How to make humus from weeds, grass and leaves. Useful properties and features of compost preparation Ways to use compost

Compost is a natural and free fertilizer that any gardener can make. But it's not as easy as it seems to many. Plant residues are converted into humus by living microorganisms and earthworms. In order for the compost to contain the maximum of useful substances, it is necessary to create favorable conditions for them.

What is compost and what is it for?

Compost is an organic fertilizer, the same humus that is part of many store mixes for top dressing. It is formed from plant residues, which process microorganisms and insects, mainly earthworms. As a result of their vital activity, complex substances are destroyed to simple connections, that is, they pass into a form accessible to living plants, are easily absorbed by the roots and assimilated.

Earthworms are the main builders of compost

Compost is used to improve the soil, making it loose and fertile. It is brought in:

• in soil mixtures for seedlings and indoor flowers;
• for digging the site in spring and autumn;
• in landing pits;
• under perennial crops in the form of mulch;
• as top dressing for plants that love organic matter (cucumbers, zucchini, cabbage, potatoes).

Compost bins

For the vital activity of living organisms - compost builders - they need: moderate humidity, heat and air. Based on this, the container and volume are selected. Pit pits are not suitable for composting, water stagnates in them and aeration of the lower layers is difficult. Optimal parameters compost heap or box: length and width - 1–2 m each, height - 1 m.

What can serve as a container for compost:

• barrels without a bottom;

  A barrel is the most common container used in vegetable gardens.

• boxes knocked together from boards;

  Wooden boxes - eco-friendly compost packaging

• fences made of slate or old brick with slots in the walls;

  Old slate - too suitable material for building a compost heap

• large bags for construction waste made of black and durable PVC.

  Bags are a convenient container if the compost is prepared in small portions.

If you use bags, then you do not need to make special holes for air access. The material itself will leak during stuffing, and then it will also crack in the sun or frost.

Video: answers to questions about making compost in bags

Raw materials for compost

At the bottom of the container, lay a layer of branches cut into bushes with a thickness of no more than 1 cm. And then alternate layers of green grass and dry. Drainage from branches and a dry layer are needed for air exchange.

What can become a raw material for compost, except for weeds:

• turf;
• tops, uninfected with diseases;
• flowers, vegetables, greens with roots obtained as a result of thinning or clearing the site;
• fallen leaves;
• sawdust;
• vegetable peels and peels;
• eggshell.

The subject of the dispute is carrion. Some gardeners add it to compost, others believe that the fertilizer obtained from carrion acidifies the soil, and most crops need a neutral or slightly acidic environment.

What not to add to compost:

• Pieces of bread. They will attract mice.
• Fats: leftovers from soups, broths, sauces, vegetable oil, dairy products, etc. If such waste is thrown away in large volumes, then the pile will rot for years. And a thin film of fatty waste on top of vegetable waste is quickly processed by microorganisms.
• Bones, meat, fish. These products also decompose for a long time, spreading a fetid odor around. Maggots will come. Dogs, rats will come running to your site. If you are composting such products, then use a closed bin. All components will completely rot in at least 2 years.

What to do when the container is full

To speed up the process, pour or sprinkle, according to the instructions, with EM preparations (preparations of effective microorganisms): Baikal, Vostok, Radiance, Dr. Robik, etc. They contain the necessary bacteria in a high concentration. But this is optional. It is enough to throw a layer of earth on top. It has living organisms that will immediately begin to work. Earthworms themselves will climb into boxes and barrels without a bottom.

In hot and dry weather, water the compost heap, in rainy weather, cover with a lid or film so that nutrients do not wash out. The contents must always be damp, but not flooded. If composting in a bag, then tie it up and keep it in diffused shade. In the heat under the film, microorganisms and insects will die. A good option- fill plant residues with earth with a layer of 30 cm and plant zucchini, squash, cucumbers.

Pumpkins grow well on a compost heap

When will the compost be ready?

If you used grass and only vegetable kitchen waste, then the fertilizer will be ready in 5 months, with an EM preparation - in 3, except for the cold season. At temperatures close to zero, the process slows down, and at sub-zero temperatures it stops until warm. In the middle lane and Siberia, if the bookmark was made in the fall, then compost can be taken in a year, at the end of the next warm season. In the south, where it is cold only 3-4 months a year, of course, compost will be prepared faster.

