How to make humus in the country. Compost: how to do it yourself in the country or at home

One of the most common and affordable fertilizers for the garden and vegetable garden is compost is a substrate obtained from organic waste and tops of cultivated plants. In fact, it is free, but in order to prepare it, it will take time and effort.

Everyone can make compost with their own hands, because any household gives a lot of organic waste, and in any garden you can always collect a large number of tops and weeds that will be processed. Rational owners utilize all this through composting, obtaining a natural organic fertilizer rich in elements necessary for the qualitative development of plants.

The process of turning grass and household waste in the most useful top dressing can be divided into three stages:

Decomposition. At this stage, the source material is actively heated inside the heap, gradually changing its structure, and enriching itself with useful substances. Ultimately, the transformation leads to the fact that various beneficial microorganisms appear in the compost, including fungi, as well as earthworms - the most important accelerator for processing organic residues into fertilizer.

Humus formation. At this stage, good aeration of the pile is very important, since without access required amount oxygen microorganisms are killed. For forced aeration, the compost can be mixed by hand, with a fork or shovel.

Mineralization. At this stage, nitrogenous compounds decompose to the protoplasm of bacteria and nitrogen, and humic substances pass into mineral forms. This is the final phase in waste composting. The mineralization of the entire volume of the substrate reaches its maximum values ​​after 10-12 months of curing the pile under favorable conditions.

What is compost made of

diagram and composition of a typical compost heap

There are a lot of recipes for making this fertilizer. There are both completely natural substrates, and with the addition of mineral fertilizers (agrochemicals), which compensate for the lack of various chemical elements. Indeed, organic waste contains large amounts of nitrogen, and potassium and phosphorus occupy only a small fraction of the total composition. To prepare the right compost, it is necessary that their number is balanced in the right proportions. Depending on the source material, the amount and composition of additives varies significantly. This has spawned many compost recipes and below are the most popular and effective ones.

Classical

This type of compost is very easy to make and quite effective to use. It consists of simple and available components. Its only disadvantage can be considered a long ripening period (1-2 years). So, it includes:

Green mass (branches, tops, algae) - the first layer (20 cm);

Cow dung - the second layer (10 cm);

Ground limestone (or dolomite flour) - the third layer (0.5 cm).

The layers are alternated until the collar reaches a height of 1.5 m.

Manure-superphosphate

This compost is one of those whose composition is additionally enriched with chemicals. In this case, superphosphate, which throughout the entire ripening time saturates the substrate with phosphorite compounds. Phosphorus also helps to retain nitrogen in the fertilizer, as it binds the non-volatile forms of nitrogen, ammonium carbonate and free ammonia from manure, preventing them from turning into volatile ammonia that removes nitrogen from the substrate. Composting this recipe is not difficult.

Components are bookmarked in the following order:

Garden soil - the first layer (10 cm);

Manure mixed with simple superphosphate in a ratio (100: 2) - the second layer (10 cm).

This substrate belongs to fast composts, as it matures in 2-3 months, and if you lay it in the spring, on the first warm days (when night frosts stop), then at the end of June you can already feed potatoes with it, and mulch raspberry trunks.

Peat

Weeds without seeds - 100 kg;

Dried peat - 400 kg;

Ammonium sulfate (NH4) 2SO4) - 350 g;

Sodium nitrate (NaNO3) - 50-70 g;

Potassium phosphorus - 50 g.

When using this composting method, first of all, it is necessary to saturate the peat with mineral fertilizers, thoroughly mixing all the components. After that " layered cake"from organic matter is prepared as follows - a thin layer of garden soil is laid on a flat area, on which 40 cm of peat is poured. A layer of finely chopped branches (not longer than 5-7 cm), herbs and tops is laid on it. The layers should be well compacted so that part of the green mass is immersed in the peat cushion, then the composting process will go faster.

Fertilizer based on this component contains a large amount of nitrogen, which makes it an excellent pre-sowing premix. Also, peat-manure compost perfectly restores the structure of the soil, and normalizes its acidity.

Compost for mushrooms

Dry straw - 100 kg;

Water (how much is needed to abundantly moisten the heap);

Mullein - 50 kg;

Gypsum - 5 kg;

Chalk - 3 kg.

Liquid bird droppings - 100 kg;

This type of compost is not a top dressing for plants, and is used as an independent soil for growing mushrooms. It is produced traditionally, laying all the components in layers and spilling water, and then let it ripen, stirring occasionally, to a state of a homogeneous crumbly mass.

For maturation various kinds composts may require a different amount of time - from 3 months to two years. The timing depends on the composition of the heap, on the conditions in which it is composted, and on the effect of various additives that are poured over the pile to speed up the overripe processes.

Video: how to make the right compost?

How and why is compost watered?

Various liquids that moisten and shed piles contribute to faster compost formation and improve its properties. They are of both natural and artificial origin, and are a kind of catalysts that contribute to the speedy heating of this biological firebox. by the most a simple means, which is used to speed up composting is plain water. She is watered with a collar throughout the entire period of storage. It helps to soften all the elements of the substrate, which helps to accelerate the processes of decay, so it is advisable to water the pile with water at least once a week.

