Summer residents are well aware that organic waste should not be thrown away from their plots. They can become a healthy, environmentally friendly fertilizer. For their proper processing, so-called compost is created. This fertilizer is obtained as a result of the decomposition of organic substances under the influence of various microorganisms. Compost can be added to any soil to improve its quality. For example, when using compost on clay soil, you can achieve the effect of crumbly soil, and sand, when mixed with this fertilizer, will retain water much better.

DIY compost pit

Incredibly, almost all structures used to create compost are commonly called a compost pit. However, in reality it is not always just a hole.

• Using a compost pit (or heap).
• Using a special compost container.

The first method has already become classic. It is popular due to its low financial costs and ease of organizing the process. To create such a hole, they make about a half-meter depression in the ground, and the resulting volume is filled with organic waste, from which it is supposed to create future fertilizer.

The top of the pit is covered with black film. Often along the edges the polyethylene is attached to long strips or cuttings that help hold the film in place. The presence of such cuttings also helps with further exploitation pit contents. With their help, it is convenient to remove the film and return it to its place.

In cases of use compost heap, the latter is covered with a special wire mesh (a kind of frame is made). Water and oxygen penetrate perfectly through such a mesh, enriching the fertilizer and promoting the development of microorganisms.

But this method also has disadvantages. It is quite difficult to mix. If the pile is large, then it will not be able to warm up well. All this can lead to an increase in the “ripening” period of the fertilizer.

Closed compost bins vary in size, number of containers, color and material from which they are made. You can make such a container yourself, but you can also purchase it from specialty store. As a rule, a distinctive feature of such boxes is a drum that allows you to turn the contents of the container, as well as a hose for adding water to the box. Another advantage is that the containers are protected from unwanted pests getting inside.

The most basic of existing containers is a single-section one. In such a container, substances are placed from above, and the finished compost is taken from below. To do this, a hole with a removable (opening) door is made at the bottom of one of the walls of the container. If you leave a distance of about 40 cm between the container and the surface of the earth, then the compost will not need to be mixed.

A two-section box consists of two equal halves. As a rule, the finished substrate is stored in the first compartment, and “fresh” waste is placed in the second. For such boxes a hinged lid is provided. The main condition is that it must fit tightly to the box, securely covering its contents.

Such boxes are most often made from boards, metal, slate, plastic and other materials. To place such a box, metal supports (or pillars) are dug into the hole underneath it. Thick metal rods are also suitable as supports, but it is forbidden to install wooden poles, because Wood can easily rot and the box will eventually simply fall. Metal parts it must be treated with an anti-corrosion coating, and if there are any parts made of wood, the latter must be impregnated with a protective compound and painted twice.

Many summer residents make a box of three compartments. In this case, mature compost is placed in the first compartment, the second is filled with medium-ready compost, and new organic matter is placed in the third.

Concrete box is one of the most durable structures. It is built once and for a long time. Formwork is constructed over a trench or hole approximately 0.8 m deep. Then it is filled with concrete. Ultimately, the formwork is removed and the soil is removed from the container. Instead of a lid, it is recommended to use a wooden shield or dark polyethylene, pressed with a metal mesh.

A plastic box is finished design, equipped with ventilation (holes), a lid and different size options. They are relatively inexpensive and will last quite a long time.

The ideal parameters for a compost bin are one and a half by two meters, but they can vary due to the volume of organic matter that is planned for processing in a two-year period (this is the amount of time the entire process of creating fertilizer takes).

It is important to consider that the smaller the box, the slower and worse the process of heating the substrate will be. Because of this, all toxic substances arising from decay will simply not be destroyed. It has been established that the temperature inside the compost bin cannot fall below 60 degrees.

The location of the box can be selected based on two criteria: remoteness and the use of the area used for other needs. In other words, the box is built in the farthest and most inconspicuous corner with infertile soil or in a very shaded place unsuitable for growing crops.
It is important to remember the following nuances when choosing a location. Rotting organic matter smells extremely unpleasant. Their stench will disturb not only the owner of the site, but also the neighbors.

