What you need for compost. Compost heap: how to make it yourself. Ingredients and methods of arrangement. What can and cannot be put in compost

Properly prepared compost, which is a type of organic fertilizer, is obtained through the process of rotting various wastes and residues - household, vegetable, kitchen with the addition of manure.

Provided that the necessary conditions for full ripening are created, gardeners receive a safe nutrient substrate that allows them to maintain constant soil fertility, ensuring a rich harvest.

How to make compost: basic preparation methods

For the purpose of composting, three methods are mainly practiced:

1. Compost pile. When placing various components in one pile in a designated area for fencing, it is recommended to install a wire mesh frame that does not interfere with good ventilation and moisture penetration. It is recommended to lay compostable materials no more than one meter wide. The average height of the pile is 90-120 centimeters.
2. Compost bin. You can make an easy-to-use closed container yourself or purchase it in a store. The ready-made version simplifies the process in that there is a rotating drum inside, which allows you to mix the stacked products. It comes with a hose that allows water to flow inside.
3. compost pit. The most suitable dimensions for a pit are considered to be 1.5 m wide and 2 m long. It is made no more than a meter deep. You can make the pit longer by dividing it in the center with a partition into two compartments. In one, the compost will mature, and in the other, ready-made humus will be transferred.

Selecting a location

It is advisable to set aside a place for the composter in the far corner of the site. Provide protection from direct sunlight by providing partial shade. But it is not recommended to arrange a container for future compost near trees, so that powerful roots do not take the necessary nutritional elements from it.

Components of compost

Since the nutritional value of compost is the most important criterion for evaluating this type of fertilizer, provision should be made for the laying of various materials for further reheating. They can be conditionally grouped into two predominant groups:

• Nitrogenous components or green matter. A distinctive characteristic is the presence of a high percentage of nitrogen in their composition. This group includes the remains of the above-ground parts of garden crops, manure, and weeds. This also includes grass clippings, fruit waste, bird droppings, non-woody stems and green plant foliage.
• Carbonaceous components or brown mass. The composition contains a lot of fiber. This group includes pieces of bark, straw, branches, crushed wood, and paper. The list of such materials includes fallen leaves, cardboard scraps, and wood shavings. After decomposition, these products make the compost loose and crumbly, and saturate it with elements important for plant development.

Setting up a compost heap at the dacha

Having marked the dimensions of the future compost heap on the soil surface, select a surface layer approximately the size of a shovel. The bottom layer will serve as drainage materials. Most often, currant and raspberry stems and tree branches of small diameter are laid.

The next step is to add a layer of last year’s compost, which will serve as a source of bacteria necessary for the ripening of fresh substrate. The existing waste and soil are then placed in layers. To intensify the process of warming and overheating, spill the layers with water.

It is recommended to alternate nitrogen and carbon components. This approach will provide the necessary looseness and oxygen flow. The rate of decay depends on the volumetric content of nitrogen-containing materials. They generate heat, which favors the growth of bacteria, which ensures rapid decomposition. An equal ratio of green and brown mass is considered optimal.

The final top layer will be soil. The finished pile is covered tightly with straw. Dark spunbond will do. Airtight film cannot be used for this purpose. The same sequence is used when laying a compost pit.

What should not be placed in the compost bin?

To ensure the production of high-quality humus, the following materials are not used for composting:

• Foliage, twigs, bark, stems of plants affected by infection. This raw material can later cause infection of plants after adding compost to the soil.
• Large waste wood, thick branches, coniferous spruce branches. Due to their long-term decay, it will not be possible to obtain organic fertilizer for several years.
• Fallen leaves of the current season. This material takes a long time to rot, so it is recommended to collect it in bags or separate piles for use next year.
• Rhizomes of perennial weeds, as well as seeded grass.
• Residues from plants treated with pesticides.
• Glossy coated paper, plastic, glass, synthetic objects, lard, large bones, scraps of fabric and other poorly rotting waste.
• Pet feces. They do not deposit human feces.
• Citrus peel. Such material is harmful because it has a detrimental effect on earthworms, takes a long time to rot, and negatively affects the life of beneficial microorganisms.

There are a number of plants that are prohibited from being added to compost heaps. These include broom, aconite, and foxglove. Do not use lily of the valley or castor beans. Do not lay potato tops. This is due to the presence of toxic substances that negatively affect microorganisms necessary for the decomposition of the components of the future fertilizer. Compost matures more slowly under such conditions.

Compost care

It is important to ensure optimal moisture content of the composted mass. The average is 45-70%. Warmth is required, since compost ripens at a temperature of at least 28 degrees.

Dry material practically does not decompose. If the humidity is excessive for a long time, the components become compacted, their interaction is disrupted, which also negatively affects the rate of their decomposition.

In dry weather, compost heaps are watered twice a week. During the rainy season, if there is excess moisture, it is recommended to shovel them regularly. This operation additionally ensures the supply of oxygen. Avoid excessive heating of the layers, since at 60 degrees the death of microorganisms begins.

