How to build a composter at your dacha with your own hands. Making a garden composter with your own hands: design options and installation instructions

Finland is famous for its careful attitude towards nature: the country pays special attention to the processing of biological waste.

The use of composters allows you to obtain fertilizer from organic matter, thereby reducing the cost of its disposal.

A composter using Finnish technology is a complex structure consisting of the container itself with a lid, a compost temperature sensor and an air supply system.

IN Russian conditions The device can be simplified and made with your own hands. The quality of the compost will not be affected.

Primary requirements

When building a Finnish composter, a number of requirements must be met

In order to make proper compost, a number of conditions must be met:

1. Access of oxygen to organic matter. Bacteria that convert organic matter into fertilizer are called aerobes - they require air to function.
2. The humidity of the mass in the box is 55-60%.
3. The temperature at which compost ripens is 70-850C.
4. The food for bacteria is nitrogen.

Gardener's advice: If the technology is followed, compost will be formed within 3-4 weeks.

The last indicator does not depend on the design of the box; nitrogen is created by the green parts of the plants. All other conditions are achieved subject to the dimensions of the bunker.

The dimensions of the compost box should be 1m-1m-1m, in other words, the volume organic matter in a box 1 m3.

With a smaller volume, the organic waste will simply dry out; with a larger volume, the temperature in the middle of the compost will increase and the mixture will burn.

The sanitary requirements for the location where the compost bin is installed are as follows:

• distance from residential buildings – at least 12 m;
• distance from reservoirs, wells, wells - at least 8 m.

The box should not be flooded with rain or melt water and should not be exposed to the sun.

Take note: The ideal place for a composter using Finnish technology is on a hillock in the shade of trees.

Material and design choice

It is important to decide on the material and design of the composter

When starting work, decide on the material for the box. The perfect solution- wood, unsuccessful - slate.

If you decide to make a compost box using Finnish technology, stick to simple designs.

The quality of the compost will be high, and the labor intensity of preparation will not increase much.

Three-section compost bin

Construction technology of a Finnish three-section compost bin

This design is intended for gardens and summer cottages with total area up to 10 acres. The features of the box allow you to obtain compost of the appropriate quality throughout the entire season.

To make a composter you will need:

• edged board 100 mm wide, 20-30 mm thick. Length 1000 mm – 50 pcs., 3000 mm – 25 pcs. The quantity is indicated with a reserve in case of damage to the material;
• board or slab on the bottom. The quantity depends on the width of the material;
• timber 50x50x1000 – 8 pcs:
• antiseptic, for example, Neomid 430 eco. This product is intended for treating wood that is in contact with the ground and is environmentally friendly;
• overhead window hinges – 12 pcs;
• screws;
• oil paint for decorating the outside of the box.

Expert advice: wood is the most successful material: it is easy to work with, after treatment with an antiseptic it lasts 10-15 years, and can be painted any color.

Sequence of work:

1. Treat the boards with an antiseptic and follow the manufacturer's instructions.
2. Using screws, assemble 4 frames for the side walls.
3. Hem ready-made designs boards, for two walls the distance between the boards is 10 mm, for the remaining two the boards should be close together (these walls will serve as internal partitions).
4. Attach the boards intended for the back of the drawer, leaving a 10mm gap.
5. Make the bottom from a slab, leaving gaps of 5-10 mm. The slots will ensure the drainage of excess liquid.
6. Cover the front of the composter with a board, leaving a space of 20 cm underneath for the doors.
7. Install the roof. Keep in mind that one of its slopes is blind, on the second there will be hatches for loading biological waste.
8. Use screws to secure the bottom doors to the window hinges.
9. Secure the hatches.