If you add fresh raw materials all year round, then it is better to make a box with a hatch at the bottom or a retractable bottom board. Your compost will be prepared constantly in small portions.

This is what a compost heap looks like with a gradual laying: at the bottom there is ready-made fertilizer, and at the top there is fresh waste

Signs of finished and high-quality compost:

• brown color;
• loose homogeneous structure without residues of the feedstock;
• pleasant smell of the forest, rotten foliage.

Video: basic rules for making compost

The main thing in the preparation of compost is to choose the right raw materials and provide conditions for the vital activity of insects and bacteria. The less coarse and long-decomposing waste in the compost heap, the faster the fertilizer will be ready. EM drugs will help speed up the process.

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Everyone knows the truth - plants develop best and bear fruit on fertile soil. But where to get it, if plants are planted on the site from year to year that absorb useful material from the earth. To nourish the soil, a multitude has been created chemicals. But do not forget that this is chemistry, and everything that you put into the soil will also go into the crop. But there is an alternative - make your own compost.

What is compost and how to make it yourself

"What is compost and how to make it?" - such a question is often asked by novice gardeners. Compost is an organic fertilizer obtained by the decomposition of various raw materials of plant or animal origin.

You can make your own compost suburban area.There are two production options natural fertilizers for a garden and a kitchen garden.

• Compost heap. This is the most common way to get compost, it is also cheap and easy. You will need to make the frame in such a way that air and moisture get inside. best material for the manufacture will be a wire mesh. Preparation of compost from the beginning of laying and until full maturation takes place in time from six months to 9 months.

Compost heap at home

• In a special box for obtaining organic fertilizers. You can buy it in the store departments "Garden-Ogorod". Such a device is protected from ingress of insects. Inside the box is a drum that turns the substance. In addition, in the middle of the container there is a hose for moistening the waste.

How to make compost?

Experienced gardeners recommend to cook organic food with your own hands. The options that give the most effective results are the compost heap or compost pit. In these cases, the decomposition of waste, their decay, is best of all, because inside the layers the temperature and humidity are practically unchanged. The timing of the maturation of organic matter directly depends on the volume of filling: the most filled pits and large ones become more quickly ready for use.

Compost heaps with the following parameters are considered the most acceptable:

• width - 1.5 m;
• length - 2 m;
• depth is about a meter.

You can double the size and make two compartments: one for storing finished compost, the second for laying a new one.

Placing a compost heap is also possible directly on the ground. It will also be well ventilated in vivo. Excess moisture must be avoided. Putting waste in a heap, do not get carried away, optimal dimensions for her:

• base perimeter - 1x1 m;
• in height - 1 m 20 cm.

compost box

Necessary ingredients for a normal composting process:

• oxygen;
• water;
• nitrogen.

In the presence of these factors, beneficial bacteria begin to act, which are involved in the course of decomposition, and thus composting occurs.

How to start preparing compost?

Before starting composting, you need to prepare a shallow pit (approximately the depth of a spade bayonet). The lowest layer in the hole should be small twigs cut off with fruit bushes or trees. This layer performs the function of drainage, allowing excess fluid to flow down.

If you already have ready-made compost, then a small part of it should be placed on the branches. This will speed up the decomposition process, beneficial bacteria from the finished humus will fall into new layers. For all subsequent layers, food plant waste or grass, leaves from the site are used. They are evenly distributed on the surface, trying to tamp, and watered. Sprinkle with earth on top.

So that the pile does not fall apart and is not carried by the wind, it is worth enclosing it with a fence of boards or wire mesh with large cells. From above it is covered with a special covering material (spunbond), in extreme cases, straw is used. So we got a ready-made composter with our own hands.

Making compost for the garden

What are the components of compost?

Compost is natural nutrient, which helps to restore the structure of the soil, increase its fertility. But first you need to know how to properly compost. T It is required to create certain conditions for composting to proceed normally:

• Creating an optimal moist environment inside the compost heap. It should approach the readings from 45 to 70%. But if it is not possible to measure the humidity readings, then this is done "by eye" - the normal moisture of the substance resembles a squeezed sponge. The temperature indicator is also important - in the range of 28–35 degrees. Over-dried waste will not decompose, and too wet waste will begin to rot. For hot and dry weather conditions compost needs watering. If it constantly rains, then you should definitely turn over the contents of the pit. Overheating of the substrate over 60 degrees is unacceptable, because with this temperature regime all beneficial bacteria are killed.
• A prerequisite is the access of oxygen to all layers of the compost heap. To do this, it constantly (about 2 times a month) needs to be shoveled, and the lower layers should be lifted up, the side layers should be moved to the center.
• The presence of bacteria and earthworms in the compost pit will have a positive effect on the process of composting biomaterials. They are involved in the decomposition of waste.