Methods for accelerating compost maturation

In order to intensify the maturation of compost, various methods are practiced:

1. Use biodestructors in accordance with the instructions. Organic fertilizers such as Unikal-S, Baikal-Em, and Siyanie are popular.
2. An infusion is prepared from chicken manure, crushed green grass and water in a volume ratio of 2:5:20. Leave for 4-5 days and pour into the compost heap.
3. You can make a yeast catalyst. Pour 1 liter of warm water into a jar, in which 200 g of sugar are dissolved and stir dry yeast - 1 tbsp. spoon. After signs of fermentation appear, pour the solution into a hole made in the center of the compost heap.
4. Three matchboxes of urea and 2 tbsp are dissolved in a bucket of water. l. superphosphate. The solution is evenly poured over the material laid for composting, and the layers are carefully shoveled.

Well-rotted compost acquires a loose, uniform structure of a dark shade, indicating high fertility. Approximately 15 kg per square meter is applied both for autumn and spring digging. Also used as a mulching material.

Garden compost is a free and at the same time the most valuable fertilizer for a garden plot. A garden composter is a small structure that helps a summer resident prepare excellent organic fertilizer while simultaneously getting rid of organic garden waste. What is a composter, how does it work and how to properly prepare garden compost so that the grass does not rot in the rainy summer or dry out in the heat? We'll talk about all this in today's article.

What is compost

Compost is an organic fertilizer obtained as a result of the decomposition of various organic substances under the influence of microorganisms.

In addition to the fact that it is a universal fertilizer, compost is also supported by the fact that the fertilizer is natural and absolutely free.

Why do you need a garden composter at the dacha?

A properly installed garden composter produces compost and is a kind of mini-factory for processing garden and organic waste into fertilizers, and also allows you to get rid of unpleasant odors and flies that constantly hover over the compost pit.

Composter device

A garden composter is a spacious container with a volume of 200-1000 l, depending on the needs of the summer resident and the size of the plot. The optimal compost bin has a base area of ​​2-4 square meters and a height of about a meter. The right compost box can be made of any material, the main thing is that the walls retain heat and excess water can flow out from below. And of course, a garden composter should be easy to use.

Modern composters come in single-chamber, 2- and even 3-chamber types.

A homemade garden composter for a summer residence is usually made from boards. A frame assembled from timber of the required size is sheathed with wooden boards. In the simplest version, either the lid is not made at all, or the composter is covered with film.

When constructing a homemade composter, slate sheets are often used, which last much longer than wood, and a metal profile, from which it is much faster and easier to assemble the walls of a garden composter than from wooden boards.

On sale you can most often find garden composters of various designs made of plastic. You can purchase completely ready-made composters, or prefabricated options.

In any case, if you decide to set up a garden composter on your site, give up digging compost pits in favor of a homemade or purchased composter. Very common in compost pits water accumulates, difficult air access, and, as a result, the processes of decay are difficult. In addition, it is almost impossible to mix the compost in a compost pit and it is difficult to remove finished compost from the lower layers of the pit.

If you don’t have time to make a good garden composter, and you can’t buy a ready-made composter, make a better ordinary compost heap - three walls from any available material, up to one meter high.

It is best to make a slatted floor for the compost bin. In this case, air will be additionally sucked into the compost from below, and the composting process will proceed faster and with better quality.

It is important to install the garden composter in a dry place, on a surface that absorbs moisture well - sand, gravel or grass. The drainage holes should allow excess moisture to drain freely from the composter to the outside. In areas with heavy clay soil, add a layer of gravel or cut branches under the composter. If the floor under the garden composter is wooden or concrete, then lay straw or sawdust down in a layer at least 20-30 cm thick.

Oxygen is necessary for a better decay process. To do this, the compost can either be mixed or provided with air access to the center of the composter where the most active decomposition occurs. This can be done using a plastic or asbestos pipe with drilled holes installed vertically in the center of the composter.

To speed up the composting process, the walls of the composter must be insulated. This can be done by laying a 5-10 cm layer of polystyrene foam on the inner walls during construction. At the same time, on hot summer days it is necessary to ensure that the compost does not burn by regularly and thoroughly mixing its contents.

The minimum volume of a compost heap should be at least 1 m3, otherwise the organic matter will dry out quickly. For the same reason, it is best to place a garden composter in the shade.

If the compost heap is located in an open place, it must be covered from above. In winter and spring, the garden composter can be covered with film, in summer - with any opaque material. If the compost pile is not covered, the nutrients will be washed away by rain over the course of the season.

When installing a garden composter, pay attention to the fact that the access roads are convenient, and the front wall of the composter should be made removable, low, or completely dispensed with.

How to make compost

As surprising as it may sound, the compost prepares itself. The gardener’s task in this case is to create suitable conditions and deliver raw materials to the garden composter on time. The process of compost formation is the friendly work of soil-forming organisms - bacteria, fungi and worms. They must be provided with food, air, comfortable humidity and temperature. They will do the rest themselves.

What not to put in a garden composter

• protein food residues - meat, fish, lard, bones;
• milk waste;
• chemicals for washing dishes, bathrooms, etc.;
• synthetics, including plastics;

Dairy waste and protein residues in a garden composter are bad because they attract flies and rats, and also emit an unpleasant odor when decomposed. They can be put into the composter by burying them in a pile in small quantities. This way they rot faster and do not create additional problems.

