How to make a quality compost bin or humus cylinder

The key to a good harvest is fertile soil, so most gardeners and gardeners are trying to improve the land in their summer cottages. For this, various top dressings are regularly introduced into the soil: fallen leaves, manure, mineral fertilizers, etc. The quality of fertilizers can be significantly improved by equipping a compost heap on the site, making a special compost box or cylinder.

Content

1 How to start making
2 How to compost

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, starts with a location and a blueprint. Here you can restrict yourself to an ordinary pit or put a container, or use Finnish technology, which provides for a cover (protection from the sun, moisture, animals and birds) and an opening wall. There are really a lot of options. Any amateur gardener will now easily find the most suitable way for his summer cottage.

To make a good compost bin or cylinder, you need to:

ensure that there is sufficient air supply for composting;
make a lid so that the compost is not washed off by rains and ruined by animals;
create access to the lower layers;
make a solid bottom that will not rot (slate or hard wood is considered the best option);
make sure the drawer / cylinder is wide enough.

To make a compost box with your own hands, pallets, plastic and metal barrels, garden mesh, wooden boxes, etc. are perfect.

Whichever material you choose for your compost bin, there are four key factors to keep in mind that humus is prepared correctly: moisture, air, bacteria, and time. Therefore, the structure must necessarily have holes for constant high-quality ventilation. Also, an integral element of the structure is a cover that protects the contents from unwanted high temperatures, helps to maintain the required level of humidity, and, importantly, gives 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 you bookmark;
the second is in the maturing stage;
the third is ready for use.

At the same time, the box is only necessary to maintain the conditions for the ripening 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 make your own compost bin with ease.

Each drawer should consist of four base pillars, forming a square or rectangle. Supports up to 1.2 m high are dug into the ground, supporting 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 a 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 in partial shade, as direct sunlight will kill all beneficial bacteria.

Making a cylinder out of mesh

The main disadvantage of compost bins is the lack of ventilation to quickly compost organic waste. Garden mesh construction solves this problem easily.

To make a compost container from a mesh, 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.About 30 cm you need to dig in, and attach the mesh 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 connected with a wire.

This structure 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 placed on a rotting stand and not on the ground. Otherwise, the finished fertilizer will nourish the soil under the structure itself.

Video "Mesh Compost Box"

Check out an example of a homemade compost bin made from building mesh.

How to compost

Once the box or cylinder is ready, you can start laying the composting material.

First of all, about 20 cm of "dry" material is placed on the bottom for good ventilation and drainage. This 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 will not be superfluous to add here cow dung, earth and some earthworms. When laying the layers, never compact them, 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 free-flowing 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 the compost box / cylinder: dead animals, fats, dairy products, rubber, plastic, colored and laminated paper, tomato and potato tops (it is affected by late blight, and when fertilized with such compost, young plantations also get sick).