The pit must be easily accessible. You will need to use these fertilizers throughout the year. It is important to prevent situations where water stagnates. For this reason, it is best to choose the most level areas for such structures.

Such a pit must be raised above the ground level in order to facilitate its mixing, heating and the process of adding water to the contents. It is not recommended to build a pit near the source from which drinking water is collected to prevent penetration into it harmful substances produced as a result of decay.

Do not install the box in a bright sunny place. The sun's rays can dry out the substrate and slow down the entire process. The box should be placed in shady place. Source used for collection drinking water, should be located as far as possible from the compost pit. A distance of 25 meters or more is considered optimal. It is extremely dangerous to compost under the canopy of trees. Such a neighborhood can destroy a tree. Particularly sensitive to toxins released during decay conifers. But birch will be more resistant to their effects.

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The soil directly under the hole must be thoroughly cleared, removing any vegetation, and then a small depression (about 0.3 m) must be made.

When laying compost, green and brown layers of the substrate alternate. Also alternate wet layers with dry ones. In this case, there should be three times less green layers than brown ones, and five parts less dry than wet.

It is worth considering that all large elements of raw materials should be crushed in advance.

The residues used are usually divided into two types:

• The brown type includes: leaves, thin branches, sawdust, rags (made from woolen fabrics or cotton), newspapers, cardboard or paper, plant roots, ash, grass, old rotten wood, etc. It is believed that all these wastes will emit when rotting carbon.
• The green type includes: fruits of plants from berries to vegetables, squeezes from ground coffee, tea leaves, leftover food (especially porridges or soups), egg shells, feces of herbivores. It is important to remember that if there is too much regular green grass, the compost production process will slow down significantly. In this case, it is recommended to sprinkle the grass layers with soil.

The following substances can significantly increase the speed of fertilizer preparation: rotted waste products of horses, certain plants (for example, dandelions or mint), special substances (for example, Compostin), dry bird feces, ground bones, various fertilizers, etc.

Not all organic matter is useful in compost production. Thus, a compost pit does not allow the use of: the waste products of pets, some weeds (for example, loach or wheatgrass), pest-infested plants (or their parts), plants after treatment with pesticides, non-degradable garbage (inorganic), fats, eggs, milk and its derivatives and others.
All items and substances that cannot be placed in a compost bin are disposed of as household waste or placed in a cesspool.

Correct exploitation compost pit

You need to know not only how to fill the hole with the necessary organic substances, but also how to exploit it, how to speed up decay or improve the quality of fertilizer. For a more productive result, it is recommended to adhere to the following instructions:

1. The contents of the pit (container) need to be moistened periodically, but it is important not to overdo it with adding water. The substrate should remain moist, but nothing more. You shouldn't keep it dry either. The rotting process will stop.
2. The compost needs to be periodically pierced and stirred with a fork. This will improve oxygen penetration, which will have a positive effect on the process as a whole.
3. It is very important to cover the contents of the pit with black film. This will speed up the compost creation process.
4. The presence of earthworms in the compost has a positive effect on the process. They can even be artificially placed in the pit.
5. The compost needs to be stirred quite often.

As the contents of the pit rot, the temperature inside it rises. In some cases, this process produces steam. If it rises from the pile, it demonstrates to the owner that the composting process is proceeding as expected.

IN autumn period compost pit requires special attention. By this time the bottom layer is ready for use. It is recommended to remove it from the hole and use it to cover flower beds with perennial plants. The top layer can be removed and laid separately.

It is very convenient to use old boxes or pallets to sort compost. It is necessary to sort the substrate. This will speed up the compost production and make it more uniform.

Experienced summer residents advise covering compost bins and heaps not with a whole black film, but charmingly making holes in it. This allows you to maintain a stable temperature and humidity inside the pit, and also promotes air circulation.

Creating a compost pit is quite a labor-intensive process, but it is worth it. With the help of such pits, it is possible to dispose of a huge amount of organic waste, while obtaining extremely valuable fertilizer, the quality of which will not have to be doubted.