What can you put in a garden composter?

“Green” (nitrogen-rich) components of compost:

• green leaves;
• mown grass;
• tops;
• kitchen waste;
• fruit and fruit juices and waste;
• manure;
• feces;
• bird droppings;
• legume hay.

Green components rot quickly and with heating, which is often accompanied by an unpleasant odor. This is the “oven” of the garden composter. And for the soil it is a source of nitrogen fertilizer.

“Brown” (poor in nitrogen, but rich in fiber) components of compost:

• dry leaves;
• straw;
• branches;
• seed husk;
• corn cobs;
• paper;
• sawdust;
• bark.

These components rot slowly, coolly, in the pile and in the soil mainly provide porosity, retaining moisture and air, sometimes depleting the compost of nitrogen. These are the “rippers” of the garden composter.

Leaven:

• Earth;
• mature humus.

Using starter in a garden composter is optional. It only helps speed up the decay process.

Green materials form the base of the compost, while brown materials simply layer them in between.

If you compost only “brown” components, for example, dry leaves in the fall, the compost heap must be moistened with a solution of urea (urea) at the rate of 1.5-2 kg per cubic meter of material. Then your compost will not be depleted of nitrogen.

It is best to use straw manure for the composter. The highest quality is horse. It is not recommended to use pig manure - it is acidic and liquid. Any manure must be layered with “brown” components.

It is also not advisable to add bird droppings to your garden composter.

Kitchen and fruit waste must be placed thinly and must be layered with “brown” materials.

Hay is an excellent material for garden compost. It must be laid in layers, alternating with ready-made humus or watered with an infusion of straw or grass for faster rotting. If the hay is dry, it must be moistened with water.

Grass, leaves and other green matter necessarily require drying, otherwise they become compacted in the composter, remain without air and begin not to rot, but to sour, turning into poisonous “silage”. If you put fresh grass into the garden composter, it must be layered, like manure, with dry leaves or sawdust.

It is advisable to put weeds in the composter that are not seeded, so that later you do not have to weed the beds again.

The use of tops of diseased plants (tomatoes burnt by late blight, or cucumbers damaged by fungus) in a garden composter is strictly prohibited.

The quality of the finished compost can be improved by egg shells. Just do not use raw egg shells as an ingredient for the compost heap; salmonella pathogens can get into the compost with them.

It is also not advisable to throw leftover citrus fruits into the garden composter. They strongly oxidize humus, and worms, one of the main producers of compost, may not like this.

In ordinary compost heaps, it is advisable to sprinkle layers of organic waste with mineral fertilizers. In full-fledged garden composters it is quite possible to do without this.

How does a composter work?

After organic matter is loaded into the composter, decomposition processes begin inside it. The temperature inside the heap rises, which promotes the decomposition process.

In summer, on particularly hot days, it is necessary to ensure that the compost does not “burn”, because temperatures can rise to very high values. To do this, you need to periodically turn the compost at least to the middle of the garden composter.

As the decomposition process begins, compost worms appear in the compost. They help process organic matter in the composter, thereby significantly accelerating the decomposition process.

Composter care

The gardener's only concern when caring for a garden composter is periodic mixing of the compost components. The compost mass is heterogeneous; the lower layers of compost are always more mature, since the composting process began there earlier. To provide the best nutrient medium for microorganisms, stirring should be carried out once every 2-3 weeks. In this case, there is no need to mix the lowest ripened layer.

Before using the garden composter for the first time, it is recommended to cover the bottom with a thin layer of chopped branches (except willow, oak, and aspen) or straw. This is done so that the ventilation and drainage holes do not subsequently become clogged with compost mass from the inside.

If you are using a composter with a locking lid, it should not be left open for long periods of time. The microenvironment for compost ripening is created largely by isolating the contents of the composter from the outside world. The temperature and humidity inside the composter are usually always higher than outside.

In half a year you will receive fertilizer completely ready for planting new beds, and next year you can mulch the soil with mature compost.

How to speed up the decay process

If you want to get ready-made compost as soon as possible, the rotting process can be accelerated using special starter cultures. Please read the instructions on the label carefully. The process of rotting in a composter when starters are used is very rapid, the temperature inside the compost heap rises significantly, and if additional holes for ventilation are not made inside the composter, the organic matter can literally char in the middle of the heap.

How to tell if compost is ripe

First of all, by color, smell and structure. Ready compost never smells of rot, but rather of mushrooms or forest. It should be brown in color. If the compost is green, partial silage has occurred; if it is black, it has burnt due to cooking too quickly. If there are a lot of earthworms in the compost, thank them and bring them to the garden bed. There will be vermicompost, and, therefore, fertile soil.

How to use compost

Vegetable and berry beds can be built directly on compost. Without digging up the soil, the compost is poured onto a raised bed on which the seedlings are planted. Compost, made mainly from green grass, is acidic. It is advisable to add wood ash or dolomite flour to it before use.