Observing all the conditions, you can make compost in the country with your own hands quickly and easily.

What ingredients can be used to make compost?

We learned how to make compost, now we need to figure out which ingredients are suitable for this. Symbolically, all components can be attributed to two varieties:

Components with increased level nitrogen, otherwise they are called green mass. These include:

• cultivated herbs;
• massive parts of vegetable and fruit plants;

Making green compost

• food waste vegetable origin;
• bird droppings, pet manure.

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This content stabilizes the carbon and nitrogen balance of humus:

Components containing carbon or brown mass. This includes sawdust from trees, straw, fallen leaves, cut branches, crushed and soaked cardboard and paper waste. In them a large number of fiber, which is food for beneficial bacteria. These components are also involved in loosening the biomaterial and saturating it with useful substances.

Before laying all the components in the compost heap, they need to be crushed. Then the processing time will be reduced. It is also important to make the correct bookmark, alternating a layer of green mass with a layer of brown. This layered arrangement will saturate the compost with oxygen and accelerate its maturation.

What is better not to add

To understand how to make compost good quality, you need to remember the main rule - do not put invalid components in it:

• In no case do not add plant mass from diseased plants, infections do not die during composting.
• Do not use large branches and other bulky pieces of trees for bookmarking, they decompose for a long time and slow down the ripening of humus.
• Weeds with seeds, even if the seeds are not yet ripe.
• Do not use synthetics, plastic, glass, glossy paper for pits.

Do not throw bottles into the compost pit

• Organic waste that is difficult to decompose - bones, fat, lard.
• The use of citrus waste is unacceptable - beneficial bacteria and insects die from them.
• You can not use the tops of potatoes and tomatoes, lily of the valley, castor beans - they contain toxic components that destroy some valuable microorganisms, decomposition slows down.

How to check compost readiness

Ripe compost has some characteristics:

• the substance inside the compost heap looks solid, there are no single components in it (leaves, stems, peelings, etc.), only thin branches can be seen;
• organics acquire a dark brown color, sometimes black;
• humus smells like forest soil after rain;
• in terms of density, the mass becomes loose, it pours well.

In general, mature compost resembles black soil, sometimes incompletely decomposed particles are found in it, it is because of them that the porosity and friability of the organic mass is obtained.

How to cause rapid maturation of humus?

Usually, as already noted, the compost becomes ready in 6-9 months. But if you urgently need to speed up the process, then there are some tricks:

• Herbal infusion. Take 5 shares of finely chopped herbs, combine with 2 shares of chicken manure and add 20 shares of water. Stir and stand for several days.

Herbal infusion for compost

• Regular baking yeast will also speed up the preparation of the humus. A tablespoon of dry yeast should be dissolved in a liter of warm water, add 200 g of granulated sugar. The liquid is ready. It moistens the contents of the compost heap.
• Helps use special preparations(biodestructors). They consist of organic matter and include many bacteria, which is why the composting process is accelerated. In the store departments you can find "Baikal-Em", "Shine" and other similar products.

Unforeseen situations during the maturation of organic matter

Sometimes when preparing humus with your own hands, there are small problems. How to be in such cases? Here are some examples:

• If there are ants in the heap, it means that it is very dry inside, decomposition has slowed down. It is necessary to loosen the contents and water abundantly.
• If mushroom mosquitoes are noticed above the compost, then take a closer look at their numbers. With a small number of them, do not worry, these midges are always in such places. But if there are quite a lot of them, then this is a sign of waterlogging the heap. Wait for a hot, dry day and air out the compost by removing the lid for a couple of days. You can also add fine clean sand from the river (dry) or sawdust.
• If the pit smells unpleasant, and the substance itself is mucous to the touch, then this indicates the presence of a large number of components of plant origin. It is necessary to balance the balance by adding solid components - crushed cardboard or paper, leaves, small branches, straw.
• If nothing changes with the compost heap, then it must have dried up. In this case, the introduction of fresh herbal vegetation or potato peelings will help to solve the problem, while moistening all the contents.

