Is it possible to grow plants without fertilizers? Probably, this is possible, but it is not difficult to predict what the result of such agrotechnical actions will be. In other words, far from perfect. Therefore, we will not "reinvent the wheel", but we will teach you how to prepare compost or humus.
Most summer residents are used to preparing compost on their own. This makes it possible to save money and time, and also frees you from a lot of unnecessary worries.
Why you need compost
Humus is one of the best fertilizers, when applied to the soil, it is possible to fill it with a large number of trace elements. Although its price is low, thanks to the practicality of the material, it is possible to achieve the correct structuring of the soil. For example, moisture conservation increases and loosening necessary for plants is created.
Tip: If you spread the humus across the surface of the soil, you will create the best organic mulch that conserves moisture and inhibits the growth of most types of weeds on the site.
In addition to the beneficial process associated with composting, you are also making a significant contribution to protecting the environment. It is difficult to find a mineral fertilizer that can compare with high-quality humus, moreover, a properly formed pit where organic components are processed becomes a real incubator for beneficial microorganisms and bacteria.
Tip: ready-made country houses from block containers will allow you to quickly settle down in a suburban area.
By making compost, you can reduce physical labor on the site. Now there is no need to take out the garbage from the territory, since almost all can be placed in a special pit.
Garden compost - what is it
This name was given to a product that is obtained from organic debris under the influence of the environment, as well as a large number of various microorganisms and insects. It is used for structuring the soil, in the form of fertilizer and mulching.
Do not know what to do with fallen leaves in the country, branches and bark of trees, as well as their plant stems?
Then, to get high-quality and environmentally friendly compost without toxic compounds, do the following:
- put them in a specially prepared pit in a certain order or just in a pile;
- provide appropriate conditions for decay and processing.
Of course, there is a certain drawback in the method - the decomposition time of organic residues is quite long, sometimes several years. However, as a result, you will have a really high-quality product, and not bought in a store, made on the basis of incomprehensible components.
compost pit
Before moving on to the main phase, let's make a compost bin or pit. In the first case, you will have to make a box according to certain sizes and requirements.
The following guide will help you with this:
- Prepare wood planks or boards that have not previously been exposed to toxic materials and are not rotten. Otherwise, you can poison the product, irreversibly damaging its quality, or your design will simply collapse at some point.
Tip: take unedged pine boards for the box, then such a container will last a very long time, and its cost will be minimal.
- It's time to choose a place for compost to start building. It can be a hill or a flat area, there is not much difference if the groundwater is not close to the surface and the area is not rainy.
Tip: try to place the compost container just above ground level so that it does not wash away.
- Make a do-it-yourself box that resembles a standard vegetable box, only much larger. At the same time, one should not forget to observe the gaps between the planks to ensure the ventilation of the compost so that the internal biological processes take place correctly.
- Install supports at the construction site, to which attach 3 finished walls of the structure. The last side should be removable, so it will be more convenient to get humus for work.
- Put on the bottom of the box or old linoleum or something similar.
Tip: if you have difficulties with, renting a diesel generator to give will help you.
Compost making methods
Experts use a fast and a slow method. They also received another name - hot and cold.
| Fast (hot) |
Preparation in this way takes several months. It is better to start using the material from the lower layers. |
Stocking up on enough organic fertilizer for your garden is not a problem for those experienced summer residents who know how to make compost with their own hands from what, as they say, "at hand". By the way, self-preparation of compost, in addition to the quality of the resulting useful fertilizer, has another definite plus. This method helps to get rid of plant and food residues on the farm. And with maximum benefit and absolutely waste-free.
Many gardeners think that it does not matter at all from what and how to make compost. But this is a wrong opinion. The ingredients put into the compost bin directly determine how useful (!) And nutritious the fertilizer you receive will be, and whether it will harm your plants.
DIY compost: how to make and what you need to know
Proper compost is a wonderful organic fertilizer obtained by long-term decay of various plant and household residues. All this decay occurs when exposed to bacteria. But don't forget that the composting method isn't just randomly dumping everything you want to get rid of. Therefore, it is very erroneous to call a mountain of garbage in the country, consisting of potato tops, dry tree branches or rhizomes from cabbage heads, proud with the word compost. And also, other reluctantly decaying or frankly contagious garbage.
On a note! If you want to make a really useful fertilizer, then it will be useful to find out if this or that material can be disposed of in compost. By the way, especially in autumn, many are interested in whether it is possible to put fallen leaves in a compost heap.
What is compost made of
The compost mixture consists of two types of components responsible for different processes during processing:
Nitrogen components:
- Mowed plant mass and carrion.
- Food waste of plant origin.
- Dung or droppings.
- Weeds without seeds.
They are responsible for the carbon-oxygen balance necessary for the maturation of grass compost.
Carbon components:
- Chips and shredded wood, including bark.
- Pruning branches and thin trunks.
- Straw and dry leaves.
- Paper and cardboard remnants.