To quickly prepare compost, various organic catalysts are often used. For example, a solution of sugar and yeast, which is abundantly poured over a newly formed pile. Such a mixture helps to quickly heat up the compost heap, and the speedy processing of organic matter.

A cheaper starting solution for the first stage of composting at home is nettle infusion. To prepare it, you need to pour ¾ buckets of nettle warm water, add a package of dry yeast to it, and leave this brew in a warm place for 3-5 days. After that, only the formed compost pile is watered with this composition.

The fastest accelerators that allow you to get mature compost in a short time are various biostimulants. For example, drugs such as Baikal-M (according to instructions), TAMIR (10 ml per 1 liter of water).

Composters

Compost as a fertilizer has a long history, so many methods and devices have been developed for its storage. Some gardeners compost in pits, others form piles and heaps, and there are those who prefer special containers, both homemade and purchased. The most popular of them will be discussed below.

Purchased composter

This is the simplest and most aesthetic solution to the problem of storing organic residues on the site. But not the cheapest - their cost ranges from 2300 to 30,000 rubles. The modern industry offers gardeners many options for these designs to choose from. The simplest are boxes made of plastic, less often made of wood, the main function of which is to prevent organic compost from crumbling. But there are also entire local organic processing stations that can independently maintain the temperature inside the tank, and are equipped with a control panel.

DIY composter

To create an ideal substrate, it is absolutely not necessary to buy the wonders of modern technology. You can also make a composter yourself. It can be portable and stationary. In the second case, to begin with, the perimeter of the future container is drawn, and high stakes are driven in at the corners, taking into account that a part of the column at least 150 cm high rises above the ground. Then the spans are clogged with flat boards, which should not fit snugly against each other, there should be a distance of at least 10 cm between their rows.

Video: do-it-yourself compost house

Video: a simple do-it-yourself grid composter

Compost in bags

This method of composting waste is used when there is little space on the site. First you need to stock up on thick black plastic bags. Then, from the developed plot of land, upper layer turf, which is placed in bags. Finely chopped weeds are added, watered with bio-humus, or any other bio-stimulator, and the bags are tightly sealed with tape. After this procedure, you can forget about them for several months. By opening the bags after the required amount of time has elapsed, it will be possible to make sure that excellent garden compost can be prepared in this way.

10 rules for compost

Compost shouldn't smell bad. If there is a stench, then the decomposition processes are going wrong, the whole mass is rotting, and the organic compost becomes a pile of rotting residue, and not an excellent fertilizer. In order not to encounter this problem, it is necessary to correctly alternate the layers of organic matter when laying. A layer of tops or grass must be sprinkled with earth or manure, then the ammonia formed during fermentation will be processed into nitrogen, and not leave the heap in the form of a gas with an unpleasant odor.

Do not place composters in the garden. The practical experience of many amateur gardeners has proved that the roots of all nearby plants will quickly change the direction of their growth towards the collar with the nutrient mixture, and will pump out all the useful substances from it with all their might. If the container with recyclable garden compost is located under the crowns of trees, you can block the path of the roots by lining the bottom of the box with parchment paper, or more radically, by concreted its base.

Making compost at the cottage- one of the smartest and easiest ways to dispose of a lot of unnecessary waste, including old clothes, fur, feathers, meat bones, fish scales, banana skins - everything that has an organic origin is suitable for making this fertilizer.

The compost must be covered and this should be done not only when winter comes, but throughout the year. In composters, a special lid is provided for this, and home-made heaps are covered with a film, laying a sufficiently thick layer of insulation under it (from sawdust or from leaves).

Be sure to grind everything What are you composting. This can be done with your own hands, using a knife or a special chopper in the form of a vertical cleaver with a long handle. There are also industrial options, for example, special drums that not only cut the raw material into small fragments, but also mix it well.

Proper compost works like a sponge when squeezed in the palm of your hand.- elastically restores its shape, and does not release absorbed moisture. If the water has flowed, then the substrate is supersaturated with liquid, and it must be opened to dry, removing the covering material and thoroughly mixing. You can also add a dry fraction of manure, peat, or garden soil.

Greens before preparing compost in the country should be slightly dried. This technique allows you to avoid the souring of the compost, since fresh grass and tops in large quantities do not rot, but sour.

In autumn, it is necessary to completely shovel the compost. Moreover, the amount of work in this case is to be serious - it is necessary to literally turn the pile upside down, making the bottom layer its "roof", and the top one - the "floor".

Would you like to receive quick compost"- make it from leaves, they are processed the fastest. Laid down in autumn, a pile of this material with additions in the form of organic matter and garden soil, watered with biostimulants, sprinkled with a layer of soil and covered with a black film, has time to almost completely overwinter, and in the spring, in mid-May, it can already be partially used as fertilizer. Also, to speed up the process, it is advisable to put “sourdough” from the old compost into the young compost.

collar dimensions, in any composting method are of great importance. The final height of the pile cannot be less than 1.5 meters, the width is 1-1.5 meters (otherwise it will be inconvenient to mix the contents), the length is not limited.