Before you start preparing compost, I suggest you familiarize yourself with the rules that are often allowed when making this organic fertilizer.

A compost pit is a structure in which compost matures. It is a product of rotting organic waste and is considered one of the best fertilizer options. Adding compost not only improves soil fertility, but also has a beneficial effect on its structure. Thanks to it, sandy soil retains moisture better, while clay soil becomes looser, which allows the soil to pass air and water.

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

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

Choosing a place for construction

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

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

Setting up a compost bin

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

Construction of a compost pit

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

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

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

Setting up a compost bin

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

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

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

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

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

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

A compost pit made from organic waste is an integral part of a summer cottage or garden plot. If a person has his own garden, he tries to cultivate fertile soil healthy vegetation and fruits that do not contain nitrates. For this purpose, they use organic fertilizers obtained from compost. The purpose of this article is to tell garden owners how to make a compost pit from inexpensive scrap materials.

Instructions for making a compost pit (box) with your own hands

Making a compost bin with your own hands is not difficult. Its arrangement involves the use of lightweight and inexpensive components. In the example below, a compost bin is created from pallets used in the construction industry for storing consumables. You can purchase such pallets for a small amount or even get them for free by picking them up after unloading the building materials.

making a compost pit with your own hands. Photo

If you don’t yet know how to create a compost pit with your own hands, step by step instructions, given below, will tell you in detail about this procedure.

First of all select a location, most suitable for arranging a compost heap. This area should be located away from residential buildings and preferably in an area where winds prevail. This will eliminate the possibility of unpleasant odor from compost in the yard.

Follow drawing, provided as an example, to properly create a compost bin. Remember that it must have a presentable appearance, be easy to use, and be easy to dismantle when filled with organic waste.

DIY compost pit manufacturing options. Photo

Disassemble prepared wooden pallets by removing connecting elements(nails). The result of this work will be the production of edged boards.

Take advantage circular saw, to divide all the boards are cut into blanks about 1 m long. It is from these that the compost bin will be created.

In order to assemble a solid structure from individual boards, two of them should cut out use a jigsaw to make rectangular holes. The photos and videos included with the instructions will help the craftsman figure out how to make cuts in the remaining boards in order to accurately connect them to the two cross beams.

DIY compost pit step by step with photos

Installation All boards (except the front ones) are carried out vertically, and they are fastened with mounting glue. The first (front) board is arranged under small angle to the entire structure, and without the use of an adhesive solution. Compliance with this condition is necessary to facilitate disassembly of the structure. Device compost bin of the described type allows you to easily move it to another place, disassemble it after filling it with organic waste and plant debris.

To make the compost bin out wooden pallets turned out to be stable, during its installation in the designated area, you should level out lower boards of the finished box using a level.

As you can see, very little effort needs to be put into creating a compost pit from waste materials construction industry. The finished compost bin looks decent and makes it possible to recycle all unnecessary vegetation from your own garden plot. Gradually compacting in such a container, and being under the influence of moisture and putrefactive bacteria, the vegetation turns into organic fertilizer high quality, ideal for feeding garden vegetation.

How to make a compost pit. Video

Making your own compost bin

The issue related to the disposal of plant waste on a personal plot worries most gardeners. There is no need to take them outside the garden, because with the right approach, organic matter can become excellent fertilizer. It is better to put unnecessary vegetation, as noted above, in a compost pit, which should be voluminous. We suggest considering the option of building a compost pit with your own hands, step-by-step instructions for which will help even a beginner in this matter carry out the procedure.

As an example, let's take the design compost bin consisting of three sections.

Set 8 wooden columns, pre-treated with a protective composition bottom part each of them (the one that will be located underground). As a protective solution, you can use fuel oil, tar or used machine oil.

If fence is strong and reliable in your garden plot, then its canvas can be used as a support for one of the sides of the compost bin bars (as shown in the photo). Actually, this option makes the task easier, eliminating the need to dig several more holes for the posts.