Attention! They should be laid in a compost heap in layers, alternating "green" wet with dry "brown" waste. If the proportions (1:1) are observed, the heat released by nitrogenous products stimulates the processes of decay of the compost mixture.
What not to put in compost
Of course, any summer resident wants to cleanly get rid of weed heaps after weeding or from the tops that appear en masse in the garden in the second half of summer, after the start of harvesting. Only here is the question ... Is it possible to put everything in compost without exception? Or is there still some residue that is harmful to composting?
It turns out that even here there are certain limitations, and each of them has a perfectly reasonable explanation. So, in the correct compost it is strongly not recommended to dispose of:
- Large fragments of wood, pruning of evergreen shrubs, fallen leaves in season. Rotting stretches for a long time, slowing down the entire cycle of maturation of compost from the leaves.
- Any parts of affected plants. easily adapt to any conditions and feel great in a compost environment.
- Remains of castor bean, lily of the valley, foxglove.
- Do not put nightshade tops (tomatoes, potatoes) in the compost. They contain poisons that poison the microorganisms involved in composting, thereby slowing down the entire process.
- The peel of any citrus fruits - it not only rots for a long time, but also strongly repels earthworms and bacteria.
- Food waste of animal origin, as well as feces. All this decomposes in a compost heap very reluctantly, and smells spread disgusting.
And, of course, what kind of compost can you get if you throw non-decomposable household waste into it from:
- Glass and plastic.
- Plastics or synthetic fabrics.
- Large bones, etc.!
Important! In fact, the composition and useful properties of the future "home-made" fertilizer depend on how to make compost and what to put in it at the first stage.
DIY compost: cooking methods
It is worth noting that the methods for making compost at the beginning of the garden season and at the end have a significant difference. In general, if you look more broadly, then the conversation should be about two completely different technologies. They differ in both complexity and duration of processing.
Quick compost in bags
This is a more modern and least expensive way to get high-quality fertilizer in a short time. It is especially popular because it does not require the preparation of pits, boxes or the purchase of special containers. After all, this compost is recycled in ordinary bags!
Advice! To make quick compost in bags, it is, of course, better to choose stronger packaging. As a composter, you can use bags for construction waste. It is desirable that they do not stretch, withstand dampness and sudden changes in temperature. But, for lack of a better one, many summer residents use ordinary garbage bags of 120-250 liters.
In the preparation of quick compost in bags, the same “useful” vegetable waste is used: leaves, grass, carrion, etc. They are crushed and placed in bags in dense layers, sprinkled with earth.
Remember that tomato leaves in compost not used!
But do not forget that the entire mass of plant waste, folded into bags, needs to be slightly moistened. The container with the finished mixture is hermetically packed and left where it will be stored for 2-3 months.
This method is very good, especially for making compost in the fall. When the waste in the country has accumulated with interest, and there is not much time left for their processing. At the exit, after a maximum of three months, rotted loose fertilizer with a characteristic smell of rotten earth is obtained in bags.
Important! It is this smell, combined with the loose consistency and black-brown color of the compost mass, that indicates that the compost is ripe and ready for use.
How to make compost in a box or pit
Old-fashioned, proven for centuries, the option answers the question: "How to make compost if you have a lot of time." Because before getting the result you need to wait from 9 months to a year. Yes, and you will have to tinker much more than in the case of bags.
The whole technological cycle of compost preparation can be laid down in 5 simple steps.
- Find a spot in the shade but away from trees.
- Install a ventilated fence made of boards or chain-link mesh. This can be done not only on the surface of the earth. For this purpose, you can dig a hole up to a meter deep and about 1.5x2m in size.
- Lay the prepared waste in layers, spill it well with water.
- Cover the finished pile with a dark "breathable" material, such as acrylic or ordinary straw.
Do not forget! Open the compost chamber regularly and mix the contents thoroughly so that decomposition proceeds faster and more evenly.
How to speed up the maturation of compost
To activate the processes and to reduce the acidity of the compost mass, 1 liter of ash and several grams of ammonium nitrate are added to it. To make compost as soon as possible, it is recommended to use all kinds of EM preparations. The effective microorganisms and bacteria contained in them help to significantly reduce the maturation time of the compost, speeding up the process of decomposition of organic matter.
What is your benefit
The advantages of composting especially include a large amount of processed mass. If the pit is equipped with a partition, then you can transfer the finished humus to a separate compartment and constantly replenish the storage with new waste.
Also, composting is carried out in the same place for many years. And also, you do not need to constantly purchase packaging, as is the case with bagged compost.
Video: How to make good compost
Whichever method you choose to use, composting plant waste from your site will in any case be very useful for you. Now you know how to make compost with your own hands and get rid of garbage, moreover, by turning it into high-quality fertilizer of your own production.
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We prepare compost in the country: rules and technology for the manufacture of organic fertilizer
Many summer residents understand that if you annually exploit the site for growing vegetables and fruit crops and do not apply organic fertilizers, then soil fertility will dry out very soon.