How to use compost?

Ready compost is used for all plants twice a year - in spring and autumn. They are added during digging the site, when transplanting trees and shrubs they put them in holes, when planting seedlings they add them to the beds. It is also used as a mulching material.

The amount of compost is the same as the amount of manure, that is, 15–20 kg of organic matter per square meter.

It is also possible to use mature compost in summer. It is suitable as a mulch and as an infusion for nourishing vegetation.

There is a place for the use of immature biomaterial. In the first autumn days, liquid fertilizer is prepared from 3-month-old humus. To do this, 1/3 of water is added to 2/3 parts of the unripe substance, insisted in heat for 72 hours. Most well perceived by tomatoes, cucumbers, peas, beans, beans. Apply with daily watering.

On heavy soils with a high content of clay, the autumn application of unripe humus directly into the upper layers of the soil will help. During the cold period, the mass will overheat, and in the spring earthworms will appear in it and will act as baking powder for the beds.

How to quickly make compost

Compost- this is a fertilizer obtained from organic components as a result of their decomposition by microorganisms under aerobic conditions, that is, with air access. Compost can be prepared from any organic matter, including feces, household and industrial waste. After the decomposition of the components, the waste is converted into a substance containing macro- and microelements in a form accessible to plants: nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, manganese, magnesium, boron and others.

Properly made compost has pleasant organoleptic characteristics. It is loose, homogeneous, does not stick to the hands, does not release moisture when compressed. Compost looks like a crumbly mass of dark color. It smells like fresh earth.

For composting you need:

• positive temperature;
• oxygen access;
• optimum degree of hydration.

There are many compost recipes in which superphosphate, gypsum, lime and other sometimes unexpected substances are added to organic matter. But ordinary compost is made from one organic matter. Such a mass is a universal fertilizer on which any cultivated plant will grow by leaps and bounds.

Usually compost is prepared in the country or personal plot, on sites under open sky. Organic waste is piled in a heap, pile or in, from which it will be convenient to get it. The last condition is necessary, since the compost has to be mixed several times during the season so that there are no compacted places in the center of the heap that do not receive oxygen. Mixing the compost accelerates maturation, that is, the decomposition of organic matter and the transformation of stems, leaves, branches and peelings into a homogeneous loose mass that does not resemble the smell and color of the raw material.

When does it make sense to make homemade compost? This can be useful for indoor flower lovers who want to feed plants with a natural substance. Or avid summer residents who can prepare several bags of fertilizer over a long winter, saving on buying humus or manure.

How to make compost

Peat manure compost made from peat and manure, taken equally. You can take any manure: horse, sheep, cattle, chicken and rabbit droppings. In addition to pigs - due to the nutritional characteristics of their manure, an exorbitant amount of nitrogen - this will spoil any soil.

Compost from sawdust and slurry- instant fertilizer. It can be used to fertilize plants a month and a half after laying the compost heap. For composting, slurry is poured between the sides of peat or sawdust. For 100 liters of slurry, 100 kilograms of bulk materials are used. After peat or sawdust absorb the slurry, a heap is formed from the mass, in which composting processes will immediately begin. It is useful to add phosphorus to the mixture at the rate of 2 kg of superphosphate per centner of organic matter.

Peat-fecal compost done like the previous one, but instead of slurry, use the contents country toilets. It will not work to replace peat with sawdust, since sawdust does not absorb odors so well. Such compost is not used on vegetables, but for the garden and perennial plantings, including ornamental crops he will fit.

No need to be afraid of helminthiasis. In the compost heap, the mixture is heated to 80 degrees. At this temperature, human helminths die along with eggs and larvae.

Garden multi-ingredient compost- universal fertilizer for gardens and kitchen gardens. For composting, garden waste is laid: weeds, cut shoots, fallen leaves, tops. The result is a black, odorless, fine-grained texture that is oily to the touch. As some gardeners say, looking at such compost, “I would eat it myself.”

For the composting process to bring good compost, a bunch of at least twice a season needs to be shoveled, moving to another place. Fertilizer will be ready in at least a year.

earth manure compost- instead of peat, they take ordinary earth. For 70 parts of manure there should be 30 parts of soil. Components are laid in layers. The soil will absorb the solution released from the manure and will not allow the nitrogen to "escape" from the manure heap as a gas (ammonia).