The next stage in creating the structure is the installation of sectional partitions. To do this, nail several boards to the supports, making sure to leave small slits between them for ventilation. It should also be taken into account that small spaces will be created in two compartments of the drawer. doors, therefore, its front part should be sheathed with boards only up to half the height.

The third compartment is equipped with a large door, and therefore it is worth nailing only one board in the lower, front part of the box.

The next stage of work is installation caps The end sections of sectional partitions, as well as the rear and front walls, are reinforced with crossbars.

DIY compost bin. Photo

The doors are hung, which also serve as lids for the compost bin. It is already clear that there will be one large and two small doors in front.

When creating wooden box for compost, immediately make sure that wood does not become an integral component of organic fertilizers prepared from plant waste. The process of compost maturation involves the gradual decomposition of organic matter, and wood also belongs to the components of natural, organic origin. And therefore, when constructing a three-section compost bin from boards, it is advisable to soak each part well special composition deep penetration. It will protect the tree from moisture, putrefactive processes and harmful insects. Buy now solution for comprehensive protection wooden surfaces is not difficult, but remember that it must be non-toxic. Then the organic fertilizer (compost) will be of high quality.

Once the boards are soaked, the compost bin is ready. painted in a color acceptable to you. It is advisable to choose non-toxic paint. It should be highly resistant to temperature changes and not fade in the sun. Apply it to the box in two layers.

The last stage of creating the structure is to attach the latches and handles. The compost pit made from boards is completely ready for use!

Compost pit. Options for its equipment

Now there are many different technologies for building compost pits with your own hands. Each owner of a summer house or country house with a plot of land chooses the type of construction that is ideally suited to the specific conditions of the area. Here are some of the most common types of equipment for compost pits.

Option 1. It is rarely used, and mainly in cases where ready-made compost is supposed to be used no earlier than after 1.5-2 years. The essence of the work here is to dig a hole in a designated area of ​​the area. It should be similar in shape to a well, but not so deep. The walls of the compost pit must be strengthened so that the soil does not collapse. The peculiarity of a pit prepared in this way is that in it the raw materials for fertilizer will ripen naturally, without human intervention. And therefore it is worth taking care of creating optimal conditions for the preparation of organic fertilizers. The walls of the finished pit begin to be sheathed at a height of 15-25 cm from the bottom, while no material is laid on the bottom itself. This will allow microorganisms and worms to penetrate from the soil into the stacked vegetation residues unhindered.

Advice. Before putting plant matter into the hole, loosen its bottom well, and also equip a ventilation outlet in the form of a pipe. After heavy rains or heavy watering, cover the compost pit with plastic wrap. This activates the work of microorganisms, and the decomposition of organic matter will go faster.

If possible, it is better to create a compost pit in this way outside the local area, in a forest belt.

Option 2. In this case, the compost pit is set up right in the garden. Many land owners note that this option is more convenient in the sense that organic fertilizers are unloaded from the pit as needed. The basis of the structure is formwork, and it can be made from any available materials. These can be plastic barrels or a box assembled from separate boards. The presented method also involves providing access to worms and microorganisms into the thickness of organic residues. And therefore, before laying the vegetation, the soil is loosened, and the formwork structure is slightly deepened (about 20-30 cm). The need for natural air circulation in the created box causes the leaving of cracks between the plank structural elements, or the formation of holes in plastic surfaces.

Option 3. Another method of preparing organic fertilizers from plant residues is to create a so-called pile, or compost heap. This technology is considered the simplest, but when using it, hygiene requirements are not observed. On a personal plot, when choosing this method of preparing compost, select optimal site, on which a substrate of gravel, sand or dry grass is immediately made. Plant waste is placed on top of it, and they are waited for it to overheat. Organic fertilizer reaches full readiness in two years or more. The difficulty lies in the fact that the pile has to be stirred periodically, and before the onset of winter, you also have to insulate it so that the microorganisms do not die under the influence of the cold.