How to make compost with your own hands and fertilize all cultivated plants with it in the country will be discussed in this article.
What is compost and its benefits for plants
To begin with, it is important to understand what compost is and how to make it in order to make a good fertilizer. Compost is one of the types of organic fertilizers, which is obtained as a result of the decomposition of weeds, plant residues, fallen leaves, kitchen waste and manure under aerobic conditions (using oxygen). The decomposition of organic matter occurs as a result of the activity of bacteria, and for this it is necessary that the humidity in this biomass be at the level of 45-70%, and the temperature of the medium should vary within 28-35°C. Along with bacteria, various insects and worms take part in the decomposition process. As a result of their vital activity, additional energy is generated, which contributes to a better decomposition of biomass.
The materials used to make compost require shredding. Large fragments decompose over a longer time. In terms of value, rotted plant residues are in no way inferior to humus and have the following advantages and disadvantages:
- as part of the compost, macro- and microelements for plant nutrition are presented in the right proportion;
- barely hitting the soil, it takes part in metabolic processes, making up for the lack of nutrients;
- it combines with the soil and becomes its integral part;
- after irrigation and as a result of showers, nutrients do not pass into the deep layers of the soil, as with mineral fertilizers, but remain in the soil horizon;
- it easily passes water and air, which is very important for the normal growth of plants;
- as part of this organic fertilizer, humus is present in large quantities, due to which soil fertility increases;
- overdose of plants with this fertilizer is impossible, since all the constituent parts are of natural origin;
- with natural decomposition, compost does not clog the soil with toxins;
- of the entire list of organic fertilizers, it is the most affordable and cheapest.
No appreciable shortcomings were found in the compost, with the exception of an unpleasant odor, which may accompany the process of decomposition of plant residues. In addition, flies, ants and other insects will always indicate their presence around the compost heap. But this problem is solved by arranging a door near the box and placing it in the most remote place of the site.
Factors affecting the decomposition of organic matter
The process of creating organic fertilizer from food waste and cut grass is divided into 3 stages: Decomposition. The components of the mixture are heated inside the heap, changing their structure. Beneficial microorganisms appear in the resulting product, including fungi, as well as earthworms, which contribute to the acceleration of the processing of organic matter into fertilizer. Humus formation. At this stage, it is important to supply the collar with oxygen, without which the microorganisms cannot breathe. Therefore, the shoulder should be shoveled several times, moving its outer layers inward and vice versa. Mineralization. Nitrogenous compounds decompose to bacterial protoplasm and nitrogen, and humus passes into a mineral form. After this stage, it can be used for its intended purpose. It will take approximately 10-12 months to complete all stages in favorable conditions.
Choosing a location for the composter
A compost heap, pit or box is best placed in the far corner of the garden so that the sun's rays do not fall on them. If the composition for the future fertilizer is intensively illuminated by the sun, the process of its preparation will be greatly delayed. Do not set up the composter next to apple trees or other trees - their roots will grow into a pile and pump out all the nutrients from the pile.
Composter device
If you are thinking about how to prepare compost in the country, then you should familiarize yourself with the device of the composter. Proper organization of the decomposition process is the key to quickly obtaining high-quality organic matter. It is not difficult to make it, following the recommendations. Composting can be done in a compost heap and in a bin. The first way is called classical. The outer frame of the compost heap is made of mesh, which allows air and moisture to pass through. If special additives are added to it, it matures in 9 months. The material for the manufacture of the box can be anything:
- net;
- wooden pallets;
- slate;
- boards.
On the market you can buy ready-to-use plastic containers. The volume of containers is selected from 1 m³. If the capacity is less, the process of decomposition of organic matter will noticeably slow down.
Layering rules
It is necessary to lay materials in such a way that soft and wet layers are interspersed with hard and dry layers. This provides an influx of oxygen, which will accelerate the decomposition process. Nitrogen and carbon components decompose differently. Nitrogenous decompose quickly, absorbing a lot of oxygen and releasing heat. And carbonaceous substances have a loose composition, are rich in oxygen and, when decomposed, consume nitrogen. If you put an equal amount of these components into the composter, you can achieve the perfect balance. Layers with a thickness of 15-20 cm should be laid alternately and mixed well, ensuring their contact with each other. You can evenly spread chicken manure, fresh manure or a special stimulant to accelerate the maturation of compost into a pile.
A good organic fertilizer is obtained when the initial nitrogen and carbon components are taken in equal amounts. It is advisable to sprinkle the first layer of ingredients with a layer of earth mixed with lime.
What can and cannot be composted
Those people who believe that compost is just a bunch of rotting plant debris in the back of the garden, where you can throw everything, are wrong. This is not so, in order to get the right fertilizer, you need to prepare it according to certain rules. The following components are added to the composition:
- green grass, hay and straw;
- green parts of plants and individual weeds;
- small branches, pieces of wood and sawdust;
- food plant residues;
- manure of cattle, sheep, goats and bird droppings;
- chalk, ash, egg shells;
- special composting accelerators.