When planting apple trees and other large plants, it is very useful to add compost to a pre-prepared planting hole. In spring, compost is spread under mature shrubs and trees.

Before seeding your lawn, it is also helpful to add a thin layer of compost to heavy clay soil.

Information from the Sadoholik website:

What can be put in compost: any organic residues can be used: weeds (preferably directly with soil on the roots, without shaking them off), carrot and beet tops, cabbage stalks, apple cores and potato peelings, paper napkins and toilet paper, fish peels and heads from herring, coffee grounds and drunken tea, waste from a juicer, water in which the meat was washed, and so on. We also add cut grass from a lawn mower, any organic matter, including feces and the contents of chamber pots. There is no need to be afraid of anything - during the composting process at elevated temperatures, everything is sterilized and breaks down into simple organic compounds. All this is laid in layers and sprinkled with earth (or even clay) or peat, sometimes sawdust is added, but in moderation. It is very good if you are not lazy and mow young nettles (before the seeds ripen). It’s even better to add comfrey, any legumes, yarrow, and dandelions. This speeds up the composting process and makes our substrate healthier.

For people who doubt the success of the event called “make your own compost” and that the compost components decompose into simple organic compounds, we can advise you to form two heaps in parallel. One pile contains feces, and the other does not. Gardeners with an inquisitive mind and a penchant for experimentation will have the opportunity to see which one will be “ready” first. And the resulting substrate can be used differentially. The one “without” is for garden crops, and the second is for ornamental trees, shrubs and flowers.

What not to put in compost: cucumber and squash tops, nightshade stems (tomatoes and potatoes), cut peonies, irises and phlox, leaves of apple trees and other fruit trees and bushes, clematis pruned in autumn, shoots and leaves of roses. It is better to burn all of these leftovers, since by the end of the season, as a rule, many pathogens of various diseases accumulate on them!

You should not put weeds in the compost that have already produced panicles with seeds. The fact is that the seeds can remain viable for several years, so there remains a threat of spreading them throughout the compost area, which is extremely undesirable. The same applies to dandelions. Important! They can only be composted until they have released their “parachutes” of seeds. There is no need to lay down branches and straw - they rot slowly, and then it won’t be a hassle to pick them out from the ready-made compost. It is not advisable to put the roots of wheatgrass and horsetail in the compost - there, in the dark, they feel at home, on the abundant nitrogenous substrate they grow fat and do not disappear anywhere, they only multiply. Therefore, the roots of these truly malicious rhizomatous weeds must be carefully selected and burned or fermented in a bucket until bubbles appear. And only then send it to the open-hearth compost heap.

A compost heap should not be confused with a garbage dump. No solid household waste should end up in the compost bin! Don't even think about putting vacuum cleaner bags in your compost heap! It is not recommended to put nut shells, tea bags and cigarette butts (nothing will take them!), or coal ash, in particular from a grill (wood ash is fine!). I would like to draw special attention to the fact that water after washing should never be poured onto the compost heap!

Is it possible to empty the contents of a dry closet? You shouldn't do this for two reasons. Firstly, the active substance that decomposes feces is the most chemistry there is. Its presence will disrupt the environmental friendliness of the compost, the consequences of which will be unpredictable. And, secondly, in this case, an excessive amount of moisture will enter the compost, it will “float” and sour.

Is it possible to put ash in compost? Ash, only wood ash, will not hurt, as will lime. Not only is ash a natural deoxidizer, it gently alkalizes the soil, it contains almost all the mineral substances necessary for plants.

Technologies, methods and methods for composting organic and plant waste, sawdust

What composting technologies exist and is it necessary to compact the contents of the compost bin? Remember that we are making aerobic compost, that is, oxygen plays an active role in its preparation. By compacting the contents of the box, we prevent the access of oxygen and slow down the composting process. As the compost matures, the pile itself will settle and decrease in size.

What to do and what methods of waste composting to use if an unpleasant odor appears? With a properly organized composting process, problems usually do not arise. In a compost heap, in a completely incomprehensible way, some cunning biochemical processes occur that transform all kinds of waste into a homogeneous, well-structured fertile substrate that has a faint smell of mushrooms and rotted leaves. This is what the autumn forest smells like.

If the composting methods were chosen correctly, but an unpleasant odor still appears, it means that something was done wrong. But everything is easy to fix - just add peat or any soil, and no odors will bother you.

How often should I turn the contents of my compost bin?

During the composting process, which lasts throughout the summer season, the compost heap should not be stirred. Mysterious organic metamorphoses are already taking place there; a certain temperature regime has developed, which does not need to be disturbed by additional aeration. But in the spring, when the compost heap thaws, you will remove the top from the undecomposed remains, throw them into the empty adjacent compartment at the bottom, there they will become the basis for the compost, which you will form in the new season, and by the fall they will certainly reach “the condition” " Composting plant waste greatly speeds up the cooking process. If you don’t have the strength to wait until spring or autumn planting is underway and you really need compost, you can do this operation with transfer in the fall, and distribute the finished compost (there will definitely be less of it than in spring) around the site, protecting the plants from the winter cold. These can be strawberries, phlox and heuchera, clematis, roses and any other sissy plants.