Manure-earth compost contains 3 times more nitrogen than in the humus obtained by overheating manure in heaps. Having laid a manure and earthen heap in the spring, in the fall you can already get high-quality, highly nutritious compost.

To prepare compost in the apartment, you do not have to use peat or soil. One of the advantages of the technology is that compost can be made from kitchen waste alone. Fertilizer prepares itself. To prepare it, you do not need to buy anything special, except for a plastic bucket - that's why it is sometimes called " plastic compost».

How to make your own compost

Let's take a closer look at how to prepare compost in an apartment. Fertilizer matures in a suitable compost container under the action of a leaven from special microorganisms. At the bottom of the bucket you need to put a grate. The top of the container should be tightly closed with a lid. Experts call the fertilizer obtained in this way "Urgas".

Any food waste is suitable for composting: peeling vegetables, dried bread, banana peel, egg shells, melon peels, etc. The more components in the compost mixture, the higher the nutritional value.

Protein products and fats are unsuitable for the production of compost in plastic buckets: meat, fish (including bones), seeds, bones, seeds, kernels, dairy products.

Steps for making your own compost:

1. Place a rack in a plastic bucket.
2. Make 5 holes in the garbage bag with an awl - the liquid formed as a result of fermentation will drain through them.
3. Insert the bag into the bucket so that its bottom is on the grate.
4. Place food waste in a bag, crushing them so that the size of each piece is no more than 3 centimeters.
5. Lay the waste in layers, moisten each layer with a solution of the EM preparation from a spray bottle.
6. Squeeze the air out of the bag and place a load on top.
7. Fill the bag with waste as it accumulates in the kitchen.

EM liquid is a preparation containing strains of microorganisms that quickly decompose organic waste. Known EM fluids:

• Baikal,
• Urgas,
• Humisol,
• Tamir.

After filling the bag to the top (this can be done gradually, as kitchen waste accumulates), it is kept at room temperature for a week, and then transferred to the balcony.

By this time, liquid will accumulate at the bottom of the bucket - this is not a production waste, but a valuable substance enriched with bacteria that can be of great benefit to household. After treatment of the toilet bowl or cat litter with this liquid, the bad smell. For the same purpose, liquid can be poured into sewer pipes. In addition, it is suitable for watering indoor plants.

Compost, obtained with the help of preparations at home, is taken to the dacha in the spring. By this time, a dozen or two plastic bags with urgaz accumulated on the balconies. It is applied to the beds in the same quantities as regular compost.

How to make compost at home

Compost in the country can be prepared in a homemade composter, made in the form of a box, or in a converted old 200-liter metal barrel. Stores sell garden or landscape composters. They are neat containers with a lid that fit well into the surrounding landscape.

Composters can only be used in the warm season. When frost occurs, the container is freed from the contents.

Otherwise, a thermal composter is arranged - in such a device it is possible to process vegetation into fertilizer 365 days a year. Thermocomposters work even in frost. It is a large thermos, which accumulates the heat released during the decomposition of organic matter.

A vermicomposter is another composting tool available in stores. In it, not microorganisms, but soil worms will work on the production of compost, converting vegetation and kitchen waste into humus. Vermicomposter can be put at home, as it does not emit an unpleasant smell. Earthworms and Californian worms are used to decompose waste.

Composting in a heap or composter consists of several stages.

1. At the first stage - mesophilic- the raw material needs to be moistened. Colonies of microorganisms can develop only in a humid environment. The more crushed raw materials, the more water will be required for moistening, but the compost will also mature several months faster. The fact that the mesophilic stage is completed will be indicated by the subsidence of the heap.
2. Second phase - thermophilic. The temperature rises in the heap. It can heat up to 75 degrees, while harmful bacteria and weed seeds die, and the pile decreases in size. The thermophilic phase lasts from 1 to 3 months. At the thermophilic stage, the compost heap needs to be shaken at least once after the temperature has dropped. After moving the mass to a new place, the temperature will rise again, as the bacteria will receive oxygen and increase activity. This is a normal process.
3. Third stage - cooling, it lasts 5-6 months. During this time, the cooled raw material overheats and turns into compost.