You should definitely pay attention to the fact that the final height of the heap is measured no earlier than 1-2 months after its laying, since it settles significantly throughout its formation.

How to use compost?

This excellent fertilizer will find its application both in the garden and in the garden. Most often it is used immediately after maturation. Consider the rules for making compost based on the season.

spring

The following compost rates apply:

Continuous application -1 bucket (10 l) per 1 sq. m.

In poor and depleted soils, a larger amount of this fertilizer is applied, about 15 liters per 1 square meter.

In the greenhouse - 1-1.5 buckets for fertilizing the surface layer of the earth, or a layer of at least 25 cm as a warming bedding under the fertile soil layer.

Summer

At this time of the year, it is time for planned feeding of plantings. Compost is good for fertilizing plants in summer. It can be used in its natural form (as a mulch, as a nutrient substrate), and as a "compost tea".

Also, the use of compost in summer protects plants, especially bulbs, from various pests. It is enough to cover the bed with a thin layer, and the root part of the plants will not be damaged by pests. At the end of the season, when digging the site, the remains of the substrate will pass into the soil, and significantly enrich its composition.

autumn

end of the season - the best time for introducing fresh compost into the soil. During the winter, it will be completely processed, and by spring a high-quality fertile layer will ripen on the site. Compost is applied in the same doses as manure, about 1-2 buckets per 1 sq. m.

A couple of bags of this humus can be set aside in a cold basement for spring planting seedlings. Before bagging, the compost must be sieved to remove earthworms from it, whose mucus can have an overwhelming effect on seedlings.

Video: do-it-yourself compost heap

Every knowledgeable gardener composts special place, since the latter is the creator and source of the vital forces of plants and their main natural fertilizer. Plant health and future harvest directly depend on the quality and structure of the compost. If this mixture is prepared correctly, the gardener will not need to apply fertilizer. This article will tell you what compost is and how to prepare it.

Compost - what is it?

Compost is an essential ingredient fertile soil in any garden and the most affordable fertilizer in every sense, which is obtained from plant residues. If prepared correctly, it will not only fill the plantings' needs for nutrients that accelerate growth, but also significantly improve on which its friability depends, and how it can absorb and retain moisture.

Compost in the country house or garden is the only natural organic fertilizer of its kind, obtained by fermentation, which is provided by earthworms and bacteria.

The manufacture of this fertilizer takes place in compost heaps or compost bins. . They can be built just like a hole in the ground, but a specially equipped place would be the best option. This, as a rule, is a container of a closed or open type or a box with access to the inside.

Sometimes gardeners are interested in what “American” compost is. This is usually a bucket in which food waste is added and diluted with the ground. As it fills up, the mass is transferred to a large container or poured into the main compost bin.

Conditions for compost

AT compost heap it is allowed to make all organic substances that can decompose. These include, among other things, hay and straw. Do not add fresh feces to the compost, because they are composted separately, mixed with peat and earth, for at least several years.

In order for the microorganisms that provide fermentation to process everything that is added to the compost heap, and then produce humus from it, certain conditions are created, since they require good nutrition to work. They get carbon from plant waste, and nitrogen must be provided by appropriate additives, which are animal manure.

Cow manure is added about twenty percent of the volume of the entire heap, and less concentrated bird droppings are required. If there are difficulties with the presence of this ingredient, then it is replaced leguminous plants, young nettle or grass.

The preparation of compostane does without such components as fertile soil saturated with microorganisms and fermentation stimulants. To create a more high-calorie composition, fused phosphate is added or at the rate of six kilograms per cubic meter and potassium ( wood ash or in the amount of two kilograms per cubic meter.

While creating necessary conditions and the correct design of the compost pile warms up, accelerating the decomposition of residues.

What is not made from compost

One of the popular hobbies among people is gardening and horticulture. For their successful management, it is necessary to have certain skills, one of which is knowing how to prepare fertilizer for garden plants.

To obtain high-quality compost, it is important to understand what components it should not contain:

• plastics;
• fats;
• synthetic materials;
• bones;
• fat;
• meat and dairy waste.

The last three are undesirable because they smell bad and attract rodents. It is allowed to add them in small quantities for quick decay and in the very middle of the compost bin.

Remembering what compost is, you can’t make a garbage pit out of a heap by putting the following components into it:

• human feces and pet waste to avoid helminthic infection;
• rags, glossy paper, stones, bones, rubber, as they do not decompose in a compost bin;
• disinfectants and chemicals;
• remains and waste of food of animal origin, causing rotting;
• plants affected by diseases and pests to be burned;
• roots and stems with weed seeds, as they do not lose their germination in the process of overheating.

"Green" elements

The components of a compost heap can be divided into two categories:

• "green", which contains a significant amount of nitrogen;
• "brown", which has virtually no nitrogen, but includes a lot of fiber.

The green group includes kitchen waste, tops, bird droppings, legume hay, green leaves, squeezes, various fruits. The processes of decay of these components occur quickly enough, it occurs with heating and an increase in temperature inside. For the most favorable flow, it is necessary to properly prepare the raw materials.