Do I need to cover my compost heap? In the summer it stands open, rainfall easily enters here, and the compost “breathes.” But if you still have ready-made compost from last year and did not have time to distribute it around the site or put it in bags, be sure to cover it with thick black non-woven material. This is done so that it does not become clogged with dandelions and seeds of other weeds. For the winter, according to the rules, the compost is covered with some dense but breathable material. For this, a piece of old carpet that does not rot and allows air to pass through is best suited. This is done to maintain a certain temperature in the compost heap so that it does not freeze longer, and there, with the participation of oxygen, the processes of organic transformations continue. It is advisable that this “hearth” work longer.

What is the procedure for composting organic waste: from the beginning of the season, you begin to fill one of the empty compartments, layering weeds, kitchen waste, lawn grass after mowing, etc., and sprinkle each layer with soil or peat. Then composting of sawdust is gradually added, giving the mass a light structure enriched with minerals.

Can sawdust be used? Only from deciduous trees. Coniferous sawdust is impregnated with resin and does not decompose easily.

Do I need to grind the components of future compost when laying it? This way the process will go faster. Be sure to chop the watermelon rinds into small pieces and chop the rotten apples. Otherwise, the apples will not rot and will remain untouched until spring!

Do I need to water my compost pile? It should be moderately moist. Usually 1-2 buckets of kitchen slop per day is enough.

If the weather is hot and you see that the pile has dried out, you need to shed it a little, preferably with EM preparations.

How can you tell when the compost is ready? When nothing remains of the compost components except a homogeneous, crumbly dark-colored substrate with the smell of rotten leaves, consider it done.

How to speed up compost maturation? Two or three times a season you need to water this pile with a solution of some special composter solution, which is now available for sale in an assortment. From my own experience, I know that for the natural process of composting, when organic residues turn into a homogeneous, well-rotted earthen mass, it was necessary to wait two years. But when using microbiological preparations, this process is reduced to one season! By spilling EM preparations, you “launch” beneficial microorganisms there and speed up the process of compost maturation.

Is it necessary to sift finished compost? With properly made compost there is no such need. When loading a wheelbarrow with finished products, just make sure that there are no large insect larvae that like to settle in a fertile, warm environment.

Cooking leaf soil: how to make and cook

How to prepare leaf soil, which is necessary for growing seedlings and some plants? It is naturally better to burn diseased leaves of fruit trees. If you have a forest area, then it is better to fold birch, maple or oak leaves separately. In a general compost heap, they will slow down the composting process, as they will take longer to rot. Before making leaf soil for it, you can specially make a box covered on all sides with mesh for better aeration. The front wall must be made on hinges, in the form of a door.

Leaf soil fertilizer is available to everyone: if you cannot afford to allocate a special place for obtaining leaf humus, collect the leaves in bags, preferably mesh bags, in which potatoes are sold. If there are no such ones, use ordinary plastic ones, but in this case they must be perforated for air access or left open. Then put them somewhere in a secluded place and “forget” for two or three years.

Leaves are collected either manually, with a fan rake, or using special vacuum cleaners. An excellent tool for collecting leaves on the lawn is a regular lawn mower with a hopper. By collecting leaves in this way, you seriously save your time and effort. But remember that when working with a lawn mower, the leaves must be dry!

On the other hand, it’s not so bad if the leaves are wet from the autumn rains. The preparation of leaf soil is accelerated because the moist environment promotes their rapid decomposition. But in this case they must be raked only by hand. We usually remove leaves from our garden in the spring; they have already become compacted over the winter, are quite moist and will rot well.

Layers of leaves are interspersed with layers of earth, even the most barren (not sand!). And one more condition - you don’t need to add any other organic matter to the leaf humus, unless the addition of mowed grass doesn’t hurt. This whole “layer cake” must be washed with a solution of EM preparations from time to time (2-3 times per season).

In 2-3 years you will find yourself the owner of beautiful fertile leafy soil, airy and well structured. It can be used for sowing seeds and growing seedlings, mulching in the garden, adding to holes when planting flowers, and when planting flowers in garden containers.

Obtaining soil and organic fertilizer vermicompost

What is vermicompost? The red Californian worm, a relative of the simple earthworm, “tamed” by man, passing organic residues through itself, produces “on the mountain” the most valuable organic fertilizer vermicompost, which is used for feeding seedlings and indoor flowers, germinating seeds, when planting seedlings in beds in the garden, when planting potatoes, when they are added to each hole. Vermicompost soil helps accelerate the growth and development of plants. It is also useful when sowing a lawn. In this case, 1 kg of seeds are mixed with 3 kg of vermicompost, then they are scattered evenly and lightly embedded in the ground with a rake. Californian worms are also indispensable for maintaining country toilets. They literally feed on the contents of the cesspool, and the unpleasant odors that usually accompany these establishments disappear. Now there are nurseries of these useful creatures and entire farms where vermicompost is produced.

If you wish, you can organize the production of vermicompost and breed them at home; for this purpose, special technologies for breeding worms have been developed. The essence of these technologies is that two boxes with a coarse mesh bottom are placed on top of each other in a sort of stack.