When making compost according to the Finnish scheme, you need to observe a number of nuances

When using a composter using Finnish technology, the process differs from ripening compost in a regular pit. There are a number of nuances:

1. Weeds with seeds can be planted in the middle: heat will kill their germination.
2. Fill the first bin first, then the subsequent ones. When you remove compost from the first compartment, space will be freed up; fill it with mass from the adjacent bin. The process is continuous, compost is available all season.
3. Regularly mix the biomass in the first compartment, this will ensure even preparation of the compost.
4. Don't forget in hot weather water the compost.
5. If the technology is followed, compost from such a box is rich in nitrogen, enriches the soil, and increases the productivity of vegetable and berry crops.

One of the types of environmentally friendly and safe for human health fertilizers used in gardening is compost.

This is an organic fertilizer produced from various food and plant waste - food residues plant origin, mown grass and weeds, branches, leaves, sawdust, bark and other material. Fertilizer is obtained by decomposing organic waste under the influence of microorganisms with an increase in temperature, which promotes the decomposition process.

The process usually takes place in a pit or container specially equipped for this purpose and is often accompanied by an unpleasant odor.

Many summer residents tolerate these smells and annoying flies circling over compost pit, for the sake of universal and absolutely free fertilizer.

You can make a composter for your dacha yourself, or purchase it in specialized stores; the main thing is to organize its operation correctly and comply with sanitary standards for its construction.

What you need to know:

• the composter or compost pit must be located at a distance of at least 20 meters from water sources and at least 10 meters from a residential building;
• it is necessary to prevent plastic, protein products, animal and human excrement from entering the container in order to avoid unpleasant odors and the spread of harmful microorganisms;
• Plants treated with pesticides and tops of diseased plants should not be immersed in the composter;
• When determining the location of the compost pit, it is advisable to take into account the prevailing wind direction in your region in order to avoid unpleasant odors near the house.

Composter design options

The simplest and cheapest way to obtain fertilizer is equipment compost pit.

Each person determines the depth, width and length based on the amount of raw materials supplied to it during the summer season. To improve the rotting process, it is necessary to organize a good humidity regime and natural air exchange. For this purpose, a pipe with holes for the flow of oxygen is placed in the pit, or the raw materials laid in layers of different densities are periodically mixed.

The disadvantage of this type of waste processing is difficult access to the lower layers - ready-made humus.

Some summer residents simply transport waste to a designated area on the site on a layer of sand or gravel. Over time it forms compost heap. Raw materials rot right on the ground.

Often the pile is covered with a layer of grass or plants and looks like a green mound. Vegetables and vegetables can be planted on the compost heap. berry crops. For the winter, it is better to cover the pile with film so that it does not freeze.

Sometimes, to prevent the edges of the heap from crumbling, they build three vertical walls 1 meter high, between which the pile is located.

The next way to set up a composter is to arrangement of a special box, knocked down from boards. It is necessary to leave gaps between the boards for the natural flow of air and the drainage of excess moisture. The box can be one-, two- or three-section.

It is advisable to install a door or window at the bottom of the box through which you can remove the finished compost.

A more attractive option is considered punch industrial production made of plastic. These are containers with a capacity of 400, 600 or 800 liters with a lid at the top (in larger models with two doors) for convenient loading of raw materials and one or two holes for removing the finished product.

You can purchase a plastic composter in two versions. Summer option used only in warm weather before the onset of frost. For the winter, it is cleaned and stored until the next season. The winter option is a thermal composter, which can be used all year round. It is suitable for people who live in a private house permanently. The principle of operation of such a composter is comparable to the operation of a thermos, which constantly retains heat.

A neat plastic composter fits seamlessly into the landscape. Models are often equipped with a bottom basket made of aluminum mesh, which protects the compost from rodents.

In models called vermicomposters, the process of fertilizer formation occurs jointly with worms. By eating waste, worms turn it into a black mass that resembles soil.

Having a composter on site helps solve several issues at once: recycling organic waste and obtaining excellent fertilizer to nourish the soil.

How to determine the readiness of compost? First of all, by smell. The finished product smells of forest and mushrooms and never smells rotten. To speed up the decay process, special starters are sometimes used.