To make grass compost, greens and leaves are dried before being put into the compost bin. If this is not done, then the mass in the compost heap will be compacted and will not let air through, which will lead not to decay, but to souring, and poisonous fertilizer will be obtained. Also, layers of greenery are shifted with dry foliage and sawdust.

A wonderful basis for compost is hay, but you need to remember that each layer must be covered with ready-made humus or wetting with herbal tincture to speed up the reproduction of bacteria and, therefore, speed up the composting process. Dried hay is watered with manure solution, kitchen waste or water.

Kitchen leftovers and fruits are shifted with brown elements, and bird droppings are diluted with water.

"Brown" component of the compost heap

The brown category includes bark, seed husks, paper, dry leaves. Also included are sawdust, corncobs, straw, chaff, manure. Compost containing these components acquires the necessary porosity, as they play the role of leavening agents and retain air and moisture.

The processes of overheating of these components are quite long and occur without the formation of heat. During their decay, the amount of nitrogen in the compost decreases somewhat. Therefore, when forming a pile, brown ingredients should act as auxiliary layers that feed the bacteria. A good way to support this process is to water the heap with urea in the proportion of one and a half to two kilograms per cubic meter of the heap.

The most suitable manure for compost is straw, or horse, worse - pork. When using the latter, it should be transferred with straw, sawdust or husks, before laying, liming should be done in the ratio of a couple of kilograms per cubic meter of raw material and kept until fully ripe.

Proper application of fertilizer

After the compost has matured and turned into organic fertilizer, it is important to use it correctly, for the benefit of plants. Tips for gardeners and gardeners can be given the following:

• With ready-made compost mixed with ash, it is possible to dig up the trunk circles of young seedlings if they are weak and do not grow well. Mix a layer of earth about twenty centimeters.
• It is imperative to add compost under the currant and gooseberry bushes, between the rows of raspberry and strawberry bushes.
• Having previously added lime to the compost, the mixture is applied under cabbage and cucumbers, mixing ten centimeters with a layer of earth.
• Fertilization of the land in autumn can be done by introducing unripe compost into the soil, covering these places with a film for the winter so that valuable substances are not washed off by precipitation. Fertilizer will ripen by spring.

Compost bin dimensions

The ingredients for cooking are stacked in a compost bin in a certain way. If the bookmark is made correctly, the heap will not allocate into the ground harmful substances, and also will not annoy with a strong unpleasant odor.

Therefore, compliance with the dimensions of the compost bin is a rather important point, otherwise a comfortable temperature and humidity regime for the maturation of compost will not be created. The most acceptable dimensions of the compost bin can be considered one and a half meters wide and about twenty meters high. The length is optional, but more than one and a half meters. A smaller pile will not warm up well and will lose moisture quickly, which will slow down the maturation of the fertilizer.

It is also desirable to arrange a compost bin constantly in the same place. This will lead to the reproduction of the necessary microorganisms and the rapid settlement of new heaps with them.

How to make a compost heap

Fertilizing the soil in autumn is of great importance for the ripening of a good harvest. Therefore, it is the task of any gardener to properly organize a compost bin to obtain useful organic fertilizer.

1. In a shaded area of ​​the site, allocate a site for a compost bin and prepare it: level it, remove extraneous roots (especially weeds).
2. Enclose the place with boards, slate or shields.
3. For an unhindered outflow of liquid, put a drainage on the bottom, consisting of sand, gravel, or a fine grate or mesh.
4. Next, a layer of already matured last year's fertilizer is placed - it will become a source of bacteria for fermentation.
5. The components for the bookmark must be crushed with a shovel.
6. Brown and green layers are laid alternately, while not forgetting that the green mass should be no more than a third of the total volume.
7. Between the layers, you can add a little or a fermentation stimulator.
8. Closer to the top, the width of the pile should converge conically.
9. The top of the pile is covered with straw or boards (for air access).

Fertilizer ripening conditions

Horticulture and horticulture are quite common, but to be successful, you need to have some knowledge, including how compost matures.

Fermentation and maturation of compost lasts from several months to a couple of years, depending on the conditions created and the preparation of the components: the volume of the heap, the size of the crushed ingredients, the fermentation mode.

It is important that the temperature inside the heap reaches sixty degrees Celsius or more, which will speed up the process of overheating and the death of pests. Equally significant is the sufficient access of air and moisture to the components of the pyramid.

Tips for gardeners and gardeners on arranging a compost heap

A few tips for caring for your compost pile:

1. With the onset of heat and drought, in the morning on a clear day, the pile must be watered abundantly with the addition of fermentation accelerators until all layers are wetted, which requires a lot of water.
2. A couple of times a season, the heap needs careful shoveling of the layers.
3. The compost bin left for the winter needs to be insulated - covered with humus or peat and covered with straw. AT next year this "lid" will come in handy for the new heap.
4. Compost can only be used when it has matured, having a loose, uniform structure with the smell of damp earth and rotten leaves (without mold and fungus).
5. You can not arrange a compost bin in a pit to avoid rotting due to stagnant water.