There are a number of ingredients that should not be put in a compost pit:
- food residues of animal origin, as they stimulate the process of decay with the release of an unpleasant odor;
- faeces of carnivores and humans, which may contain worm eggs;
- pieces of fabric, coated glossy paper, rubber scraps, stones;
- any chemicals;
- weeds that produce seeds that remain viable for a long time, as well as underground parts of rhizomatous and root offspring plants that remain viable;
- plant residues inhabited by pests and affected by fungal diseases.
Ways to accelerate ripening and hot cooking
The composting process can take from 4 months to 2.5 years, the time required for maturation depends on the size of the components and the conditions created.
Important! The temperature inside the pyramid must be brought to 60 degrees or more. High temperature accelerates the decomposition of organic matter and destroys weed seeds, larvae of harmful insects.
To quickly prepare a nutritional composition, it is better to use the following steps:
- provide a pile (pit) with moisture and air;
- add a special accelerator (Baikal-Em, Unique-S) or fresh manure to the water for irrigation;
- shoveling layers to improve the supply of heaps with oxygen;
- warming the heap in winter to extend the period of active fermentation;
- watering with herbal infusion, consisting of 5 parts of chopped grass, 2 parts of chicken manure and 20 parts of water;
- watering the burt with yeast infusion;
- landing on a pile of zucchini and pumpkins, the root secretions of which contribute to the rapid decomposition of organic residues;
- the use of California worms in the processing of organic residues, which pass organic matter through their digestive tract and as a result biohumus is obtained.
There is another cooking method - hot composting, thanks to which the fermentation process takes place in a short time. This method also has other advantages:
- weed seeds lose their germination;
- pathogenic microorganisms die;
- the substance has a fine fraction.
A variation of hot composting is the Berkeley method, thanks to which the time for processing organic matter is reduced to 18 days. When using this method, the following requirements must be met:
- the temperature in the center of the heap should be at the level of 55-65 degrees;
- the ratio of carbon to nitrogen in the components of the substrate should be 30:1;
- the height of the pile is brought to one and a half meters;
- all components must be crushed;
- layers are shoveled 7 times and mixed well.
The algorithm of actions for the 18-day Berkeley method is very simple:
- form a compost heap;
- 4 days do not touch it;
- then within 2 weeks of days turn it over every other day.
The compost is of high quality, dark brown color, with a good smell.
Important! If you notice that earthworms crawl into the prepared compost, it means that it has finally matured and contains a lot of nutrients.
Types and manufacturing technology on the site
The compost is ready for use when it has fully matured. A well-matured material does not require additional application of mineral or other fertilizers and is itself capable of providing a decent and environmentally friendly harvest. For the effective use of organic fertilizer from plant residues, you need to know how to determine its ripeness. The following are the main signs indicating that the composition has matured and is ready for use:
- the material has a homogeneous structure and it is impossible to see the individual components;
- after overheating, the compost has a loose and loose consistency;
- compost has acquired a dark brown color;
- the finished product has the smell of wet soil.
Ripened compost is similar to black earth soil with a loose and porous composition.
There are many recipes for the preparation of this organic fertilizer. Some of them involve the use of only natural ingredients, in other cases mineral fertilizers are added to the organic matter - after all, the plant components contain enough nitrogen, and phosphorus and potassium are present in small quantities. To make the right compost, you need to achieve the right balance of these nutrients. Depending on the starting materials used, the list and number of additives can vary greatly. Below are the most widely used and effective composting technologies.
Classic based on herbs and food waste
This type is easy to manufacture, while being effective in use. Classic compost is prepared from simple and affordable components, among which it should be noted:
- green mass, consisting of tops, branches and algae - it makes up the first layer (20 cm);
- cattle manure - the second layer (10 cm);
- dolomite flour or crushed limestone - the third layer (0.5 cm).
Layers should be alternated until the height of the collar reaches 1.5 meters in height. This is how this type of compost should be made, the only drawback of which is a one-year or even two-year aging period. The finished product can be used on the site.
With manure and superphosphate
This composition, as its name implies, is prepared using superphosphate, which enriches the substrate with phosphorus. Phosphorus helps retain nitrogen by binding the ammonia in manure. Making such compost in the country is not difficult. This type of compost consists of the following components:
- land from the garden (10 cm);
- manure mixed with superphosphate in a ratio of 50:1 (10 cm).
This method is relatively fast and is suitable for maturation in 3 months. If the ingredients are bookmarked in the spring, then in early July, potatoes are already fed with ready-made humus and raspberries are mulched.
With the addition of bird droppings
Chicken manure is a very valuable fertilizer, but in its pure form it is not suitable for use, as it can burn the plant. The best way to use it is to compost it. To obtain it, the following ingredients are mixed:
- a layer of bird droppings 20-25 cm thick;
- straw layer - 5-10 cm;
- a layer of sawdust - 5-10 cm;
- the top layer should consist of a layer of peat - 10-20 cm.
