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The key to a good harvest is fertile soil, so most gardeners and gardeners are trying to improve the land in their summer cottages. To do this, various top dressings are regularly introduced into the soil: fallen leaves, manure, mineral fertilizers, etc. You can significantly improve the quality of fertilizers by equipping a compost heap on the site by making a special compost box or cylinder.
How to start making
Making a compost bin with your own hands is a fairly simple task that even beginners can do. The construction process, of course, begins with the location and drawing. Here you can limit yourself to an ordinary pit or put a container, or use Finnish technology, which provides for a lid (protection from the sun, moisture, animals and birds) and an opening wall. There are really a lot of options. Any amateur gardener now without much difficulty will find the most suitable way for his summer cottage.
To make a good compost bin or cylinder, you need:
- ensure the supply of sufficient air for composting;
- make a lid so that the compost is not washed off by rain and is not ruined by animals;
- create access to the lower layers;
- make a solid bottom that will not rot (slate or hardwood is considered the best option);
- make sure that the drawer/cylinder is wide enough.
To make a compost bin with your own hands, pallets, plastic and metal barrels, garden netting, wooden boxes, etc. are perfect.
Whatever material you choose for your compost bin, there are four key factors to keep in mind that make humus properly prepared: moisture, air, bacteria, time. Therefore, the design must necessarily have holes for constant high-quality ventilation. Also, an integral element of the structure is a lid that will protect the contents from unwanted high temperatures, help maintain the required level of humidity, and, importantly, give an aesthetic appearance to the entire structure.
Making a compost bin
Experts say that the ideal option for creating a continuous fertilizer preparation cycle is to use three piles:
- the first is obtained when bookmarking;
- the second is in the stage of maturation;
- the third is ready for use.
At the same time, the box is only needed to maintain the conditions for the maturation of the fertilizer, so its construction is not too intricate and complicated.
Video “How to make a compost bin”
This helpful video will help you easily make your own compost bin.
Each box should consist of four pillars-bases, forming a square or rectangle. Supports up to 1,2 m high are dug into the ground, being the support of the entire structure. During the construction of the structure, the boards are nailed to the supports with a gap so that the contents “breathe”. The length of the boards depends on the dimensions you choose. Pay special attention to the bottom of the compost bin – it must be made of non-rotting material so that the finished fertilizer does not go into the ground (slate, concrete, brick). For ease of use, experts recommend making a door at the bottom of the structure, through which you can easily get ready-made compost in the right amount.
Remember that the compost bin must be located in partial shade, as direct sunlight will kill all beneficial bacteria.
Making a mesh cylinder
The main disadvantage of compost bins is the lack of ventilation for quick composting of organic waste. Garden mesh construction easily solves this problem.
To make a compost container from a grid, you need to take a chain-link 1 m wide. Each summer resident determines the length independently, based on the volume of compost produced. Also, for support, you will need four wooden bars or metal pipes about 1,3 m long. Approximately 30 cm need to be dug in, and the mesh should be attached to the top with a stapler or wire. The bars must be outside the structure. The joints of the ends of the mesh are also interconnected by wire.
This design can be assembled in two ways: first, attach the mesh to the bars, and then dig in the finished structure, or initially install the supports, and then pull the chain-link.
Please note that the mesh compost cylinder must be on a rotting stand, and not on the ground. Otherwise, the finished fertilizer will nourish the soil under the structure itself.
Video “Grid compost bin”
See an example of a homemade compost bin made from construction mesh.
How to compost
After the box or cylinder is ready, you can start laying the material for making compost.
First of all, about 20 cm of “dry” material is laid on the bottom for good ventilation and drainage. It can be hay, finely chopped branches, shredded cardboard, bark, sawdust or dry leaves. Then you need to alternate layers of “dry” material with fresh waste: tops, grass, organic waste from the kitchen (only of plant origin!). It would not be superfluous to add cow dung, earth and some earthworms here. When laying layers, do not compact them in any way, as the contents of the compost bin must breathe. Gradually, the pile will compact itself. The pile also needs to be systematically shifted to avoid overheating, and watered to prevent drying out.
After 2–3 months of ripening, the compost will acquire a characteristic smell of forest land, a loose structure and a dark brown color. All these signs serve as a signal that the fertilizer is ready for use.
To work with compost, it is recommended to use a separate set of tools: a pitchfork, a rake, a shovel, etc.
Please note that the following additives should not be used to lay a compost box / cylinder: dead animals, fats, dairy products, rubber, plastic, colored and laminated paper, tops of tomatoes and potatoes (it is affected by phytophthora, and when plants are fertilized with such compost, young plantings also get sick).