The article discusses what compost is, how to properly prepare and use it. This knowledge is important for people involved in gardening, as the fertility of the land and the abundance of the harvest depend on them.

High-quality agricultural technology and a good harvest require soil fertilization. Compost is one of the most common basic ingredients that summer residents use everywhere. The fact is that in the country it is not so difficult to make compost with your own hands, because everything you need to organize the process is at your fingertips.

Many gardeners prefer to prepare the compost themselves, as this not only saves time and money, but also reduces the amount of hassle, which is always enough on the site. In order to understand from what and how to make fertilizer correctly, it is important to understand how the procedure for its formation takes place. In fact, composting is a natural process of decomposition of organic waste. In the process of fermentation, a fertile loose composition is obtained, which is suitable for any soil. The most common way to make compost with your own hands is to collect leftovers from the kitchen and organic garbage in one pile. After that, bacteria begin to work, which will process "yesterday's" borscht and fallen leaves into humus. As a rule, you can prepare compost in different ways, however, the whole process comes down to using the aerobic or anaerobic method.

From what you can make garden "gold" with your own hands:

• cut grass;
• foliage that falls in autumn;
• droppings of cattle and birds;
• peat residues;
• tea leaves and coffee;
• egg shells, provided that they have not undergone heat treatment;
• peel and remains of raw vegetables and fruits;
• thin branches;
• straw, sawdust and seed shells;
• shredded paper or cardboard.

• vegetable peel after boiling or frying;
• diseased leaves and branches;
• weed plants;
• citrus peel;

Thus, compost waste is divided into two types: nitrogenous (manure and bird droppings, grass, raw vegetables and fruits) and carbonaceous (fallen leaves, sawdust, finely shredded paper or cardboard). When preparing your own compost heap, it is important to stick to a 5:1 ratio, i.e. most of it consists of brown components, which are the basis for feeding beneficial bacteria. One part of the pile is green waste. To speed up the process, shredded paper, corn and sunflower shoots, sawdust, dry leaves and grass are used as brown components.

Green components are essential for beneficial microbes, and they decompose quickly. The lack of green part can lead to a lengthening of the time period required for composting. If you go too far with the green part, then the pile will smell unpleasantly of ammonia (rotten eggs). The remains of meat and fish products should not be included in the compost in the country, as they take longer to decompose, and there will be an unpleasant smell around.

How to do

The balance of the components is the golden rule at the stage when you are already ready to make garden "gold" in the country with your own hands. A properly stacked pile emits an odor fertile soil, if you hear an unpleasant smell, then you need to add brown residues. In order for the process of processing residues to start, the temperature in the center of the pile must reach 60-70 degrees. It should feel warm from it, but if it seems cool to the touch, then you need to add greenery.

Second important rule compost heap - constant humidity. It should be like a damp "rug", but not wet. If you notice that a crust is forming, then you need to add a little water. The aerobic composting process requires a constant supply of oxygen, so the pile must be turned frequently. The more often you turn the compost, the faster the finished fertilizer will ripen. You can properly prepare compost in the country in a fast and slow way. Beginning summer residents usually use the first option.

This requires a special box made of wood or plastic, where all the components will be laid. If there is no box, then you can use a pit with wooden logs. The main thing is that oxygen can freely flow from above and to the side to the contents. Laying components in layers or at random is up to you. Consider the option of laying a compost pit in layers:

• at the bottom it is necessary to put straw, hay or spruce branches to create a drainage layer;
• small branches of trees and waste of fruits that are not subject to heat treatment;
• a layer of shredded paper or cardboard;
• foliage;
• cut grass and remnants of annuals.

When laying, follow the rule - one layer is dry, the second is wet, and alternate soft waste with dense. To speed up the process, you can use nitrogen supplements, manure, dandelions and nettles. You can cook even with rotted manure or ordinary soil. To create a steam effect, the pit or box is immediately covered with a film or rags. Turning the contents of the compost store is required once or twice every thirty days. The slow method of preparing compost requires almost similar laying actions, only it will take several years to wait for the finished result, for the quality finished material, will be much better.

Video "How to make compost in the country"

In this video you can hear and see how to make compost in the country.

Where to lay

To prepare it in the country, you will need to prepare a place where all the components will be laid. As a rule, a box or a hole in the backyard is used for this. Not rotten boards and planks are suitable for making a box. It is important that there is no rot, paint or oil residue on the surface of the wood. Most the best way- this is not a cut pine in the form of a board or a bar. It is this material that allows you to make a solid and at the same time "budget" box.

When choosing a drawer installation, it does not matter whether the surface is flat or elevated. It is advisable to prepare a place for the compost heap slightly above ground level. Such a measure is necessary so that the soil is not washed away. Further, it is necessary to make a large box from a bar or board, while leaving gaps between the planks for oxygen access. We install the supports and three finished walls of the box on permanent place. We make the fourth wall removable so that it is convenient to ted and extract fertilizer. At the bottom of the pit, you can put a sheet of old linoleum.