Food for worms - finely ground plant and other organic residues along with worms are poured onto the lower level. As they eat the contents of the box, vermicompost is formed there. Then (or immediately, it doesn’t matter) the box located above is filled with organic residues, the worms crawl there and begin to colonize the new space. And the bottom drawer with ready-made vermicompost can be put into use. Having freed it from its contents, it is put back in place with the upper tier, and the process continues further. The difficulty is that this living “factory” for the production of vermicompost cannot be left unattended for more than two weeks, since without food the worms will simply die.

Preparing compost at the dacha: rules and technology for making organic fertilizer

Many summer residents understand that if they annually exploit the plot for growing vegetable and fruit crops and do not apply organic fertilizers, then very soon the soil fertility will dry up.

This article will discuss how to make compost with your own hands and fertilize all cultivated plants in your dacha with it.

What is compost and its benefits for plants

First, it is important to understand what compost is and how to make it to make a good fertilizer. Compost is one of the types of organic fertilizers that is obtained as a result of the decomposition of weeds, plant residues, fallen leaves, kitchen waste and manure under aerobic conditions (using oxygen). The decomposition of organic matter occurs as a result of the activity of bacteria and for this it is necessary that this biomass have a humidity level of 45-70%, and the environmental temperature varies within the range of 28-35°C. Along with bacteria, various insects and worms take part in the decomposition process. As a result of their vital activity, additional energy is generated, which contributes to better decomposition of biomass.

The materials used to make compost require grinding. Larger fragments take longer to decompose. In terms of their value, rotted plant residues are in no way inferior to humus and have the following advantages and disadvantages:

• compost contains macro- and microelements for plant nutrition in the required proportions;
• As soon as it gets into the soil, it takes part in metabolic processes, replenishing the lack of nutrients;
• it connects with the soil and becomes its integral part;
• after watering and as a result of rainfall, nutrients do not pass into the deep layers of the soil, as with mineral fertilizers, but remain in the soil horizon;
• it easily allows water and air to pass through, which is very important for the normal growth of plants;
• This organic fertilizer contains humus in large quantities, which increases soil fertility;
• overdosing plants with this fertilizer is impossible, since all components are of natural origin;
• when decomposing naturally, compost does not pollute the soil with toxins;
• Of the entire list of organic fertilizers, it is the most accessible and cheapest.

No noticeable disadvantages have been identified in compost, with the exception of the unpleasant odor that may accompany the process of decomposition of plant residues. In addition, flies, ants and other insects will always indicate their presence around the compost heap. But this problem can be solved by installing a door on the box and placing it in the most remote place on the site.

Factors influencing the decomposition of organic matter

The process of creating organic fertilizer from food waste and grass clippings is divided into 3 stages: Decomposition. The components of the mixture heat up inside the heap, changing their structure. The resulting product contains beneficial microorganisms, including fungi, as well as earthworms, which contribute to accelerating the processing of organic matter into fertilizer. Humus formation. At this stage, it is important to supply the pile with oxygen, without which microorganisms cannot breathe. Therefore, the pile should be shoveled several times, moving its outer layers inward and vice versa. Mineralization. Nitrogen compounds decompose into bacterial protoplasm and nitrogen, and humus passes into mineral form. After this stage, it can be used for its intended purpose. It will take approximately 10-12 months to complete all stages in favorable conditions.

Choosing a location for the composter

It is better to place a compost heap, hole or box in the far corner of the garden so that the sun's rays do not fall on them. If the composition for future fertilizer is intensively illuminated by the sun, the process of its preparation will be greatly delayed. Do not set up a composter near apple trees or other trees - their roots will grow into the pile and pump out all the nutrients from the pile.

Composter device

If you are thinking about how to prepare compost at your dacha, then you should familiarize yourself with the structure of the composter. Proper organization of the decomposition process is the key to quickly obtaining high-quality organic matter. It’s not difficult to do if you follow the recommendations. Composting can be done in a compost heap or in a bin. The first method is called classic. The outer frame of the compost heap is made of mesh, which allows air and moisture to pass through. If special additives are added to it, it ripens in 9 months. The material for making the box can be anything:

• net;
• wooden pallets;
• slate;
• boards.

You can buy ready-to-use plastic containers on the market. The container volume is selected from 1 m³. If the capacity is smaller, the process of decomposition of organic matter will noticeably slow down.

Rules for laying layers

The materials must be laid in such a way that soft and wet layers are interspersed with hard and dry layers. This provides an influx of oxygen, which will speed up the decomposition process. Nitrogen and carbon components rot differently. Nitrogenous compounds decompose quickly, absorbing a lot of oxygen and releasing heat. And carbonaceous substances have a loose composition, are rich in oxygen and, when decomposed, consume nitrogen. If you put equal amounts of these ingredients into the composter, you can achieve the perfect balance. Layers 15-20 cm thick should be laid alternately and mixed well, ensuring their contact with each other. Chicken droppings, fresh manure or a special stimulant can be evenly spread into the pile to speed up the maturation of the compost.