So, there are many options for equipping a compost pit, and the difference between them is based both on the materials used and on the size and features of its design. In any case, with the right approach, creating it yourself will not be difficult even for a novice master.

Slate compost pit

To create a compost pit with your own hands, it requires the presence of durable materials from which you could make the walls of a box in which plant debris will be stored. The previous sections have already described the possibilities of forming such structures from boards, construction pallets or plastic barrels. There is another good way - a compost bin made from waste slate. IN household Many zealous dacha owners will probably have these. Slate leaves make an excellent base for the sides of a compost bin. In addition, a compost pit made from such material will be reliable and durable. To create a slate box with your own hands, we recommend doing the work in the following sequence:

Decide on the exact parameters designs. Remember that the hole should be sized so that all the plant waste collected from the site over two seasons (and sometimes more time) can fit inside it. If we take into account that a small pile of vegetation residues (tops, fallen leaves) is approximately 0.25 cubic meters in volume, then a pit for processing them can be made measuring 1m*1m*1m. In this case, there will still be some space left for food waste.

After selecting the territory, you will need to do a little deepening in the soil (20-30 cm).

In the corners of the structure and in the central part are installed racks, created from thick tree branches or ordinary metal pipes Not large diameter.

Using prepared slate sheets, they are formed walls compost bin.

The compost matures in the pit for two years, and the slate partition, located in the middle of the box, makes it possible to use the internal space of the pit continuously. That is, the result of the work is a two-section slate box, each of the compartments of which is used in turn.

List of requirements for a compost bin

When studying the question of how to make a compost pit from certain materials, you should not forget about the requirements for such structures. First of all, when making a compost bin, you need to take into account that organic matter needs a constant flow of air to ripen. Therefore, on the sides of the structure there must be ventilation holes . To prevent beneficial substances from the created organic fertilizer from being washed into the soil, it is advisable to cover the compost pit during rain. lid. Instead of a lid, you can use ordinary plastic film, but in this case it will need to be somehow fixed at the edges to prevent it from being blown away by the wind. It should also be taken into account that the compost ripens faster from below, so the lower part should be easily accessible. In the diagram above you can see how the simplest compost bin works. Note that the boards placed on the side are removable, and the dimensions of the structure can be changed. As an option, you could consider creating a drawer with removable front boards.

There is also a way to create an opening drawer of a simpler design. The loops in it will be made of durable strips of rubber or other elastic material. They are well fixed on the surface of boards nailed together.

An economical option for creating a compost bin would be a product made from wooden pallets, the construction of which does not require special skills or a lot of time.

What can and cannot be thrown into a compost bin?

Having figured out how a compost pit is made from various consumables, you cannot ignore recommendations regarding what waste can be thrown into it and what cannot.

A self-constructed compost pit will fully justify the purpose of its creation if the following types of organic waste are collected in it:

• Fallen tree bark, old leaves and small branches, pine needles, grass roots and small tree roots.
• Rotted manure and bird guano.
• Grass and weed clippings.
• Leftover herbal tea or coffee.
• Peeling vegetables and fruits, missing berries, fruits and vegetables.
• Ash left over from burning wood.
• Wood shavings, straw, sawdust, hay.
• Napkins, cardboard, paper bags and paper itself.

Recommendation. To make a thick layer of grass laid in a compost pit decompose faster, sprinkle fresh, loose soil on top of it. If this is not done, the process of overheating the grass will drag on for a period of six months to a year.

As for those components that cannot be placed in a compost pit, their list includes:

• Potato and tomato tops. Often it is infected with late blight spores, and putting it in compost will subsequently lead to the spread of the disease throughout garden plot, and late blight damage to new seasonal vegetation.
• Products of inorganic origin that will not decompose under the influence of natural factors. These include metal, polyethylene bags, rubber and synthetics, components with a plastic base.
• Vegetation generously fertilized with chemicals.
• The branches are thick and take a long time to rot.
• Weed seeds that have already passed the ripening stage.
• Feces of animals living in the house. They may contain inclusions in the form of bones or helminth eggs.