If you cover the compost pit with a film, then there will be no unpleasant smell and the product will ripen in 2 months.
In addition to the above components, compost can be enriched with the following ingredients:
- superphosphate;
- wood ash;
- potassium salt;
- ammonium nitrate.
Before laying the compost with your own hands, straw and branches are laid at the bottom of the pit as drainage. Two weeks after laying the top layer, the substrate is subjected to shoveling. Thanks to this procedure, all layers ripen at the same time. For application, you can dilute the finished compost in water or apply it dry.
Based on peat
With this method, you need to saturate the peat with mineral fertilizers, mixing everything well. The ingredients of such compost should be the following substances:
- weeds free from seeds - 100 kg;
- dry peat - 200 kg;
- ammonium sulfate - 350 g;
- sodium nitrate - 50-70 g;
- potassium salt - 50 g.
Compost is prepared as follows:
- on a flat area, a small layer of garden soil is poured;
- peat is poured in the second layer (40 cm);
- a layer of chopped branches, tops and grass is placed on the peat.
All layers need to be compacted a little, then ripening will be faster. Thus, humus can be made from grass, peat and mineral fertilizers.
For champignons
When preparing compost for growing mushrooms, you need to take the following components in given quantities:
- dry straw - 100 kg;
- liquid chicken manure - 100 kg;
- mullein, in the amount of 50 kg;
- gypsum - 5 kg;
- chalk - 3 kg;
- water, to give proper moisture to the substrate.
Such compost is not used for top dressing, it is used as soil for the cultivation of mushrooms. The ingredients are laid in layers, pouring water. The ripening period can be several months. During this time, the filled collar must be subjected to 4-5 times perebivka. A sign of the ripeness of compost humus is the state of a homogeneous mass of all components of the substrate.
How to cook in bags
Compost in bags is prepared when there is not enough space in the country. Let's try to figure out how to quickly make compost in bags and how to shed it to speed up maturation:
- first you need to buy thick black plastic bags;
- the turf is removed from the site, putting it in bags;
- crushed weeds are added to the bag;
- the mixture is spilled with biohumus or other biostimulant;
- sealed with tape.
After a few months, the compost will finally mature, it can be used to fertilize vegetable beds.
Production in boxes
Many devices have been developed for storing bio-fertilizers for plants. People prepare compost in a barrel, pit, pile, heap and box. You can buy boxes or make your own. They are mobile and stationary. In the stationary version, the perimeter of the planned capacity is first marked and stakes 1.5 meters high are driven in in the corners. Then the spans are sewn up with boards, between which gaps are left.
Cooking technology at home
Compost can be made in slow and fast ways. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages. To quickly prepare compost, you need to work according to the following algorithm:
- First of all, we make a container where organic residues will be stored. This may be a well-ventilated box, pit or pile with access to the contents.
- At the bottom of the tank we make drainage from a layer of hay, straw, branches.
- The components are laid in layers and without compaction, so as to ensure the alternation of wet waste with dry, solid components with soft ones.
- To speed up the process, special organic decomposition accelerators can be added to the compost in layers: nitrogen supplements, leguminous plant residues, cattle manure.
- To maintain the process temperature in the pile and create optimal conditions for beneficial microflora, you need to cover the pile with an old carpet or oilcloth.
- Every month it is required to shovel the compost heap so that its outer layers fall inside, and the inner ones are on top and on the side.
- In the summer heat, the contents are lightly sprinkled with water to maintain optimal technological humidity.
If you were able to make the container correctly and carried out composting according to the technology, then you will receive the finished product in 3-5 months.
If you set out to make the right compost from grass or branches, you should be aware that this process will be very long, but in the end you will get a quality product. You need to prepare the components for composting, put them in a pit and wait for 2 years. So, let's look at the technology of preparing a "food additive" for plants in a slow way:
- we dig a wide hole on an elevated site with a depth of 60 cm;
- inside the pit we lay chopped tree branches, bark, wood particles, grass;
- on top of the heap we fall asleep with a layer of soil and wait for 2 years.
An effective organic fertilizer will be ready for use in 2 years.
Use of organic fertilizer
Ripe compost is suitable for any crops with the same application rates as manure (15-20 kg per 1 m²). Methods can be very different:
- in the fall for the main tillage;
- under spring plowing;
- before planting potatoes;
- add to the wells when planting seedlings;
- spring and summer as a mulching material.
In spring and summer, ready-made compost is scattered on the soil and dug up to a shallow depth.
Strictly following the simple rules and country advice, on the basis of which this useful organic matter is prepared annually at home, you can also properly make compost in the country with your own hands and fertilize the soil to increase crop yields and improve fruit quality.
The best organic fertilizer has always been considered rotted manure. But it is not always and not always easy to find it everywhere, so many summer residents prepare their own manure substitute - compost. Almost any organic waste is suitable for it, and after a while, almost free fertilizer is obtained.