Practical use

The use of mature compost, if all the processes have been done correctly, is already possible in 2-3 months. The substance should be crumbly, slightly wet and dark brown in color. If the mixture smells like earth, then the compost is ready. It is possible to prepare and apply fertilizer throughout the year for almost all crops. It is used when planting trees, shrubs and perennials. A little compost does not fit when planting vegetables in the hole. A thin layer on the surface of the lawn will be an excellent stimulant for the growth of juicy and dense grass, and making compost with your own hands is not difficult at all.

Video "How to make good compost"

In this video you can hear tips on creating good compost.

Any plant develops better and bears fruit in fertilized soil. One of the most affordable and common fertilizers for the garden and garden is compost. About what ingredients can be used to make compost, how to make compost at home or in the garden, what crops this fertilizer is used for, whether it is worth buying ready-made compost and which of the proposed compositions to prefer, we will tell in our article.

What is compost

Compost (lat. Compositus - composite)- This is a fertilizer that is formed during the decomposition of organic substances under the influence of microorganisms. Composting is a natural method of recycling and processing organic waste, which improves soil structure and saturates poor or depleted soil with substances necessary for plants. But don't confuse garden compost with those soil mixtures, which under this name are sold in garden centers and pavilions. If you make your own compost, this best of all organic fertilizers will cost you nothing. There are many recipes for making compost, and we will introduce you to some of them.

What can be composted and what can not?

Can:

• raw cereals, fruits, vegetables and their cleaning and trimming;
• sunflower stalks, corn stalks, garden and melon tops, dry leaves, mowed hay;
• sleeping tea and coffee grounds;
• leftover food;
• thin branches and shoots, untreated and unpainted wood, including sawdust and chips;
• straw, seed husks, nut shells;
• bird droppings and fresh herbivore manure;
• paper - napkins, packaging cardboard, xerox paper and newspapers in shredded form;
• peat;
• shredded natural fabrics - linen, cotton, wool, silk, hemp and linen fire;
• down and feathers of birds, animal hair.

It is forbidden:

• large and hard meat bones;
• ash from a stove or fireplace;
• synthetic materials and fabrics;
• peel from citrus plants;
• perennial rhizomatous weeds, especially when flowering or seeded;
• plant residues affected by diseases or treated with herbicides;
• insect pests and their larvae.

Experts still do not have a consensus on whether it is possible to add human and carnivorous feces to the compost, as well as on the question of whether the remains of milk, fat, meat and fish can be added to the compost.

The process of converting grass, food and household waste into organic fertilizer is conditionally divided into three parts:

• decomposition: at this stage, the waste is heated inside the pile, changes its structure and is enriched with useful substances. As a result of transformation, useful microorganisms, fungi, earthworms appear in the compost, which help to accelerate the processing of the mass into fertilizer.
• humus formation: at this stage, it is important to ensure aeration of the pile, since without oxygen, microorganisms that organize and carry out the process of compost maturation can die. To provide air access, the mass is mixed with a pitchfork or a shovel;
• mineralization: at the stage of mineralization, decomposition of nitrogenous compounds occurs, and humus passes into mineral forms. The process reaches its maximum value after a year of compost aging.

Why is compost useful?

Firstly, it is one of the best mineral fertilizers that fill the soil with a huge amount of important trace elements.

Secondly, this is the cheapest means for soil structuring, which is carried out by increasing moisture conservation.

Thirdly, it is convenient to use compost as a mulch, which slows down the evaporation of moisture from the soil and suppresses the growth of weeds.

Fourth, you no longer have to remove or burn organic waste from the site, since it can be placed in compost pit and turn into an excellent fertilizer.

How to make your own compost

How to make compost in the country

There are two ways to prepare compost - fast and slow, which are also called cold and hot. But first, let's decide on the compost bin and the location of this bin in the garden. It is best to build a box from wooden planks or any boards that have not been in contact with toxic materials - wood stain, varnish, paint, and the like. If you want a box to serve you long years, make it from pine boards- it won't cost you much. Put together four walls, observing the gaps between the prefabricated planks - these gaps will serve to aerate the compost.

It is better to place the box (burt) on a hill so that it is not washed away by water, and away from the garden, otherwise the roots of all plants will change direction and stretch towards the compost pile. Choose a place, level the surface, dig in four supports and nail three walls to them. It is better to make the fourth wall removable or openable so that it is convenient for you to turn the compost or get it to mulch the beds. It is better to concrete the bottom of the box, or you can cover it with thick plastic wrap or old linoleum.

If you don't want to bother with nailing boards together, you can buy a ready-made plastic or metal composter in the store - a compost container with a lid, the main purpose of which is to prevent the compost from crumbling. The advantage of such containers is that they can add protein waste - meat, fish, milk, because they are tightly closed with a lid, and rodents do not penetrate into them. In addition, they retain heat well and can be moved around. And the lack of composters industrial production because they don't get air. If you are not on a tight budget, buy a local organic processing station that independently maintains the process temperature and is equipped with a control system. In the end, you can make a cylinder of the desired height and width from a chain-link mesh and put waste for composting into it, but it will be inconvenient to get compost from such a container and dig up the mass in it.