How to properly operate a compost bin?

In the previous sections of our article, we found out how to make a compost pit from available components, as well as what can be put in it and what is not advisable to put in the pit. Now it remains to identify those simple requirements that will help to properly operate the compost storage structure throughout the year. Here they are:

• Try to exercise periodically loosening compost with a garden fork. This will ensure a flow of oxygen to the rotting organic matter. Mixing waste will help speed up the decomposition process.
• The compost heap should be used occasionally water. If the street becomes dry and hot weather, then the number of waterings of ripening compost should be increased. With regular moistening, the contents of the pit will rot better and faster. But dry compost completely stops decomposing.
• If there is such a possibility, then it is advisable to periodically lay it in the thickness of rotting vegetation. Californian worms. They will not only loosen the contents of the compost, but also partially process it.
• It is advisable to place it on top of the waste in the pit. dark plastic film. Thanks to it, a greenhouse effect will arise in the thickness of the raw biomaterial, and as a result, the temperature inside the heap will increase significantly. Vegetation stacked in layers will burn out faster. At the same time, the presence of the film ensures the preservation of a moist environment in the compost and prevents the growth of weeds there. The ripening period for a compost heap covered with film is 3-4 months. If the pit with organic matter is not covered, the process of waste maturation will last for a whole year.
• If possible, it is recommended to add to the compost pit special drugs, accelerating the decomposition procedure of components. Among the most famous such compositions are Baikal EM-1, Sanex EcoCompost, Compostar, Compostin, Embionic.

At proper arrangement compost pit and regular maintenance by owners personal plots will be able to obtain high-quality fertilizer that does not contain harmful substances.

DIY compost pit. Video

Before you start building a compost pit at your dacha, think about whether you need it and for what purposes. Such a structure performs the functions of recycling household organic waste. A compost pit is also useful in order to produce the fertilizer necessary for the garden and vegetable garden, if you are not going to plant green manure on your plot of land to fertilize the soil.
You can, of course, put the waste, along with leftover vegetables and fruits, in bags and then take it to the city garbage containers. But you shouldn’t do this - it’s pollution environment. If built on summer cottage compost pit, you can recycle the vast majority of organic waste into a wonderful nutrient mixture for your plants called compost. And no time will be wasted on waste removal.

Purpose of the compost pit

Each compost pit has a set of corresponding design features, which depend on the needs for which it will be used. If you don't know where to throw your garbage, you may be interested in a nice bonus that you can get in a few years - valuable compost. Then you need to arrange a compost pit using the appropriate diagram.

Obtaining and using compost.

If you want to quickly prepare fertilizer from available materials, which can be leaves, grass clippings, or manure, then the compost pit will have a different design. There are some requirements that must be followed when setting up compost pits.

How to set up and use a compost pit?

When choosing a location compost pit try to take into account some rather important points:

Place the pit at a distance of at least 25-30 meters from sources of drinking water - wells, boreholes, streams or other bodies of water.

On dacha plots with a slope, the pit is located at a level below the well.

Compliance with such precautions is necessary because otherwise rotted waste may end up in drinking water, which is dangerous and undesirable.

When building a hole, take into account the wind rose so as not to poison yourself and your neighbors with unpleasant odors.

If you place the compost pit in an open, sunny area, its contents will overheat. This will stop composting. Therefore, the best option would be to install the pit in an area shaded by tree crowns.

The optimal place for a compost pit is a corner land plot adjacent to a fence or blank wall.

It is also necessary to decide what waste is placed in the compost pit and what waste should not be thrown into it.

Waste that can be used to fill a compost bin

1. Raw vegetables, fruits, berries, tea, cereals, coffee, cleaning residues;
2. Hay, grass clippings and straw;
3. Leafy;
4. Branches, tree bark, roots of bushes and trees that need to be slightly chopped;
5. Weeds;
6. Wood ash;
7. Needles;
8. Napkins, cardboard, paper bags (the paper must be natural) - all this is crushed;
9. Unpainted wood waste;
10. Second-year manure of herbivores.