How to use compost? Compost is a source of all necessary plant nutrients, so it is added to the upper layers of the soil, no deeper than 8-10 cm from the surface, when planting seedlings. When planting fruit trees and bushes, it is added directly to the planting hole, sometimes mixed with ash. IN autumn period scattered under mature bushes to feed the roots.

It is necessary to fertilize the soil annually, otherwise it will become depleted. Therefore, the construction of a composter at summer cottage not just desirable, but rather necessary.

For ripening and storage organic fertilizer They use special containers - composters. A compost bin can be purchased at finished form made of plastic with a sealed lid. Such structures are more suitable for anaerobic fermentation.

But for the aerobic method, it is better to make a compost bin with your own hands. It is more convenient to mix the components so that they do not turn sour, and you can regulate the access of oxygen. Based on the amount of organic matter, compost containers are made of a suitable size - two or three chambers.

The options for making a compost bin with your own hands are varied both in material and shape. There is always something to use on the farm - boards, slate, plastic panels, metal barrels, brick or concrete.

Types of compost bins

There are two fundamentally different ways preparation of compost - aerobic and anaerobic. In the first case, it is necessary to ensure a constant flow of air to the waste so that bacteria can function and multiply. Aerobes need oxygen to live.

The second option is to arrange cesspool, seal it and allow anaerobic microorganisms to process organic matter. Such bacteria do not need oxygen; on the contrary, they die in its presence. This method saves more nutrients and there is no smell, which is also important if there are neighbors nearby who do not have a compost bin.

In turn, compost bins for aerobic processing differ in design. Most convenient option– in the form of a prism. By attaching a handle to the side, you can easily turn the contents over and control air access. The composter is in a suspended state; it is possible to close it completely and turn it over several times.

The most common option is to make a compost bin with your own hands and install it on a level area. In this design, you will have to turn over the waste manually - with a pitchfork or shovel. The compost container can be made in any size. You can divide it into several sections to lay organic matter one by one.

While in one the fertilizer is ripening, in the second it is already on its way, in the third it is ready. It is advisable to make such a garden composter with your own hands if there are animals and birds on the farm, as well as a large area that requires constant updating.

How to make a composter with your own hands

There are options for making compost bins with your own hands with drawings. But this does not play a special role. You only need to remember three sizes:

• width – no more than 1.5 m;

• depth – 1 m;

• Any length.

With this ratio of values, the process goes faster and the fertilizer is of higher quality. The fact is that air penetrates heavier into the depth of the mixture if it is large. If you make a wide and deep pile, you will have to think about an electric mixer with a hydraulic drive in order to turn it on periodically and mix the mass.

Slate

Slate is well suited for fencing a pile. This is a dense material. Unfortunately, it can be damaged by impact, but it is also easy to replace. How to make your own compost bin from slate:

• It is necessary to mark straight lines according to the size of the composter and stretch the rope as a guide.

• Dig holes in the corners with a drill and dig in logs - these will be corner support pillars.

• Nail slats or boards between them so that the slate can be secured.

• Using a drill and screws, attach the slate to the boards, placing it under the nails soft material- leather or dermantine.

• It is advisable to fill the bottom with concrete.

The front part of the collar is made lower to make it convenient to work with a fork. Another option is a door if you want to tinker with awnings.

Tree

Wood is the most popular option for making compost bins. They go like simple boards, and thick branches cut from a tree. The disadvantage of wood is its susceptibility to rotting processes that occur inside the composter. After a few years, a new collar may be needed. Wood cannot be treated with chemicals, as microorganisms may die.

Pallets bought at the nearest store or supermarket are popular. These are even structures, so they can only be connected to each other with long nails.

Video: Solid DIY compost bin

How to make your own compost bin from pallets:

• Calculate required quantity blanks For example - one for the end sides, two for the length, two for the roof. Only 8 pieces. If the planned length is longer, then more spare parts will be needed.

• Make markings on the ground, choosing in advance a place for the composter from pallets.