Compost conditions:

• The heap or composter is placed in the shade, as the sun will dry the ingredients and they will often have to be watered, doing extra work.
• It makes no sense to lay a small compost heap - with a lack of raw materials, bacteria will not be able to develop and the plants, instead of overturning and turning into fertilizer, will dry out.
• Optimal Height heaps - one and a half meters, width - a meter. Larger sizes make it difficult for oxygen to enter the heap and instead of aerobic bacteria, putrefactive bacteria will multiply there. That is, instead of fragrant crumbly compost, you get foul-smelling mucus.
• Throughout the season, compost any plant debris. If the plot is small and there is not enough weeds and tops for the volume of the heap, borrow from neighbors who did not guess to start a composter.

Is it possible to put in the compost weeds that have managed to inseminate and cultivated plants with signs of disease, for example, tomato leaves affected by late blight? After heating in a compost heap, weed seeds and spores of harmful microorganisms lose their ability to germinate, so plant residues can be composted. The exception is plants affected by viruses. They need to be burned immediately after removal from the garden.

Sometimes it is advised to lay compost on a pillow of clay, peat or sand. If the heap is laid without faeces and slurry, then a pillow is not needed, as it will prevent earthworms from penetrating into the heap, and without them, the maturation of the compost will be delayed.

Microbiological preparations or bird droppings will help speed up the maturation of compost. Vegetable raw materials are either sprayed with liquid or transferred with moistened broiler manure. Such piles will have to be watered more often.

How to properly use compost

Compost in the country can be applied to all soils, for any crops, in the same dosage as humus. Mature compost is brought into the furrows when planting seedlings and sowing seeds. From it you can form high beds.

The most common way to use compost is to mulch everything from trees to lawns. The compost will serve as both food and mulch.

With the help of an ordinary aquarium aerator, compost tea can be made from compost - a liquid saturated with beneficial microorganisms. Compost tea is used for foliar top dressing. The liquid not only serves as a source nutrients for plants, but also protects against fungal and bacterial diseases, since tea microorganisms are antagonists of pathological microbes.

Compost, obtained in bags in winter, is added to the mixture for growing seedlings. Seeds are not sown in pure compost, as it is a concentrate. But if you dilute it with peat or garden soil so that the compost in the mixture is 25-30%, then you get an optimal mass in terms of acidity, mechanical composition and nutrient content, in which any seedlings will grow.

Growing plants directly in compost is possible. Summer residents traditionally, right on the heap, sow, or gourds, but by this time the maturation of the compost should be completed.

A compost heap in which thermophilic processes take place can be used to obtain early crops of cucumbers. To do this, deep (40 cm) holes are made on the heated mass, they are covered with fertile garden soil, in which cucumber seedlings are planted. The reception allows you to make a race in the cultivation of vegetables for at least 1 month. If you put wire arcs on the compost heap and stretch a film over the plants, then you can get a crop 2 months earlier.

Compost is indispensable for growing carrots. Manure and humus should not be applied to the beds where carrots will be sown - because of them, the roots are deformed, take on an ugly shape, and branch. Compost is another matter. It can be applied even in spring before sowing seeds.

Many gardeners and gardeners are trying to switch to organic farming, the basis of which is the natural fertility of the soil with the use of organic matter and compost. But it is not always possible to purchase high-quality humus, and even more so there is no guarantee that it consists of necessary components and maintained under all conditions. Indeed, if the norms of its preparation are ignored, biofertilizer becomes a breeding ground for weeds, pests and diseases.

By making your own compost, you can solve the problem of soil fertility on your site. After all, this organic fertilizer is not inferior in nutritional value to humus. And for its preparation, it will be necessary to use purely plant residues, which, under the influence of heat and moisture, decompose and turn into a dark brown biomass with a loose structure. The process of making compost will require certain efforts, knowledge and time from the gardener.

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What is compost and its uses

Do not confuse store-bought compost with garden compost, as this is completely different mixtures. Compost is an organic mixture that not only helps provide plants with the nutrition they need, but also greatly improves soil structure. Its preparation is based on the natural fermentation process due to the vital activity of bacteria and earthworms.

Experts highlight other advantages of using biofertilizer on the site:

• in clay soil- improves moisture permeability;
• in sandy soil - prevents excessive evaporation of water;
• increases the number of beneficial microorganisms in the soil;
• reduces financial expenses for the purchase of mineral fertilizers;
• eliminates the need to remove most of the garbage from the site.

