How to make a compost pit with your own hands

What is important to know before making a compost bin?

About compost and its benefits

Compost is a natural fertilizer that is formed as a result of the decomposition of organic matter. It improves the structure of the soil, filling it with nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, and populates the fertile layer with beneficial microorganisms. This is why a compost bin is important for garden and vegetable garden.

Composting is a logical link in organic farming, which, in addition to providing free fertilizer, solves the problem of disposal beveled grass, leaves, twigs and kitchen waste.

About the working principle

Composting is an absolutely natural process, and nature, or rather microorganisms and worms, will do everything themselves, even without your participation. However, to speed up the process, it is important to maintain the most favorable conditions for them: the optimal amount of heat, oxygen and moisture.

With a deficiency of any of the components, as well as with an excess, decomposition slows down significantly and, instead of one or two seasons, can take up to several years.

About the types of compost pits

A hole in the ground is just one of the simplest options. And by the way, not the most rational. It is the easiest to make, but the earth warms up worse than other structures, so the reaction will be slower. In addition, with rain, the depression can be flooded, and then beneficial microorganisms will die, and instead of composting, rotting will begin with the release of fetid odors.

It is best to raise the structure above the ground by making something like a box from scrap materials with several sections. You can also buy a ready-made solution in the form of a plastic tank. However, they are more expensive and are always inferior in volume to homemade options.

About sizes and design

The design of a compost tank is extremely simple: it is an ordinary box, usually with a removable or opening front wall for easy loading and unloading. The most common size is close to a cube with a side of 1 m (from 0.9 to 1.2 m). Due to these dimensions, the optimum temperature is maintained inside and the decomposition process does not stop even in the cold season.

The full ripening cycle of compost takes at least one year, usually two. Therefore, in order to always have something ready at hand fertilizer, the design includes three compartments: the first one stores ready-made compost, the second one stores compost that has been ripening since last year, and the third one stores waste from the current season. Further, during operation, the sections alternate.

About materials

You can make a compost bin from anything: boards, slate, mesh, metal. It is advisable to provide holes for air penetration in all walls, or at least in the back.

Under no circumstances should the bottom be made so that worms and microorganisms penetrate from the soil into the pile, and excess moisture goes down. No film, roofing felt - at most lay a mesh if they were noticed on the site moles. But the lid is not necessary and serves more of an aesthetic function.

About what can be composted

Almost any organic matter can be recycled, and the more varied the content, the better the compost. There are two types of useful waste: green (wet) and brown (dry).

The first include freshly cut grass, weeded weeds, trimming bushes, fallen fruits and vegetables, as well as plant tops and cleaning from the kitchen. Brown ones, as you might guess, are all the same, but already quite stale and have lost moisture: fallen leaves, dry branches, hay, and also earth.

About what you can't compost

You should not throw into the compost pit something that microorganisms and worms cannot process, or something that will decompose for a very long time. This includes bones, egg shells, fish, meat and dairy waste, feathers, newspapers and paper, chipboard sawdust.

In addition, it cannot be recycled tree pruning and bushes that are clearly affected by chlorosis, rust and other diseases, as well as those treated with herbicides. Infected spores can remain in the finished compost and be transferred to a new crop, and the chemicals will harm the living creatures inhabiting the fertilizer.

It is better to burn such things or dispose of them in another way.

About choosing a place

Despite the fact that we are talking about a purely technical building, it is not worth hiding it in the farthest corner of the site. It is best when the compost pit is located next to the garden and greenhouse, not too far from home to conveniently load waste daily.

The place should be slightly shaded so that it warms up during the day, but not be in the open sun all the time. You don’t have to worry about unpleasant odors and insects: with proper composting, they are completely absent.

About filling the compost pit and caring for it

Drainage is first laid on clean ground: branches of trees, grapes, raspberries. They will ensure the free release of excess moisture and air flow.

Next, green and brown waste are laid, alternating layers. This is necessary to balance the compost, since the former contain a lot of moisture and nitrogen, while the latter, on the contrary, contain potassium, phosphorus and act as a liquid absorber.

In summer, when there are no dry leaves and grass, you should sprinkle green waste with a thin layer of earth. You can use chicken droppings or manure.

Every one to two weeks, the contents must be turned with a pitchfork to ensure uniform ripening and oxygenation. In dry weather, a bunch is desirable water water from a watering can once or twice a week. All this will speed up the reaction.

When the box is full, the contents should be mixed again, watered, optionally adding a bioactivator for compost, and then covered with film and left until completely ripened. You can additionally press with a weight so that the pile settles evenly.

How to make a compost pit from poles with your own hands

An interesting version of a compost bin, which, despite its primitiveness, looks good Location on and is easily scalable to two and three sections. At the same time, it is made very simply, quickly and with a minimum of tools.

What you will need

• Roulette;
• wooden poles;
• drill or shovel;
• hacksaw;
• screwdriver;
• screws;
• stones.