Good organic fertilizer is obtained when the initial nitrogen and carbon components are taken in equal quantities. It is advisable to sprinkle the first layer of ingredients with a layer of earth mixed with lime.

What you can and cannot compost

Those people who believe that compost is just a pile of rotting plant debris in a distant part of the garden where you can throw everything are wrong. This is not true; in order to get the right fertilizer, you need to prepare it according to certain rules. The following components are added to the composition:

• green grass, hay and straw;
• green parts of plants and individual weeds;
• small branches, pieces of wood and sawdust;
• food plant residues;
• cattle, sheep, goat and poultry manure;
• chalk, ash, egg shells;
• special composting accelerators.

There are a number of ingredients that should not be placed in a compost bin:

• food residues of animal origin, as they stimulate the process of decay and release an unpleasant odor;
• feces of carnivores and humans, which may contain worm eggs;
• pieces of fabric, coated glossy paper, scraps of rubber, stones;
• any chemicals;
• weeds that produce seeds that remain viable for a long time, as well as underground parts of rhizomatous and root-sprouting plants that remain viable;
• plant remains inhabited by pests and affected by fungal diseases.

Methods to accelerate ripening and hot cooking method

The composting process can take from 4 months to 2.5 years; the time required for maturation depends on the size of the components and the conditions created.

Important! The temperature inside the pyramid must be raised to 60 degrees or more. High temperature accelerates the decomposition of organic matter and destroys weed seeds and larvae of harmful insects.

To quickly prepare a nutritional composition, it is better to use the following steps:

• provide the pile (pit) with moisture and air;
• add a special accelerator (“Baikal-Em”, “Unikal-S”) or fresh manure to the irrigation water;
• shoveling layers to improve the supply of oxygen to the heap;
• insulating the heap in winter to extend the period of active fermentation;
• watering with herbal infusion consisting of 5 parts of chopped grass, 2 parts of chicken droppings and 20 parts of water;
• watering the pile with yeast infusion;
• planting on a pile of zucchini and pumpkins, the root secretions of which contribute to the rapid decomposition of organic residues;
• the use of Californian worms in the processing of organic residues, which pass organic matter through their digestive tract and ultimately produce vermicompost.

There is another preparation method - hot composting, thanks to which the fermentation process takes place in a short time. This method has other advantages:

• weed seeds lose their viability;
• pathogenic microorganisms die;
• the substance has a fine fraction.

A variation of hot composting is the Berkeley method, thanks to which the time for processing organic matter is reduced to 18 days. When using this method, the following requirements must be met:

• the temperature in the center of the pile should be 55-65 degrees;
• the ratio of carbon to nitrogen in the substrate components should be 30:1;
• the height of the heap is increased to one and a half meters;
• all components must be crushed;
• The layers are shoveled 7 times and mixed well.

The algorithm of actions for the 18-day Berkeley method is very simple:

• form a compost heap;
• Do not touch it for 4 days;
• then turn it over every other day for 2 weeks.

The compost is of high quality, dark brown in color, with a good smell.

Important! If you notice earthworms crawling into the prepared compost, this means that it is finally ripe and contains a lot of nutrients.

Types and technology of manufacturing on site

Compost is ready for use when it is completely ripe. Well-ripened material does not require additional mineral or other fertilizers and is capable of providing a decent and environmentally friendly harvest. To effectively use organic fertilizer from plant residues, you need to know how to determine its ripeness. Below are the main signs indicating that the composition has matured and is ready for use:

• the material has a homogeneous structure and it is impossible to discern individual components;
• after overheating, the compost has a loose and loose consistency;
• the compost has acquired a dark brown color;
• the finished product smells like wet soil.

Ripened compost is similar to chernozem soil with a loose and porous composition.

There are many recipes for preparing this organic fertilizer. Some of them involve the use of only natural ingredients; in other options, mineral fertilizers are added to organic matter - after all, plant components contain enough nitrogen, and phosphorus and potassium are present in small quantities. To make proper compost, you need to achieve the right balance of these nutrients. Depending on the starting materials used, the list and quantity of additives can vary greatly. Below are the most common and effective technologies for making compost.

Classic based on herbs and food waste

This type is easy to manufacture, yet it is effective in use. Classic compost is prepared from simple and accessible components, among which it should be noted:

• green mass consisting of tops, branches and algae - it makes up the first layer (20 cm);
• cattle manure - second layer (10 cm);
• dolomite flour or crushed limestone - third layer (0.5 cm).

Layers should be alternated until the height of the pile reaches 1.5 meters in height. This is how you need to make this type of compost, the only drawback of which is the one-year or even two-year ripening period. The finished product can be used on site.

With manure and superphosphate

This composition, as its name implies, is prepared using superphosphate, which enriches the substrate with phosphorus. Phosphorus promotes nitrogen conservation by binding ammonia in manure. Making such compost at the dacha is not difficult. This type of compost consists of the following components:

• soil from the garden (10 cm);
• manure mixed with superphosphate in a ratio of 50:1 (10 cm).