When can you compost? There is no strict framework in this matter: you can start laying layers in the spring, after pruning trees and shrubs, and replenish the layers as organic material arrives. In autumn, fallen leaves, tops of vegetables and gourds. Achievements modern science even allow compost production in winter. But first things first.

How to make compost? At the bottom of the composter or pile, lay chips or cuttings of branches that will serve as drainage material, and then start filling the composter layer by layer, and the more types of organic matter you put in the compost, the higher its quality will be. Composting involves alternating dry waste with wet and green with brown (nitrogenous with carbonaceous). The so-called green layer is filled with waste that is a source of nitrogen - trimming and peeling vegetables, small twigs, green tops, and in the brown layer - torn newspapers and other paper containing carbon, fallen leaves and dry twigs. You can enrich the composition of the compost with plants that contribute to the rapid formation of humus - yarrow, dandelion, chamomile, valerian. To speed up fermentation, the compost heap is watered with a solution of mullein or bird droppings. The consistency of the mass should resemble a damp sponge, but moderation should be observed in moistening the compost, since the "flooded" microorganisms will not be able to generate heat that promotes decay.

To maintain the temperature and environment necessary for the process, a home-made composter must be covered with oilcloth, an old carpet, linoleum, or a lid knocked together from tight-fitting boards. Once or twice a month, the layers of compost should be turned over with a pitchfork to loosen the mass, achieve uniform moisture and stimulate processes that are fading due to lack of ventilation. In the heat, compost for support required humidity water from time to time.

Well, you have put compost in the box, now you need to wait until it rots. Ready compost looks like a dark, damp, crumbly mass that smells like forest soil.

The production of compost requires compliance with certain rules:

• compost shouldn't smell bad. If there is a smell of ammonia, then the processes are not proceeding correctly, and the mass can turn into poison. In this case, add torn paper to the compost to neutralize the predominance of nitrogen components in it. So that the ammonia formed during fermentation does not leave the pile in the form of fetid gas, but is processed into nitrogen, the following order of filling the container should be observed: each layer of waste should be no more than 50 cm thick, and organic layers are interspersed with layers of soil or manure 5-10 cm thick;
• everything that you put in the compost heap should be chopped beforehand, and the greens should be slightly dried so that it does not turn sour in the compost, but rot;
• before the onset of winter, you need to shovel the entire pile so that the bottom layer is at the top and the top is at the bottom;
• the height of the pile should not be more than 1.5 m, and the width should not be less than 1 m, otherwise it will be difficult for you to shovel the mass. The height of the heap is measured a couple of months after the compost is laid, since during this time it settles significantly.

quick compost

Many gardeners prefer to make quick compost: they dig a shallow (no more than 40 cm), but wide hole in an elevated area, which is filled with broken branches and chopped wood, and is covered with earth from above. In a year or two, you will have an excellent fertilizer for the garden and vegetable garden.

The fastest compost is obtained from leaves: in autumn, fallen leaves are laid in a shallow pit, layered with garden soil, watered with biostimulants (EM preparations - Baikal-M1, Humisol, Tamir, Urgasa or the like) and covered with a black film, and in mid-May this compost can already be partially used for its intended purpose. To speed up the process, you can put a “sourdough” from already rotted compost into young compost. You can speed up the process of preparing compost by such means as a solution of sugar and yeast, which should be abundantly poured over plant residues put into the composter, or nettle infusion: pour ¾ buckets of nettle with warm water, add a bag of dry yeast and put in a warm place for 5 days, after which the infusion is filtered and watered with compost.

Compost at home

You can make compost in the winter at home.

Making your own compost at home is easy. For this you will need:

• plastic bucket;
• garbage bag;
• several plastic half-liter bottles;
• a bottle of EM liquid that speeds up the composting process;
• spray;
• plastic bag for sugar;
• a bag of garden soil or purchased soil.

Make out plastic bottles cylinders of the same height, cutting off the bottom and neck, and place them on the bottom of the bucket. Place a trash bag in the bucket with a few small holes in the bottom to drain excess liquid and start filling it with chopped plant debris, spraying each three-centimeter layer from the spray bottle with the accelerator solution prepared according to the instructions. After moistening the residue, squeeze the air out of the bag, tie it tightly and press down with a load - for example, a five-liter plastic bottle of water. About every three days, empty the bucket of water that has drained from the compost - this liquid can be poured into the drain overnight to clean sewer pipes and drains in sinks. And if you dilute this liquid with water in a ratio of 1:10, you can water indoor plants with it.

As the bag fills with organic matter, spray each layer of fermentation promoter, bleed the bag out of the bag and put pressure on it - do this as long as the bag fits in the bucket. As soon as the bucket is full, put it together with the compost in a warm place to ferment for a week, then mix the compost with a little garden or garden soil, transfer it to a sugar bag and take it out to the balcony or loggia where it will now be stored.

In the empty bucket, place a new garbage bag with holes for drainage of water and start the process of accumulating and turning waste into compost again. If you do everything right, you will not hear an unpleasant smell. A sour smell can occur simultaneously with the appearance of white mold on the surface of the compost - this is a sign that the process is not proceeding correctly. To correct the situation, add finely chopped newspapers or other paper to the bucket. Put the second portion of the ripened compost into the bag in which the first batch of fertilizer is stored. Ready homemade compost can be poured into pots indoor plants, add to the substrate for seedlings or take to the country and use as fertilizer or mulch.