How to do

Mark a square with a side of 1 m. Use a drill or shovel to make holes 30–40 cm deep in each corner. If you want a two-section option, you will need two squares or rectangle 2 × 1 m, if three - then 3 × 1 m.

Choose thicker poles and secure them in the holes, supporting them with broken bricks or stones, and covering them with earth. Compact well and level approximately vertically.

Take the poles and lay them according to the principle of hut logs, attaching each part to the stand with a screw. Try to match the sticks one to the other so that there are no too large holes. You don’t have to make the sides 1 m high right away, but build them gradually as they are filled. At least in the first season.

Using a hacksaw or chainsaw, cut off any protruding parts at the corners. That's all. If you are making a two- or three-section box, use longer branches for the back and front walls, or take short ones and join them, inserting them into the spaces between the poles.

How to make a compost pit from slate with your own hands

Another very simple option made from scrap materials. In addition to old slate (you can even break it), you will need several slats to hold the structure together, and a shovel for digging into the ground. The structure can also be easily disassembled, providing access to fertilizer.

What you will need

• Roulette;
• slate;
• level;
• wooden slats;
• screwdriver;
• screws;
• shovel.

How to do

Mark a 1 × 1 m square and dig a trench around the perimeter half a bayonet deep - a shovel bayonet deep.

Make a box from pieces of slate, placing them next to each other and digging them into the ground. Level. For two- and three-section structures, make a rectangle, and then divide it by inserting the same slate inside as a partition.

The front part can be made lower for easier loading of material.

Make a “strap” from a lath or block around the perimeter of the box to tighten it, and fasten it with screws. Add a vertical post in the middle of the sides so that the harness does not hang in the air.

The compost bin is ready. If desired, you can drill holes in the slate with a feather drill for additional inflow air.

How to make a compost pit from pallets with your own hands

A thoughtful box with three compartments and an aesthetic design. This compost bin uses planks, which can also be "scavenged" from pallets. The advantages of the design are good aeration and comfortable stacked front walls.

What you will need

• Pallets;
• boards;
• bars;
• bolts with nuts;
• long screws or nails;
• screwdriver;
• screws;
• fittings or thin pipes;
• protective composition for wood - optional;
• drill.

How to do

Place three pallets on the long side and form a shield out of them. To connect, drill holes and tighten the parts with bolts and nuts. You can also use long screws or nails.

Place one more pallet on each side, which will act as side walls. Also fasten everything with long screws or nails.

Add two more divider trays in the middle and attach them to the back wall in several places.

Support the side walls and partitions from bursting with compost by driving into landhzhe on fittings or thin pipe on each side.

For additional rigidity, screw the jibs on each section with self-tapping screws. This step is optional.

Attach a block of wood in the center to the ends of the partitions, and then a wide board to form grooves into which the front panel pieces will be inserted. On the side walls, slide the spacer bar towards the outer edge.

Cut the boards so that they are 1.5–2 cm shorter than the distance between the partitions. If desired, treat the parts with protective compounds.

Assemble the front of the structure by inserting the boards into the grooves. For ease of loading, the height can be increased as it is filled.

How to make a compost pit from boards with your own hands

A simple option with an attractive appearance and a modular design made of boards. The original project uses five sections to organize additional space storage finished compost. However, you can make fewer compartments, such as three.

What you will need

• Board 30 × 150 mm;
• board 25 × 150 mm;
• slats 30 × 40 mm - optional;
• fittings or thin pipe - optional;
• self-tapping screws;
• screwdriver;
• saw;
• roulette;
• pencil.

How to do

From a 30 × 150 mm board, cut four pieces 900 mm long. Arrange two as shown above, remove the rest for now.

Cut five pieces of the same length from a 25 x 150 mm board and lay them evenly on top with equal gaps.

Complete the “sandwich” with the remaining 30 × 150 mm boards, then fasten everything together by screwing two long screws into each part. The partition - also known as the side wall - is ready.

According to this principle build and other shields. There should be one more of them than there are compartments in your design: in a two-section - three, in a three-section - four, and so on. Place the finished pieces on their sides as shown above and space them 900mm apart.

Make a back wall from boards 25 × 150 mm, attaching it with the same indentations as on the partitions, and also with two screws for each board at all attachment points.

Place the structure in its original position and add a strip or board from the bottom in front to prevent the walls from moving apart. You can also use thin pipe, fittings - whatever is at hand. This part will still be sunk into the ground.

From 30 × 40 mm slats (you can cut them from 30 × 150 mm boards or take ready-made ones) form grooves for the typesetting boards of the front wall. Attach from the inside to the side panels and from both sides to the partitions. The width of the grooves should be about 40 mm so that a part 25 mm thick fits into them freely.

Cut boards 25 × 150 mm long 15–20 mm shorter than the distance between the partitions. Assemble the front walls by simply dropping the pieces into the grooves. The height can be adjusted as needed.