Depending on the season, there are certain rules use of compost on the site:

1. 1. In the spring, before planting the main crops, biofertilizer should be applied at the rate of 10 liters per 1 meter of area, and on poor soils, this rate is recommended to be increased to 15 liters, followed by digging the site. When used in a greenhouse as a warming soil pad, the compost layer should be at least 25 cm.
2. 2. In summer, organic fertilizer can be used as a nutritious mulch, which will not only provide plants with good nutrition, but also prevent excessive evaporation of moisture from the soil. It can also be used as compost tea. To do this, it is necessary to tie 1 kg of fertilizer in a gauze bag and lower it into a bucket of settled water for infusion, after 2 hours it is necessary to water the cultures with the resulting solution.
3. 3. In autumn, unripe compost can be introduced into the soil, followed by digging at the rate of 10–15 liters per 1 meter of area. During the winter, the decomposition process will be completed, and by the beginning of the next season, a fertile upper layer earth. If necessary, bio-fertilizer can be left in the basement for planting seedlings in the spring, but for this it should be folded into bags and pre-sieved to remove earthworms.

Allowed and Invalid Components

The composter must be located at a safe distance from sources drinking water(at least 20 m) and at home (10 m).

Before you start building a compost heap, you should study the components that should be used and which should not be used. After all, the quality of the ingredients used depends on how nutritious the biofertilizer will be.

Useful ingredients for composting:

• cut grass and weeds before seed formation;
• tea leaves and coffee grounds after preparation of drinks;
• wood ash;
• residues of products that have not been exposed heat treatment(peeling from vegetables and fruits, egg shells);
• tree shoots and thin branches;
• paper, cardboard without chemical dyes;
• natural feathers and wool;
• sawdust, straw, sunflower husks.

In the case of a slow decomposition process over 2-3 years, parts of evergreens and spruce needles, as well as bird droppings and pet dung, can be added.

• plants affected by fungal and viral diseases;
• herbal products that have undergone heat treatment;
• weeds with ripe seeds;
• ash and ashes obtained by combustion inorganic substances(coal);
• plants treated with herbicides;
• perennial malicious weeds (thistle, wheatgrass);
• plastic and synthetic materials;
• bones;
• fats and residues of meat and dairy products.

Many gardeners prefer to include carnivore and human feces as well, but experts say that for their safe and complete processing, it is necessary to use specially designed composting toilets.

The principle of laying a compost heap

There are a lot of composting methods, but their principle is basically the same. Initially, it is recommended to lay a drainage layer of small branches or lignified weeds 20 cm thick on the bottom, and then lay the main components. At the same time, it is recommended to alternate organic waste with layers of soil, manure or peat, and they do not need to be compacted. This will keep air available for beneficial microorganisms involved in the decomposition process. This method is considered fast and allows you to get ripe compost within 6-12 months.

There are a few basic composting rules to keep in mind:

1. 1. Maintain a constant moisture content of the mixture. This allows the heat to be evenly distributed throughout the compost heap.
2. 2. All green parts of plants must be slightly dried before laying. The procedure helps to avoid acidification of plant waste.
3. 3. The composter must be covered. This will eliminate waterlogging and drying out of the fertilizer, and will also help maintain the necessary microclimate inside, which contributes to the active decomposition of residues.
4. 4. All compost ingredients must be crushed. This will greatly speed up the process of formation of nutrient soil mixture.
5. 5. Do not place compost heaps in the garden. Experienced gardeners claim that trees and shrubs growing near the collar are able to redirect their roots to the nutritious side, thereby pumping out all the nutrients. If there is no other place, then you should install a certain barrier and cover the bottom of the composter with parchment paper or make a concrete base.
6. 6. Compost should not exude a fetid smell of decay. So that the bio-fertilizer does not begin to smell unpleasant and does not cause an association with a rotting pile, it is necessary to observe the order of the layers, that is, pour organic waste with earth or manure. This will allow the ammonia produced during fermentation to be converted to nitrogen instead of releasing gas. If an unpleasant odor is present, add dry grass, straw or sawdust and mix a bunch.
7. 7. The height of the pile should not be less than 1.5 meters, and it must be measured 30–60 days after laying.
8. 8. Compost must be turned over once every 2 weeks. This procedure should be carried out with the help of a pitchfork, laying out the contents in the adjacent compartment of the container, and the next time - vice versa. This improves air circulation and promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria. As a result, the decomposition process will be accelerated, and the compost will acquire the smell of fresh forest land.
9. 9. Properly prepared compost, when squeezed in the hand, should restore its shape and not release moisture. If water flows out of it, then it is waterlogged. You can eliminate this by opening the compost to dry or adding dry peat, soil or manure to it.