How to make your own compost
Compost contains the same nutrients as manure and in most cases the two fertilizers are interchangeable. It is only important to properly prepare the compost.
What is compost
Compost is a natural fertilizer obtained from various wastes of plant and animal origin by their decomposition. It is formed during the biodegradation of organic matter under the influence of microorganisms. Composting requires the presence of air, so they try to place the waste not in a pit, but in some kind of structure on the surface of the soil. In addition to air, biodegradation of organics requires high humidity and the ability to maintain internal heat.
During the season, the heap is constantly growing: the lower layers may already be almost ready, and fresh raw materials are still being applied on top
Properly prepared compost is a highly effective fertilizer that does not contain helminths, weed seeds and pathogenic microflora. Composts have favorable acidity for most crops (pH 6.7–8.4), contain about 3% nitrogen (half of it is in the ammonium form), up to 3% phosphorus and up to 2% potassium.
The list of trace elements contained in the compost is wide: zinc, copper, boron, molybdenum, etc.
Compost not only fertilizes the soil, but also improves its structure: it becomes loose and absorbent. Compost is widely used for mulching to conserve moisture and inhibit weed growth. Composting allows you to save money on the purchase of fertilizers, makes it possible to get rid of a large amount of garbage and waste.
How is compost prepared
You can start composting at any time, except for winter. As a rule, the first layers begin to form already at the beginning of summer, when weeds fall out, and by autumn the compost heap grows rapidly. For accelerated decomposition, it would be better if the process took place during the warm season. But life makes its own adjustments, the main amount of waste in the country occurs in the second half of summer and autumn.
Container for compost
If possible, a special box is prepared, but you can do without it by simply enclosing the compost heap with boards or slate sheets. For the construction of the box, you can use any boards, but not painted and not rotten. It can be of any size (not less than 1.5 x 1.5 m), but the height is convenient in the range of 1.0–1.2 m: with a higher pile, compost will be more difficult to care for.
The options for arranging a compost box are very diverse, it all depends on the owner's imagination and the availability of materials.
The box is built on a flat place or on a slight hill, so that the compost is not washed away by rainwater. During its construction, it is not necessary to adjust the boards: it is necessary to ensure sufficient access of oxygen. Often the front wall is made removable so that it is more convenient to add material and take ready-made compost. Many people put oilcloth or old linoleum on the bottom of the box, but this is not mandatory.
What can and cannot be composted
A variety of natural materials are put into the compost; the wider their list, the more trace elements the fertilizer will contain. The most common "participants":
You also need to know what does not belong in the compost heap. You should not put in it:
- large bones;
- meat and fish waste;
- perennial weeds with living roots;
- diseased, as well as pest-infected plants;
- waste containing toxic substances;
- products made of metal, rubber, plastic, glass, etc.
Fresh manure can only be added to the compost if it is expected to be prepared for at least a year.
Compost technology
As waste is generated, they are crushed and stacked in layers in a compost heap, periodically interbedded with layers of earth. The layer of earth is only 3–4 cm, it is poured when 15–25 cm of organic matter is accumulated. If the weather is dry, the pile must be watered to keep it constantly moist.
If the pile is small, it is worth shoveling it from time to time to increase air access. In winter, no one will do this at their summer cottage, but in the spring, with the beginning of the season, it is highly desirable to turn over the contents. If there is peat, it is periodically added to the pile. If possible, it is useful to water a pile of slurry.
The compost can be ready for use in 6-8 months. The finished fertilizer is a loose, homogeneous mass of brown color, without a strong odor: it should only smell a little like earth.
Video: how to prepare compost
Compost is an almost free organic fertilizer that every gardener can easily prepare on their site. It is only important to know what can be used to make compost and put in a little effort.
First, about terms.In a broad sense, these words are synonyms. In Russian, it happens that any word has different meanings, depending on the context in which it was pronounced and written.
If manure and other organic waste is placed in a special compost pit or box, it is turned over several times a season, loosened, watered, covered, thinking about the correct ratio of nitrogen and carbon, that is, composting, then a product similar to black earth is called compost .
And in the old days there was a lot of manure, it lay in huge piles near the sheds with animals, no one composted it, it rotted itself, and therefore the people simply called it humus.
Sometimes compost and humus are called humus. But humus is a borrowed Latin word, meaning earth, soil. And it is more correct to talk about humus in the context of talking about the soil, about the constituent part of the soil. Humus is what remains of organic matter that has been in the soil for a long time, processed by soil inhabitants, joined together with soil particles into a single complex and lost the fibrous structure of organic matter visible to the eye.
When we take the soil in our hands in the spring, we feel the pleasant smell of the earth and see its black color, we say that there is a lot of humus in the earth, this is black soil. Therefore, the closest synonym for humus is chernozem.
When we take good compost in our hand and also see the black color and smell a pleasant smell, we still do not call it humus or soil, but when we introduce such compost into poor soil, we understand that we are enriching the soil with humus, turning the soil into black soil .
