 so that it is convenient to take out the finished compost.

Compost pit made of concrete rings

Garden debris can be successfully stored in the inner cavity of the concrete ring and compost can be obtained as a result. For comfort the ring is partially buried in the ground, and after filling, cover with a lid or film material.

The disadvantages of the design include the absence of an underestimated front wall. To unload the finished compost, you need to climb inside. Otherwise, very durable compost chambers are obtained from such reinforced concrete products.

Compost pit according to Finnish technology

If there is no desire 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 is inserted. Due to the high concentration, the finished compost is mixed with earth or sand and fertilized with plants. The empty container is washed and returned to its place.

Do not confuse compost and cesspool. Organic matter from the garden plot is stored in containers for making compost. The remains of protein food should be disposed of in a cesspool.

What can and cannot be put in a compost pit?

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

In the compost pit, first of all, organic garden waste is laid, in the form of:

• branches;
• dry foliage;
• cut grass;
• weeds;
• straw.

Good ingredients for a compost heap are:

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

You can layer the compost with manure and chicken manure.

The prohibited ingredients of the compost heap are:

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

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

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

• thistle;
• wheatgrass;
• loach.

Drought-tolerant plants should be dried before being placed in the compost pile so that they lose their ability to root. Sawdust can be used in moderation as it slowly decomposes and takes up nitrogen. And also do not use feces of domestic animals and humans when composting.

Preparations for the compost pit

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

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

1. Compost preparation can be significantly accelerated by using Baikal EM. This preparation contains effective microorganisms (EM).
2. The drug "Doctor Robik" significantly increases the number of effective microorganisms (EM) in the compost. They are engaged in the processing of organic matter into humus, and also prevent the development of pathogenic microflora and destroy the larvae of harmful insects.
3. The bioactivator has similar properties. The Green-Master bioactivator package must be diluted in 20 liters of warm water, let it brew for 4 hours and water the compost heap. After 2 weeks, you need to turn a bunch of pitchforks. For the preparation of compost, one treatment with a bioactivator solution is sufficient.
4. Good results are obtained by the drug "Compost Boost" for composting.
5. Manufacturer Lucky summer resident produces "Biocompostin"- compost preparation. Saneks plus releases the EcoCompost product.
6. Manufacturer Dezon Bio K produces several types of drugs:"Green all-rounder", "Compost of one season", "Compost for the next agricultural season", "Bioactivator for compost".

By using preparations, microbiological processes can be significantly accelerated and compost can be obtained in 2-3 months.

Preparations-bioactivators for compost

Rules for the operation of a compost pit

After the construction of the compost box and its filling, it remains occasionally to look inside and, depending on the changes taking place, correct the decomposition process.

Tips for using the composter:

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

Summarizing

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

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

In order to make a compost barrel with your own hands, you needed:

two 200 l plastic drums, a metal pipe (of such a diameter that it does not bend under the weight of the drums), a PVC pipe, 4 door curtains, 2 latches, M12 bolts and nuts, wooden beams 6x6 cm, and rails 6x4 cm .

Installation of a "compost barrel"

In the barrel in the middle of the side with an electric jigsaw, I cut out a 36 × 28 cm window for loading raw materials. From the inside, I screwed a strip of metal to one of the long sides (photo 1) - this is a stopper so that the door does not fall into the container.

I fixed the cut-out piece on the curtains (opposite the metal strip), attached a handle to it (photo 2). I added two latches that hold the lid closed. Over the entire surface of the container with a drill, I drilled chains of holes d 12 mm at a distance of 10 cm from each other. In about half of the holes made, I inserted M 12 bolts 10 cm long (photo Z) (longer possible) and secured them with nuts so that the ends stick out into the container. In the same way prepared the second barrel.

A piece of PVC pipe should be put on the metal pipe so as not to damage the edges of the barrels during rotation.

At the ends of the containers, I drilled holes in the center and inserted a pipe, which I fixed horizontally on a wooden T-shaped base 110 cm high from beams and slats into pre-drilled holes of a suitable diameter.

Loading compost into a homemade barrel

For compost I use chicken manure, straw and some soil (you can use dry leaves, grass mowed in the area, chopped eggshells, food waste) - I load them into barrels and moisten them with water.