Most fast way composting involves laying grass and fallen leaves. It is best to prepare this pile in the fall, putting the leaven from the previous compost on the bottom, and pour the mixture abundantly with a biostimulant, pour a layer of earth on top and cover with a dark film. During the winter, the components have time to completely decompose, and then the fertilizer can be used already at the end of May.

There is also a method of slow maturation of the compost. For him, you need to dig a hole not too deep, but wide. It is necessary to lay branches, rotten logs and wood trimmings in crushed form in it. If available, you can add additional herbivore manure. Cover the resulting mixture with a layer of soil and leave for the decomposition process. After 2–3 years, a full-fledged high-quality fertilizer is formed in the pit.



How to speed up the decomposition process?

The process of decomposition of organic components occurs within 8–12 months, but if desired, it can be accelerated by watering the layers as they are laid and further stored with special solutions. They are catalysts that activate the biological processes of decomposition.

Mandatory watering of compost

Most simple option is watering the compost with ordinary water throughout the entire storage process. It should be done at least once a week. But it is also possible to use a solution of sugar and yeast directly during the formation of the collar. This mixture should be abundantly moistened with all layers. This procedure contributes to the rapid heating of the mixture, which stimulates enhanced processing of organic matter.

Another option is based on the use of nettle infusion. To prepare it, you will need to grind the aerial part of the plants and pour warm water in a ratio of 2: 1. Add 1 pack of dry yeast and leave in a warm place for 3-5 days. When the fermentation process stops, it is necessary to pour the already formed compost mass on top.

The fastest solution is to use special accelerator preparations, which are sold in specialized stores. Baikal-EM1, Tamir, Vozrozhdenie have proven themselves well. Application is carried out according to the attached instructions.

How to determine the readiness of compost?

The process of compost maturation occurs under the influence of certain conditions. And therefore it is not always easy to determine its readiness for further use.

1. 1. Plant waste cannot be recognized in the total mass. The readiness of the compost can be determined by its uniform structure and dark brown hue, that is, the layers that were formed during laying are no longer visible in it.
2. 2. Characteristic smell. Ripe compost acquires a pleasant smell of freshly dug forest land.
3. 3. Screening without residues. Ready compost can be determined by passing the fertilizer through a garden sieve. If there are lumps that cannot be sifted, then it is still immature.
4. 4. Absence of worms. On the initial stage decomposition, the temperature in the pile rises, which attracts a large number of earthworms. But when the process is nearing completion, there is no plant residue left in the compost heap, which they process into humus. Therefore, over time, they leave their homes.

Kinds

There are several basic composters that are used by gardeners in their summer cottage. Which one to use, everyone decides on their own based on their capabilities and preferences.




Do-it-yourself box made from improvised means. Often used for this wooden planks, which are attached to the corner posts with a gap of 10 cm. This guarantees sufficient air exchange inside the structure. From above, the composter can be covered with both a regular black film and a made-to-measure lid. The height of the structure must be at least 150 cm. Homemade design can be both stationary and portable.

This is nothing but fermented green weeds, grass and tops. By the way, very good fertilizer and a supplement.

How to make liquid fertilizer?

Green grass roams best. We fill the barrel with freshly cut grass, weeds, add a little urea, pour water to the top and cover with a lid. After 14 days, the green fertilizer is ready.

Before using liquid fertilizer, you need to take out the grass, and use the liquid solution for top dressing. Leave some solution for the next batch of grass.

Why are green fertilizers good?

1. Liquid fertilizer acts on the plant immediately.

2. The acidity of the soil decreases due to alkaline reaction solution.

3. Many microorganisms enter the soil, the secretions of which have a protective effect.

How to use green manure?

Dilute the infusion with water 1:1 or 1:2, water under the root of the plants, after soaking, pour water usually 1:1 (1.5), that is, from 200 liters. liquid fertilizer we get 400-500 liters. top dressing, in a week - another half a ton!

Top dressing is nitrogen, do not overdo it! In autumn, it is useful to shed all future beds with such liquid fertilizers.