How can you fill a compost pit at your summer cottage?

What is prohibited from filling the pit?

1. Bones;
2. Experiment with pets because they may have helminth eggs;
3. Insect pests and their eggs;
4. Disease-affected plants (tomato tops affected by late blight, pumpkin and powdery mildew, and others);
5. Plants from soil areas that have been treated with herbicides;
6. Inorganic waste, which can be in the form of plastic, iron, rubber or synthetic fabrics.

All waste that cannot be composted should be burned or disposed of if it is excrement.

Rules for sorting household waste for use in a compost bin.

Organic waste is processed by microorganisms and earthworms. Do not insulate all the walls of the compost pit below ground level, because if you dig a hole in the ground at a depth of 50 cm and then line it with impervious material, worms and microorganisms will not enter it. In this case, it is necessary to move them in independently.

As can be seen from the above, the rules cannot be called complex, but they must be followed.

Setting up a compost pit or heap

The most important thing when constructing a compost pit is the necessary provision of good moisture and looseness if you want the composting process to be of high quality. There are no specific recommendations on this issue.

Arranging a compost pit at a summer cottage.

To maintain the moisture of the compost heap, you can water it regularly, or cover it with film, which will create a steamy effect. The looseness of the structure of the contents of the compost heap is maintained by the fact that it is periodically crushed using ordinary forks, or materials having different densities are laid in layers.

Optimal compost pit sizes

1. Width – no more than 1.5 meters;
2. Length – up to 2 meters;
3. Maximum height – 1.5 meters;
4. Go deeper into the ground no more than 0.4 meters.

There are several different compost pit designs, which can meet the preferences of any owner.

Compost pit with two sections

It takes about 2 years for organic waste to rot and compost, unless you use the services of additional effective microorganisms along with those present in the soil on your site. In order to make the use of the pit more convenient, a two-section structure is constructed:

1. Fresh waste is stored in the first section;
2. The second section contains waste that has been composted since last year.

Prepared in the second section compost they take it out and lay it out in the beds where they want to improve and saturate the soil with useful substances. The compost pit can be fenced on all sides in the form of a box, but use only material that allows free access of air.

Wooden box for arranging a compost pit.

The box can be made from wooden picket fences, which are nailed while maintaining a small distance between them. At the same time, the contents of the pit will not clog and will not smell unpleasant. You can build such a compost pit yourself in just 1-2 days - the duration of the work depends on the material chosen for fencing.

Compost pit with free access from below the structure:

Such a pit will perfectly replace the first option, because it does not require breaking into sections. Fence the pile 30 cm from the ground. The finished compost accumulates at the bottom. If necessary, it can be easily removed with a shovel and used to fertilize the garden.

Building such a pit is very convenient and causes little trouble. Constantly, when compost is reached from below, the contents of the heap sink lower and take up the free space, at the same time being saturated with oxygen. No special loosening or tossing is required.

Compost heap equipment

Not all summer residents like artificial creation unnecessary complications. The best way out From such a situation comes doing nothing, in which nothing is dug up, fenced off, or divided. Only a certain place is selected where organic waste is stored, gradually forming a heap.

Food waste for compost pit.

If desired, this heap is watered with EM preparations, or covered with an opaque film to speed up the composting process. If you have nowhere to rush, then there is no need to cover the pile - its contents will rot on their own, this just takes time.

Use of plastic containers and barrels

Using plastic containers for preparing compost is convenient for those who do not spare money and want their compost pit to look presentable. The container is installed in any convenient place, since there is no risk of contamination of drinking water due to the tightness of the container. In addition, the container has special ventilation to prevent water from stagnating.

Using plastic barrels to make a compost bin.

When using this option, you need to know that it requires the use of drugs that accelerate the decomposition of organic waste, or the introduction of earthworms into the pit.