• Using a hammer and long nails, join the pallets together. It is better to make a roof with awnings so that the storage can be closed when it rains.

Some people prefer to make containers with an open bottom, explaining that earthworms should penetrate the pile. With this method, a maximum of 10 individuals will be taken into the container. It is not enough.

To get results quickly, it is better to purchase red Californian worms, whose reproduction rate is 500 times higher than domestic eukaryotes. This is a specially created type for industrial production fertilizers They process organic matter quickly and in 2 weeks you can get a completely finished fertilizer.

If you use only bacteria, then during decomposition the liquid will flow down and be absorbed into the ground, and with it nutrients that could be preserved. To do this, the floor in the composter is concreted, and a layer of peat, straw or soil is placed on the bottom.

Plastic

Plastic waste has also been successfully used to contain the maturing waste mixture. Disadvantages of plastic:

• in the cold it is more fragile;

• emits in hot weather harmful substances, if it is not intended for food products.

Pros - easy to install and quite durable at average temperatures. It is better to use not panels, but an ordinary plastic barrel liters per 300 - 400. Holes are drilled in the walls and bottom to allow air to penetrate. This design can be moved to another place; lids are sold with the barrels, which will protect the compost from rain.

Alternatively, use plastic mesh, attached to wooden frame: both oxygen flows in and components do not fall out through the cracks.

If you have an old plastic or acrylic bathtub on your household, you can also use it to make a compost box with your own hands. You will have to cover it with a thick film or tarpaulin laid on boards.

Composting Bin Requirements

The requirements are primarily for aeration if used aerobic bacteria. The width between the boards should be at least 2 - 3 cm.

It is not recommended to install a composter with an open bottom near a drinking well. It is carried at least 15 m away. You cannot set up a waste storage facility near your home - when manure and waste decompose, harmful and hazardous substances– methane, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide.

Scheme garden composter made with your own hands, should be universal:

• storage of ready-made substrates is provided;

• unloading fertilizer from below, because it ripens faster in the lower part;

• possibility of transfer to another place.

If you don’t skimp on materials, the collar will last for many years.

Tools for work

In order to reliably and correctly make a compost bin with your own hands, you may need the following tools:

• drill or screwdriver;

• nails or dowels;

• hammer;

• tape measure for measurements;

• a mixer if you plan to fill the bottom with concrete and a container for diluting the concrete mixture.

Any site owner has such a set, but if you buy a special container, you won’t need tools - plastic models are simply installed on the ground without any preparatory steps.

Video: Basic rules for good compost

Building a box for manure and humus with your own hands

You can compost not only plant waste, but also cattle manure and bird droppings. These are nitrogen-containing substances and the primary task is to preserve them. You need to know how to properly make a box for manure or humus.

For information: in rotted manure the nutrient content is reduced by 50%. That is, such manure is no longer used as fertilizer. It is only suitable for adding to the soil to restore the soil and feed bacteria

Manure is stored in two ways - cold and hot. In the first case, bedding manure is folded tightly into a pile and compacted so that less air gets inside.

Such a pile will not burn and the beneficial nutritional components will last longer. The box for the cold composting method is made airtight - the boards are nailed close to each other. The lid is also made airtight. After laying the manure, you will need to cover it with grass, soil or straw.

The hot method of storing manure requires oxygen, so the boards are placed wider. After ripening and overheating, excess liquid evaporates, the substance loses its original volume and weight.

To preserve the remaining nutrients, the humus is covered from rain and other precipitation. It is not recommended to bring manure to its extreme state, because then you will have to add mineral fertilizers to provide nutrition to the plants.

Experienced gardeners always monitor the level of soil fertility. After all, a depleted area is unlikely to give good harvest. Do-it-yourself compost boxes will solve two problems at once - the production of humus to fertilize the site and the disposal of plant waste.

Which is better, a compost bin or a bin?

