Composting

Compost is valuable and effective organic fertilizer obtained as a result of the decomposition of various materials under the influence of the vital activity of microorganisms.

Many gardeners consider compost the best natural fertilizer that can not only enrich the soil and grow crops to the envy of neighbors, but also cope with human food waste (potato skins, cucumbers, carrots, etc.), recycling tree branches, fallen leaves and grass.

Why is compost good for the soil?

Composting different materials accumulates high levels nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus in the formed heap, as well as many other elements useful for plants.

Useful trace elements are not washed away into the depths of the earth by rains, but remain on the surface and continue to nourish the roots of plants, unlike mineral fertilizers, where it happens exactly one turn.

When fertilizing with compost (humus), you do not have to worry about non-compliance with the proportion or its excess. Unlike mineral fertilizers, humus will provide as many nutrients as the plant needs.

How is compost made?

Compost pit or heap made in the form of a layered pyramid from different constituent elements.

The height of the pile is usually 1 to 1.5 m.
It is recommended to use one green (grass) for two dry elements (potato tops, dry branches).
Each layer is wetted with water.
Temperature plays an important role in making compost. Touch the pile with your hand, if it is hot or warm, then the process is going correctly and the necessary reaction is taking place inside.

Where can you compost?

The constituent layers of the compost heap are smoothed out in the form of a "pyramid" directly onto the ground.

TO benefits this method can be attributed to the lack of preparation of a special box or pit. Just choose a shady spot in the garden and make a bunch there.

TO shortcomings compost heaps can be attributed to the lack of protection of components (human food by-products) from animals. Under the influence of rains, a pile can “go” or “spread” to the sides.

A video with an example of laying a compost heap will help you do this task quickly and without difficulty.

A compost pit is a reusable place for making compost.

Simple Tips

The optimal parameters of the pit are a depth of 0.5 m. The total height of the pile is 1.5 m. The height of the fences above the pit is 1 m.
The pit is built in the shade. Direct sunlight is not allowed (it will dry out).
The depth of the pit can be up to 1 m.
The rise of the finished humus should not be difficult.
If you are faced with the choice of a concrete pit or an earthen pit, the first option is preferable.
It is better to build a pit in a place that guests who come to you do not see for obvious reasons.
Build the compost pit farther from open water sources (stream, street pump or well).
At the bottom of the pit, you can not lay slate or iron, but from the sides you can.
Earthworms will help speed up the fermentation process in a concrete pit.
Do not make a hole near trees or shrubs, they will most likely die.
The pit can be closed or open type. The first option wakes up to stop not a pleasant smell.
In a deep hole, it is more difficult to turn the compost with a pitchfork, keep this in mind when choosing a depth.

I came across an interesting photo on the Internet about how you can disguise a compost pit.

compost bin

A compost bin is a structure usually made of wood to hold layers of compost. There are open and closed types.

The best material for building a box is wood.
It is highly desirable to build a lid for the box. The rainwater can wash away all the nutrients that the compost accumulates into the soil.

Interesting idea! A free and suitable material for building a compost bin can be a pallet. Sometimes building materials are brought on a pallet and left to the owner.

What dimensions should the box be?

Usually, 1 meter, sometimes 1.2 m (height, length and width). But do not take this as a requirement, the boxes can be standing, recumbent, several pieces connected together, etc.

Multiple compost bin options

Video on how to build a box from store-bought wooden blocks.

Another interesting video about the experience of using compost bins of three types of American farmer. He shares his experience of compost production efficiency.

What is compost made from?

Compost is made from two layers, green and gray.

The green layer is the layer that contains fresh plants that are able to give off heat.

The gray layer is components that have already dried up and are able to rot.

The green and gray layers alternate in turn to give the compost the ability to breathe, without oxygen, no reaction will occur. The elements of the green layer contain an increased amount of nitrogen, and the elements of the gray layer contain carbon.

green layer

Freshly cut green grass without rhizomes.
Corn stalks, leaves.
Fresh green leaves.
Dung cow, bird, horse, etc.
Dung slurry.
River or lake silt.
The soil.

gray layer

Dry hay, straw, peat.
Dried leaves from trees.
Dry grass with roots.
Plywood, paper or cardboard.
Sawdust.