But when we approach a heap of rotted manure, take humus in our hand, we do not always smell the soil, sometimes the humus has an unpleasant putrefactive smell. Intuitively, we understand the difference between black soil, between good compost, and between humus (an old pile of pig manure that we did not want to compost properly).
So we understood at the ordinary level what compost is, it is organic matter with which we worked, which we composted.
Why Gardeners Make Compost Differently
I myself went through several stages of understanding what good compost is, and now reading hundreds of articles about composting and talking on this topic with gardening friends, I see that how many people, so many different opinions on how to make it.Many people like to strictly follow the instructions, hang them correctly in grams, mix manure, straw, grass, and food waste in strict proportions. When a beginner reads such advice, he is confused and afraid to start creating compost heaps.
Someone is afraid of worms, read a lot of esoteric literature and strictly monitors the temperature of the heap so that all eggs and microbes die. Washes hands and vegetables endlessly with soap and brush after working in organic gardens.
Someone builds tables and calculates on a computer how much nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium is in which compost, and what additives should be added to it for each crop.
For some, compost is just a way to utilize the existing organic matter, reduce its volume, reduce the putrefactive smell, so that it is easier to take it out and bring it to the beds. For these purposes, I just put it in bags for six months.
There are fanatical naturalists who believe in the myths of soil digestion, who believe that compost is a loss of carbon energy, and all organic matter must be composted in the garden so that there is no loss, and all the sun's energy goes to the roots of plants. And humus is a dummy, bacteria poop that does not contain nitrogen.
I used to compost the other way too
If I had been asked one or five years ago what is the value of compost for a gardener, what is the essence of its proper preparation, I would have answered: in the quantity and quality of soil organisms, in the stability of the ecosystem that has developed during its preparation.If you ask me now why a novice gardener needs to have the right compost, I will say in order to cure my dead land of bacterial and fungal diseases and start harvesting faster. And they will ask what is the main benefit of compost, I will answer that in the quantity and quality of antibiotics that the compost has accumulated, thanks to the vital activity of fungi and bacteria, in the ability of the extract from the compost to fight putrefactive organisms, in the ability of compost to heal the land, in the possibility of using infusions and from such compost to restore the fertility of dead soils.
Soil, especially depleted by agriculture, does not always contain all the beneficial microorganisms. Therefore, in order to restore the soil, we must introduce composts with a high content of bacteria, fungi and other microorganisms into it. Such inoculants can be: live compost, biohumus, vermicay, compost tea.
All novice gardeners have confusion in their heads
I want everything at once and quickly. And in order to avoid diseases, I want to kill all harmful fungi and bacteria, introduce pesticides and herbicides into the soil. In addition, I want to get a harvest in the first year on the acquired land. Not pesticides will help here, but extracts from compost.Live compost for these purposes can be obtained in three weeks, for this you need to make compost in a heap using a special method.
What materials should be used for the rapid maturation of compost
- Various types of manure and litter from pets (waste from the toilet and feces should settle for 3-4 months). This is a nitrogenous material. It causes "burning" of the compost heap.
- Hay, straw, leaves, coarse grass are carbonaceous material. All materials must be crushed: otherwise they are difficult to turn over, and it is more difficult for microorganisms to process them.
- Green grass with turf - contains soil microorganisms, it is with green material that they enter the compost heap.
- Wood mulch is food for mushrooms, mushrooms love to recycle wood fiber.
- In the middle of the compost heap, you can add a kind of seed - comfrey, nettle, yarrow, fish, food waste. This will speed up the overall decomposition process. These are compost activators or accelerators that help warm up the pile.
I'll tell you in detail, in order
First, we make a loose base of the heap: put hay, small branches at the very bottom. It is very important that air is easily drawn into the pile from below. Then we lay a layer of nitrogenous material, alternating with carbonaceous.
After laying the heap, pour water over it so that it is moderately moist.
Then we cover the pile with waterproof material and leave it for 4 days.
On the fourth day, we make the first transfer of the heap. Our task in this case is to place the outer material inward, and the inner material outward. This is necessary for even composting, as the inside of the pile is hotter than the outside.
Then on the sixth day we do the second transfer of the heap. We control the heap temperature. We throw a bunch every other day, the outer material inward, and the inner material outward. On the 18th or 24th day, the compost should be ready, if it is not overheated or overdried.
Overheating will occur during the second third throwing - on the 6-8th day. Stick your arm up to your elbow in the compost heap. If you succeeded and you shout "Hot!" they pulled the hand back, which means that the temperature is above +50 ° C, and everything is fine. At +70 ° C, you will not be able to put your hand in a pile, it hurts.
During the composting process, optimal humidity should be observed, for this we take a little material from the base of the pile and squeeze it very strongly between the palms. If it drips a little, that's what you need.