For each crop, the time of its application may differ. Yes, under fruit trees it is brought into the area tree trunk circles towards mid-September. This must be done using half a shovel. In this case, part of the compost will already be absorbed by the plant in the fall, and it will be better prepared for winter.

In early spring, when digging is still difficult, fruit crop will receive a new portion of nutrients so necessary for the formation of ovaries. Ornamental perennials are fertilized in a ring or between rows.

Bulbs or plant seedlings that have not yet sprouted roots should not be placed immediately into unripe compost. After all, half-rotten organic matter is still quite “aggressive”. Continuing the “work”, it can damage the delicate roots. Therefore, seedlings and bulbous plants are isolated from contact with compost using a 5-10 cm layer of ordinary soil.

Garlic and other bulbous plants planted before winter are fertilized as follows:. The compost is placed between the rows so that its effect occurs in the spring. Under ordinary beds This fertilizer is dug up a couple of weeks before sowing or in the fall, in October. If the ground has already been dug up, you can simply work the compost into it using a hoe.

Ornamental plants also like compost. They can mulch, for example, roses. It will not only gradually supply them with nutrients, but also inhibit the growth of weeds. Plus it will ensure moisture retention. This is done only in spring or summer. Before winter, it is better to remove the compost so that the roots of the flowers do not rot.

Freshly made compost is always oversaturated with nitrates, so after adding it to the soil in the first year, plant it in this place

Compost bin. How to make a compost box with your own hands: drawings, photos, videos, options for making a composter.

This homemade product will be of interest primarily to summer residents and owners of garden plots, because we will talk about soil fertilizers, in particular compost.

Compost is a product of decomposition organic matter under the influence of microorganisms, in fact, compost is the best organic fertilizer.

To obtain quality compost, when building a compost bin with your own hands, you need to follow simple rules:

The main condition for the maturation of compost is the flow of oxygen into the compost heap; oxygen is necessary for the life of microorganisms, therefore, when making a compost box, it is necessary to provide side ventilation holes in the design.

Another advantage of using a box is that precipitation will not wash fertilizers into the soil, all valuable substances will remain in the box, and you will get truly complete compost. Therefore, it is advisable to equip the box with a lid.

Compost matures faster in the lower part of the compost heap, so you need to think about access to the bottom layer in the box and equip the box with a door or removable boards.

To ripen the compost best place Place the compost bin in a shady area at the edge of your garden or garden.

Compost bin drawings.

Let's look at a few drawings for manufacturing wooden box for compost.

Single section compost bin.

Multi-section compost bin.

You can build a box from old boards, timber, you can use boards from wooden pallets, you can use any wood that is on the farm.

The composter can be made into 2 - 3 sections, while in one section the fertilizer ripens, in the other you can use ready-made compost.

Making a compost bin.

Let's look at the example of making the simplest composter. The design of the box consists of support pillars that are dug into the ground, optimal height the ground part of the pillars is 1.2 m. The pillars can be made from 100 x 100 mm timber or logs.

But the lower part of the supports must be treated with an antiseptic, or waste motor oil so that the wood does not rot quickly. As an option, you can use the old-fashioned method: part of the pillars that will be in the ground can be charred at the fire; charred wood is more resistant to rotting.

We attach the side walls to the supports, fill the boards with nails or fasten them with self-tapping screws; it is advisable to leave a small gap of 1 - 2 cm between the boards for ventilation.

It is advisable to make the front wall of the box openable, this will greatly simplify the unloading of compost; just open the front door and you can pick up compost with a shovel without much effort. Instead of a door, you can make removable boards; you need to nail guide rails to the support posts and insert them into the grooves of the boards.

For the composter, it is advisable to make a lid, attach the lid to the box with canopies, and make a handle. Since wood is susceptible to rotting, the box must be treated with a safe antifungal impregnation and preferably painted.

The do-it-yourself compost box is ready, the final stage is laying the compost. A layer (hay, grass, leaves) is placed at the bottom of the box, then tops and vegetable waste can be placed.

DIY compost bin options.