I rotate the drums every three days - the pins loosen remarkably and mix the biomass, which gradually decomposes under the influence of heat and moisture. With the usual method of composting in boxes knocked down from the boards, "ripening" takes from 6 to 9 months, and in my device it takes 1-1.5 months.

DIY compost bin - photo

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It takes about 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 party. The cover clings to the hinges and is fixed with two screws. From the sides - openings for air intake, blocked by fine-mesh nets. The barrel is placed on the frame. There are toothed rollers at the corners of the frame, they are connected to the toothed rim of the drum, and it can be turned by hand to mix the compost. The smaller container is structurally made somewhat differently and rotates on an axis passing 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 reinforcement is also suitable)

Bolts with washers and nuts

4 latches

Door hinges

1. We 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 the door in the barrel, fasten it to the hinges. We fasten the latches. An impromptu pen was made from a cord that fell under the arm.

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 shlilk, tightening it with bolts).

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

4. We launch the finished composter into work

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

Variations on a theme

Vertical arrangement of the barrel:

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

In suburban areas, a compost heap is an indispensable attribute. After all, compost is an organic fertilizer of exceptional quality, which 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 our summer cottage, and the area around it.

The compost heap or waste compost bins are usually placed in a place that is sufficiently secluded 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 "classic" implementation of composting, it is necessary to create three compost heaps (or three compost bins): in one bunker, the process of laying waste is underway, in the other, the compost is ripening, in the third, the finished fertilizer is waiting for export 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. It is these dimensions that are given in various reference books, and for many years they were considered the minimum necessary to provide a sufficiently high temperature and stable humidity for the normal flow of the composting process. According to the same classical technology, it was advised to annually shovel the contents of the heaps to aerate the ripening compost, that is, to speed up the process of waste decomposition. The task, frankly, is not an easy one.

However, the composting technology in the garden plot has been constantly improved (and is being improved), so that the composting process has been accelerated by 2 ... 3 times. So, in order to maintain moisture in the compost heap and to increase its temperature, the compost began to be covered with plastic wrap with holes to provide air access. To speed up composting, various accelerators of this process have been developed, for example, the drug "Tamir". Yes, and the composition of organic and other components of the compost heap being laid is easy to choose such that the composting process in it will significantly accelerate. In other words, today it is not at all necessary to follow the fairly strict recommendations developed back in the 20th century. So in our time, a compost heap can be made quite small or, for this purpose, waste can be stored in a compact container with a capacity of only 1 m 3, having built it, 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 bit. First, to ensure air access to the compostable mass in the lower part of the barrel along its perimeter, we will make a dozen two or three holes, which, for example, will be drilled with a drill with a diameter of 8 ... 10 mm or we will break through 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. No insulating gaskets between the barrel and the ground are provided for microbes and moisture must circulate freely in both directions. Secondly, we paint the outside of the barrel with dark paint, due to which, under the sun, the walls of the barrel will heat up more, providing an increased temperature inside the barrel, which, understandably, 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 the 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 a layer of manure (or substances rich in nitrogen). 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 the layers of components in the mentioned sequence - weeds, manure, ash and earth. We cover the filled barrel with a piece of polyethylene film with holes, which, so as not to be blown away by the wind, we fix on the barrel with a string. And so that the prepared compost does not dry out, it is poured with water. Usually this watering is combined with watering the beds. Moisturizing 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 the compost mass should not be heavily waterlogged. The mass corresponding to the squeezed sponge in terms of humidity is considered normal. If there are ants in the barrel, it means that it has dried up and the composting process has been interrupted.

To "automatically" maintain the specified humidity in the striker, plant zucchini, pumpkin, cucumber in the barrel. In this case, the plastic film is no longer needed. Watering the mentioned plants provides the necessary humidity of the composted mass. The only difficulty with this option is the need to immediately fill the barrel with layers of compost to the top.

Experience has shown that in such a construction of a compost bin - an old barrel, the composting process is accelerated, so there is no need to wait any 3 years, as in the classic version. It is not required, and shovel the compost. In one summer, you can get several hundred kg excellent fertilizer.

Rice. one. 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 instead of a compost heap. // Almanac "Do it yourself". - 2004, No. 3.