What happens in the compost heap
During the first 4 days of composting, the population of microorganisms in the heap increases. We turn the pile, many organisms will die - and their bodies will become food for the next generation of microorganisms. There will be a population explosion, they will multiply rapidly and give off a lot of heat.During the composting process, carbon organics will bind nitrogen and all other elements into humus. Rough organics - absorbent; nitrous - fuel for the heap. Even toxic substances - if any of them end up in a pile - will be bound by long chains of carbon molecules and become inert. This is one of the most remarkable properties of humus.
So, the main secret of a good and fast compost is the optimum temperature of the compost heap, +55…+65 °С. And optimal humidity with good aeration.
How can live compost be used?
I use ready-made compost in four different ways, depending on the purpose.1. To quickly improve the humus-poor garden soil, I prepare compost, which contains a lot of woody material and, accordingly, mushrooms.
Trees need fungi, they grow in soil in which fungi predominate. Fungi form mycorrhiza, a symbiotic relationship with woody plants. Mushrooms get carbon from plants, giving away nutrients from the soil in return. Mushroom threads - hyphae - stretch for many kilometers, they can extract batteries over long distances. In addition, hyphae provide an exchange of information between trees. This is a kind of Internet in the soil. Fungal spores and hyphae are easily damaged by improper tillage. By inoculating the soil with mushroom compost, fungal diversity in the soil can be quickly restored.
2. For vegetable beds, I prepare compost rich in nitrogen, which is dominated by bacteria. It has more grass, manure, food waste. Such compost is better suited for fertilizing herbaceous plants and vegetables.
3. For the production of ACC, I leave the compost for 6-13 months for good maturation, it is better if it is overgrown with weeds. In this case, the ecosystem of compost organisms will be the most developed and diverse.
4. For the production of compost infusion, fresh compost 10-14 days before use should be shed with 1% molasses solution with the addition of 0.05% fish emulsion. (I make a “stink in a barrel” where I add nettle or comfrey, they have a good balance, a lot of nitrogen, and phosphorus, and carbohydrates). Then it is necessary to loosen well, this causes the rapid reproduction of all soil living creatures, followed by the lysis of most bacteria and fungi, while the compost is maximally saturated with antibiotics, amino acids and vitamins, and the infusion from it is the best medicine for treating rot-infected soils.
So, we need compost to quickly restore the fertility of the lands killed by the previous exploitation.
Why old drugs can not cure the earth
The use of EM preparations, trichoderma and hay bacillus on infected soils does not give a visible effect, they work well on healthy soils with a high content of humus. It is the same with ACh, poor in humus, soils infected with bacterioses, microorganisms introduced into the soil together with ACh and organics are treated, but slowly, in the first year of soil development, the crop is not obtained.Modern mixed bacterial-fungal diseases reduce the immunity of plants, their resistance to frost, drought, pests, weeds, and no agrotechnical measures can save them from these diseases. We treat mushrooms - we get an outbreak of bacterioses, we treat bacteria with antibiotics - we get an outbreak of fungal diseases.
I have forty years of experience in the treatment of children from mixed microbial-fungal diseases, I use drugs - four in one, kill fungi, microbes, relieve inflammation and restore disturbed microflora of the skin or intestines.
What I saw in vermicoff and what I learned now
So it is with the soil. For the first time I saw that the soils are superbly treated with fresh extracts from vermicomposts. There are no pathogenic bacteria and fungi in the intestines of worms, but there are thousands of microorganisms with hundreds of antibiotics that protect worms from diseases, because worms crawl for millions of years in the dirtiest rotting manure. Last year I described my experience that beds watered with vermicaffe (an extract from vermicompost), and then sprayed with ACH, give an unprecedented increase in yield.
Not everyone can make worm compost, but everyone can make quality compost following the guidelines above. In compost, where there are no temperatures above 55 degrees, micro worms and millions of other micro soil animals manage to multiply in three to four weeks, and all of them excrete coprolites no worse than dung worms, and the composition of bacteria in it is no worse than in worm compost and the content of antibiotics that suppress all known soil pathogens is not worse, and the composition of beneficial soil anaerobes and protozoa is excellent. We get the effect of four in one.
How to make hoods and how to use them
If you take 2-3 liters of high-quality fresh compost in a bucket of water, stir well and leave for about an hour until the color of dark coffee, pour it over your diseased beds, at the rate of half to two liters per square meter, then this infusion will suppress both pathogenic fungi, and bacteria, relieve inflammation of the roots and create a protective layer of beneficial microorganisms in the rhizosphere. Vitamins from compost infusion will increase the immunity of plants, and they will successfully resist diseases, pests, drought and frost.
Then you can add organic matter to such a cured soil, without fear of increasing bacterioses, add ACh, and beneficial microbes will take root.
If a dozen beneficial bacteria are added to millions of pathogens, they do not take root, and if millions of beneficial bacteria are added to the ten remaining pathogens in the soil, they will take root, create their own ecosystem and will not let pathogens into their paradise.
Thus, the gardener can already in the first year on the killed soil get a crop and not reduce, but increase fertility.
This is the essence of my understanding of why a gardener needs the right compost.