What should not be added to (spoil) compost?

It is not allowed to get into the compost: meat, fat, plastic and other oil refining waste, synthetics, lard.

And it is also highly undesirable to get into the compost:

Plants with prominent diseases (fungi, etc.). Infections can survive in the compost and infect the soil you fertilize with this humus.
Branches of tomatoes, potatoes and other branches of plants that can suffer from late blight.
Weed grasses. It is possible that weed seeds that you have composted will germinate.
Grains, fruit pits, nuts, and other rodent favorite foods.
Plants that produce a toxic substance. It can be buttercup, lily of the valley, broom, henbane.
Creeping plants should be "withered". This will ensure that the root does not grow directly into the compost.
Low-lying heap. Moisture accumulates in the lowland after precipitation, and it can cause acidification of the lower layers of the fertilizer. Consider this fact before designing.

How and why is compost watered?

In order for a bunch did not dry up in hot summer weather and the process of decomposition (fermentation) did not stop, it is watered. For these purposes, it is better to take a watering hose than a bucket or a watering can. Water needs a lot to penetrate moisture into all layers. It is better to water in the morning so that the moisture is kept in a heap all day until evening.

Advice! To activate fermentation, the compost must be in the state of a damp squeezed sponge.

During the entire fermentation process, the pile must be mixed several times, do not forget to pour water after that, a dry pile will not give a reaction.

You should also not pour a bunch of water because. it also negatively affects the reaction. Follow the rule, it's better to underfill than overfill.

Cover your pile with cling film during heavy rains to keep the pile from "floating".

Video on how to speed up the maturation process of the compost heap and why correct and timely watering is important.

How long does it take to make compost?

For the preparation of compost (rotting of green mass into humus) it may take from 3 months to 2 years.

The rate of compost maturation is affected by:

Composition. Small grass rots in just 5 months, while large tops may take 3 times longer.
The number of "shovels". During maturation, the pile must be turned several times with a pitchfork. This manipulation allows you to evenly distribute and speed up the fermentation process. It is recommended to turn the compost once a month.
Timely and correct watering. The pile should be in a sponge-squeezed state. There should be not a lot of water, but not a little, otherwise the pile will dry up.
Compost planted in warm weather matures faster. Keep this in mind before planning your heap work.
If manure is used in the compost, its maturation time increases to 2 years. During this time, pathogenic bacteria and infections die.

Liquid compost in 1 week

If there is no time or desire to wait a whole year for traditional compost (humus) to be prepared, you can take the advice of "experienced" gardeners and prepare liquid compost fertilizer, which is prepared in just 1 week.

To do this, we take freshly cut grass (without thick tops and weeds), put it in a barrel, fill it with water so that the level covers all the grass.

After a week, we collect liquid fertilizer and water our plants without fear of overdoing it. the fertilizer is weakly concentrated.

The video below will show you how to make liquid compost with ease.

Why does the compost pile smell bad?

Ammonia swing. This odor may indicate an overabundance of nitrogen-rich materials. Also, a strong smell of ammonia can come from watering too thoroughly, reduce the amount of water you water the compost with.

Smell from leftover food. If you add leftover food to the compost, over time, it can give off a very bad smell. To eliminate this inconvenience, chop up as little food leftovers as possible to quickly burn them out.

Why is a compost pile so difficult to mix?

Regular mixing of the heap contributes to the rapid maturation of the entire compost, the entry of the right amount of oxygen and the installation is necessary for the fermentation of the microclimate.

But sometimes, mixing a bunch is almost impossible. This happens when the "green" layer turns out to be very thick, and sometimes they make the mistake of laying out only one green layer, forgetting about the "gray". Such a pile just sticks together like butter, which is simply impossible to mix.

Don't be discouraged if you can't mix the pile for some reason, nature will do its job anyway, only it will take a little longer than you expected. But next time make the composition different, replace the components, try experimenting.

The compost heap is overgrown with grass (weeds), what should I do?

It is likely that weed seeds will germinate on the compost heap. A large number of useful trace elements and warmth in the middle make this place just perfect for the germination of different types of grass. But, do not run and immediately pull out sprouted grass seeds. The plucked grass can be thrown back on the pile.

☀ Good luck and all the best to you! ☀