Compost in bags

Growing champignons is now a very profitable business, and many adapt to grow these mushrooms in their basements - this method is called intensive, in contrast to extensive, when mushrooms are cultivated in vivo. Mushrooms are grown in different ways, but the most effective method is growing in bags: it does not require high financial costs, and diseased mushrooms in one bag do not infect mushrooms in neighboring bags. The only drawback of this method can only be considered that the laying of the substrate in bags requires considerable physical effort. Compost in bags is placed on the floor in parallel or in a checkerboard pattern, and the checkerboard arrangement saves production space.

A high yield of mushrooms can only be obtained on a nutrient medium, and this requires a substrate based on compost. Compost for growing mushrooms, like garden fertilizer, can be prepared independently. For 100 kg of wheat or rye straw you will need 100 kg horse manure, 8 kg of gypsum, 5 kg of chalk, 2 kg of superphosphate and urea. Straw is cut 15-20 cm long, poured for 2-3 days with water so that it does not get wet, but moistened, then put three or four layers of straw in a pile or box in line with layers of manure, adding compost fertilizer - all urea and part of superphosphate (500 g). Then the mass is thoroughly mixed, gypsum is added, then the remainder of superphosphate, then chalk, and after adding each ingredient, the compost is thoroughly mixed each time - 4 times in total. The output is 300 kg of substrate - this amount should be enough to lay 3 m² of mycelium.

If you use not horse, but bird droppings, then the proportions will be different: 100 kg of droppings and 100 kg of straw will require 300 liters of water, 8 kg of gypsum, and alabaster is used instead of superphosphate and chalk.

Mushroom compost should mature outdoors in a place protected from the sun and rain for three weeks - during this time the components “burn out”, the ammonia evaporates completely, and the compost can be used: approximately 15 kg of compost mass is placed in special perforated bags and plant mushrooms in it.

Compost in boxes

The box growing system of mushrooms was developed in the USA in 1934 and is still popular today, mostly in the United States, Canada and Australia. Growing champignons in boxes, as well as in bags, allows you to localize the defeat of fungi by diseases and pests and provides the opportunity to keep mushrooms at different phases of development in different rooms.

Boxes are made from spruce, birch or alder boards. The volume of boxes can be from 0.4 to 2 m², and optimum depth containers - 12-15 cm. Before use, they are disinfected with a 4% formalin solution or a 2% Lysol solution. As for the substrate, the method of its preparation is the same as when growing champignons in bags.

Ready compost - is it worth buying

If you don't have time to make compost or you're afraid of not being up to the task, you can of course purchase ready-made compost. The Biud product has proven itself well - a universal concentrated and environmentally friendly biocompost that can be used both for ornamental crops and for fruit and berry crops. To create this biofertilizer, both traditional composting methods and the latest are used. Finnish technology. The basis for the compost of this brand is high-moor and low-lying peat, cattle or horse manure, poultry droppings and fur-bearing carnivorous animals. Chopped straw, sawdust of hardwood trees, dolomite flour, vermiculite and other natural preparations are used as additives. By the name of the compost, you can determine what type of manure is used in it - "Cow", "Horse", "Chicken". There is also a biocompost in the series, created to fertilize the soil in autumn, it is called “Autumn”.

has a beneficial effect on vegetable crops the use of compost during planting - fertilizer is applied to the wells one tablespoon at a time. in the pits berry bushes put 2-3 cups of fertilizer, and in the pits of fruit trees - a liter jar of compost.

Mushroom compost is also not in short supply - you can buy it both in loose form and in briquettes. However, it is still worth trying to make compost yourself, because this will require very little effort, and all the necessary ingredients are waste of your life. Start collecting and layering organic waste at home, as described in our article, and the first bucket of compost you make yourself will inspire you to build a large garden fertilizer box and start a compost heap. As a result, you will always have high-quality and free organic fertilizer in your garden.

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

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

What is compost

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

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

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

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

The prepared compost is introduced into the holes before planting garden crops in open ground or for planting in greenhouses. Or it is scattered over the site before planting the seed and lightly mixed with the soil.

What is compost made from?

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

To get safe and healthy compost, you need to arrange the right compost heaps, so there are some points to consider. First of all, the composition of such a heap. It may include:

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

Compost bin dimensions

Composting ingredients are put into the compost bin. Proper composting does not release harmful substances into the soil and does not cause inconvenience with a strong unpleasant odor.

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

compost ban

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

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

Open composting device

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

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

Building an indoor compost bin

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

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

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

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

How to make a compost heap

For the correct preparation of the ingredients of the heap, it is necessary:

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

Compost maturation

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

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

To ensure the correct fermentation regime, it is important that good moisture and air exchange is provided inside the pyramid.

Ensuring fermentation

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

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

Fallen leaf compost

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

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

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

To get a good composting result, you need to consider some points:

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