Self-construction of a compost pit

An example would be a self-built compost pit on one of the summer cottages. If the structure is fenced on all sides and has a height of one and a half meters, its contents must be shaken periodically, but this is a very inconvenient task. Therefore, it was decided to arrange two heaps, or rather, one heap on two sides.

After choosing a good place - the corner of the site near the fence itself, organic remains were placed in the corner. It is very good if you alternate between grass, manure and soil. First, before the formation of a heap, a place for it is laid with branches of trees and shrubs.

Building a compost pit with your own hands.

When the heap reaches 1 meter in height, deep holes are made (several pieces), into which the EM preparation is poured (this can be “Oxyzin”, “EMochki”, “Bokashi”). On the advice of experts, you can cover the compost heap with an impermeable film - this will maintain constant humidity and temperature, but not everyone does this. When covered with film, the compost will be ready in 2-3 months, but composting uncovered waste requires at least six months to a year.

You don't have to use EM drugs. California worms or prospector worms will do the job well. However, there are also disadvantages to using worms. Worms love warmth, so they do not work in the coldest months of the year. And it is enough for microorganisms that the temperature in the compost heap rises to only +4°C.

It is necessary to water the pile with water from a hose during dry times. If you need to obtain ready-made compost to transfer it to the beds, you can transfer top part heap to another place and select the ready-made humus accumulated at the bottom of the heap. After the humus runs out, waste is again thrown onto this place.

When setting up a compost heap, some summer residents think of spreading it on the ground. plastic film, onto which they then dump organic waste. They make such a design, believing that this way there will be no leaching of useful elements into the soil. However, they are wrong; this cannot be done for the following reasons:

By isolating the base of the compost heap from the ground, conditions are created that cause moisture to quickly evaporate from the heap. At the same time, moisture does not rise from the ground, despite the fact that even on hot days, thanks to a natural mechanism, moisture should rise upward from the depths of the earth using special capillaries.

If the pile is isolated from the ground, this prevents humus from leaching out of the compost. Washed out mineral fertilizers, since microelements are combined with organic substances and are constantly in top layer soil.

But these properties are quite convenient for use in gardens - neither rain nor downpour is scary. And when limiting minor leakage, which may still occur, add a 10 cm layer of peat, which perfectly solves these problems: it prevents leakage nutrients into the ground. Peat also allows groundwater to rise into the pile.

Requirements for a proper compost bin

If, after reading the article, you still have questions about building a proper compost pit, get advice - don’t build it at all. Why?

The labor of dragging grass and other organic waste from one place to another can be considered unnecessary and meaningless work. When composting, carbon dioxide vapor is formed - this is an irreplaceable food for plants, which is mediocrely lost on the heap, at the same time getting on the nerves of you and your neighbors with an unpleasant odor.

Proper arrangement and use of a compost pit.

You may be called an eccentric, but it is better to place organic waste directly on the beds, where it rots well and does not emit unpleasant odors. In addition, microorganisms will multiply directly in the beds, and earthworms will crawl in and appreciate such an abundance of work for them. Grass clippings can be used as mulch. Chop and lay branches in paths between the rows, and scatter the peelings of fresh vegetables and fruits in the garden.

This will allow:

1. Retain moisture in the beds;
2. Feed plants with carbon dioxide;
3. Do not allow weeds to grow in the beds;
4. Prepare compost in places where it is needed;
5. Prevent the leaching of humus;
6. Reduce the amount of work.

The work proposed above for the sale of organic and food waste is simple and does not require additional skills or effort.

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

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

Brown waste

These include those that release carbon.

Green waste

Waste that releases nitrogen is considered green.

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

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

What should you not put?

Not all organic matter is suitable for fertilization.

The following cannot be placed in a compost bin:

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

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

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

Requirements for placement

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

There are other important points.

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

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

Design features

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

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

The structure must have a removable lid on top.

Design options

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

Regular pit

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

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

Two-section composter

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

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

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

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

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

Single section composter

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

Concrete box

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

Ready made plastic container

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

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

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

How to properly fill a compost bin?

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

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

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

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

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

More quick cooking The following supplements help.

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

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

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