This method is relatively fast and matures in 3 months. If the ingredients are added in the spring, then at the beginning of July the potatoes are fed with ready-made humus and the raspberries are mulched.

With added bird droppings

Chicken manure is a very valuable fertilizer, but in its pure form it is not suitable for use, as it can burn the plant. The best way to use it is to add it to compost. To obtain it, mix the following ingredients:

• a layer of bird droppings 20-25 cm thick;
• straw layer - 5-10 cm;
• layer of sawdust - 5-10 cm;
• the top layer should consist of a layer of peat - 10-20 cm.

If you cover the compost pit with film, then there will be no unpleasant odor and the product will ripen in 2 months.

In addition to the above components, compost can be enriched with the following ingredients:

• superphosphate;
• wood ash;
• potassium salt;
• ammonium nitrate.

Before laying the compost with your own hands, straw and branches are placed at the bottom of the hole as drainage. Two weeks after laying the top layer, the substrate is shoveled. Thanks to this procedure, all layers mature simultaneously. To use, you can dilute the finished compost in water or apply it dry.

Peat based

With this method, you need to saturate the peat with mineral fertilizers, mixing everything well. The ingredients of such compost should be the following substances:

• weeds free from seeds - 100 kg;
• dry peat - 200 kg;
• ammonium sulfate - 350 g;
• sodium nitrate - 50-70 g;
• potassium salt - 50 g.

Compost is prepared as follows:

• a small layer of garden soil is poured on a flat area;
• the second layer is peat (40 cm);
• A layer of chopped branches, tops and grass is placed on the peat.

All layers need to be compacted a little, then ripening will happen faster. Thus, you can make humus from grass, peat and mineral fertilizers.

For champignons

When preparing compost for growing champignons, you need to take the following components in specified quantities:

• dry straw - 100 kg;
• liquid chicken manure - 100 kg;
• mullein, in the amount of 50 kg;
• gypsum - 5 kg;
• chalk - 3 kg;
• water to give proper moisture to the substrate.

This compost is not used for fertilizing; it is used as soil for cultivating mushrooms. The ingredients are placed in layers, pouring with water. The ripening period can be several months. During this time, the filled pile must be interrupted 4-5 times. A sign of the ripeness of compost humus is the state of a homogeneous mass of all components of the substrate.

How to cook in bags

Compost is prepared in bags when there is little space at the dacha. Let's try to figure out how to quickly make compost in bags and what to pour it on to speed up ripening:

• first you need to buy thick black plastic bags;
• the turf is removed from the area and placed in bags;
• crushed weeds are added to the bag;
• the mixture is spilled with vermicompost or other biostimulant;
• sealed with tape.

After a few months, the compost will finally mature and can be used to fertilize vegetable beds.

Production in boxes

Many devices have been developed for storing bionutrients for plants. People prepare compost in a barrel, pit, pile, pile and bin. Boxes can be bought or made with your own hands. They are mobile and stationary. In the stationary version, the perimeter of the planned container is first marked and stakes 1.5 meters high are driven into the corners. Then the spans are covered with boards, leaving gaps between them.

Home cooking technology

Compost can be made in slow and fast ways. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages. To quickly prepare compost, you need to work according to the following algorithm:

1. First of all, we make a container where organic residues will be stored. This can be a well-ventilated box, hole or pile with access to the contents.
2. At the bottom of the container we make drainage from a layer of hay, straw, and branches.
3. We lay the components in layers and without compaction, so as to ensure the alternation of wet waste with dry, hard components with soft ones.
4. To speed up the process, you can add special organic decomposition accelerators to the compost in layers: nitrogen additives, legume residues, cattle manure.
5. To maintain the technological temperature in the pile and create optimal conditions for beneficial microflora, you need to cover the pile with an old carpet or oilcloth.
6. Every month it is necessary to shovel the compost heap so that its outer layers fall inside, and the inner ones are on top and sides.
7. In the summer heat, the contents are lightly irrigated with water to maintain optimal technological humidity.

If you were able to make the container correctly and carried out composting using technology, then you will receive the finished product in 3-5 months.

If you set out to make the right compost from grass or branches, you should be aware that this process will be very long, but in the end you will get a high-quality product. You need to prepare the components for composting, place them in a pit and wait for 2 years. So, let's look at the technology for preparing a “food additive” for plants in a slow way:

• we dig a wide hole on an elevated site with a depth of 60 cm;
• inside the pit we place chopped tree branches, bark, wood particles, grass;
• We cover the pile with a layer of soil on top and wait for 2 years.

An effective organic fertilizer will be ready for use in 2 years.

Using organic fertilizer

Ripe compost is suitable for any crop with the same application rates as manure (15-20 kg per 1 m²). The methods can be very different:

• in autumn for basic tillage;
• for spring plowing;
• before planting potatoes;
• add to holes when planting seedlings;
• in spring and summer as a mulching material.

In spring and summer, the finished compost is scattered on the soil and dug to a shallow depth.

By strictly following the simple rules and dacha tips on the basis of which this useful organic matter is annually prepared at home, you can also properly make compost at your dacha with your own hands and fertilize the soil to increase crop yields and improve the quality of fruits.