Let's talk about how to build a compost pit on your own site without much trouble and troubles. Manufacturing options are varied. In the photo below you can peep a lot of ideas on how to make a compost pit. After all, sooner or later, every gardener faces a problem, where to put plant debris from his site. For the season, for example, I accumulate a huge number of them. And in the fall, plus to everything, cut branches, fallen leaves are added. I think that I will not reveal anything new to you if I say that the first thing you need to think about when equipping your site is a compost pit on the site. The fact that compost is simply necessary when growing any plants is known even to the townspeople, who see the land only in bags in stores for gardeners.
Compost pit, what is it?
What does a compost pit look like? Honestly, none of my friends saw a compost hole as a depression in the ground. I read a lot of literature, looked at a lot of information, drawings, drawings and photos on the Internet, but I didn’t understand - would it really be convenient to dig out the compost from the pit, 1-1.5 meters deep, when it ripens.
When I returned to the Kuban after a long break, took up the garden, I encountered such a problem. My father used a vegetable ditch to dig a ditch every year in a new place of our site, ditching about 5-7 meters long, 0.8-1 m deep, and filling it with branches, weeds, fallen trees and other debris.
Then he covered all this with a not very large layer of earth. For several years nothing could be planted at this place. When digging, all these not rotted branches, stems, fruits were on top. And planting anything at this place was uncomfortable - one hassle. That is, every year some part of the land in the country was unsuitable for growing crops. Moreover, every year it was necessary to sprinkle the earth in these settled ditches, since as it decayed branches and fruits, it settled. There was no problem with the land, as I already said, a new ditch was pulled out every year. Earth was taken from there.
In short, it was, in my opinion, a rather laborious way to utilize plant debris. I don’t argue, the harvests of my parents were excellent, nevertheless, the fertility of the soil on the site was constantly maintained at the proper level. But I immediately dismissed for myself this version of the compost pit - to dig a ditch or pit is hard physically. I am not capable of such “feats”. So I immediately rejected the pit option for myself. That is, I decided - I won’t dig a hole - this is not for me.
The most interesting thing is that for some reason, almost all structures for composting in a personal plot or cottage are called a pit. Although outwardly it does not at all look like a pit in the full sense of the word. I saw pictures on websites, read tips on how, how deep to dig this hole. But in most cases these are boxes, barrels, heaps. All this on the surface of the earth.
Indeed, agricultural professionals recommend building various crates or fences. Manufacturers of agricultural products for summer residents offer ready-made special composters. There is a competition of ideas for whom compost will live more comfortably. It is also advised to swap the middle of the compost heap, where the temperature is higher and there are more different bacteria with insects, with edges. And a bunch of all sorts of recommendations. But these tips have one goal - to accelerate the ripening of compost, reduce the period from bookmarking to the possibility of using it in the garden.
Experience in manufacturing compost heap on site
I will now introduce you to the experience of my neighbor in the country, which I took into account. And I have been using his experience for more than one year. By the way, he constantly uses compost when planting potatoes, fertilizes them with beds, holes, and furrows. And it does without any structures. He does everything with his own hands.
Of course, each of you will independently decide whether to use this experience or not. But to get to know him, I think, will be useful to everyone. See that it’s not so complicated. Or rather - quite simply!
What does the science of botany tell us about compost?
Under natural conditions, plant debris completely turns into humus after three years. Particularly “persistent” - twigs, large stems - after 5 years.
How to make compost in the country? Find a corner where a bunch will not bother you for the next three years. And put here during the spring-summer-autumn period all the waste - weeds, twigs left after pruning trees and grapes, dried bouquets. My neighbor arranges two such heaps in the two far corners of his summer cottage. And the third heap behind his perimeter is at the border with the neighboring site.
True, the site is abandoned and for many years nothing but weeds has been growing on it.
You can say that, in whatever corners, distant or near you do not have a bunch, it is still garbage that will spoil the appearance of the site. You're right.
Making a Compost Pit from Wicker Branches
Drive around a dozen pegs around the heap. From the cut branches of lilac, grapes, fruit trees, pick the longest ones and braid a bunch of garbage outside. The wattle will turn out. It is not necessary to do this often - rare weaves will also hide from the prying eyes all the ugliness of the compost heap. Loosen the ground in front of the hammered and braided pegs and throw a few morning glory seeds in the spring - now there is such a wide variety of varieties in any store. In a month and a half, you will get a beautifully blooming wattle fence. I assure you, you and your guests will enjoy a bunch of compost!
Below are a few photos - how to arrange a compost pit.
In the fall, when digging a garden, trot your heap with a small layer of earth. You will cover sticking out dry branches and improve the decomposition of the contents of the compost heap.
Next year you will have to find another place for a new pile, where you will begin to store the waste of the current season. And last year's heap can again be ennobled with fast-growing morning glory or plant a pumpkin, zucchini or cucumbers on it. Plants from the pumpkin family are very fond of “fat” fertile land, rich in large amounts of minerals.
The thin roots of a large branching root system loosely heap a pile that you did not shovel. And if you periodically water the compost pile, then pumpkins, zucchini or cucumbers will grow at your record size.
For the third year in your garden there will already be three beautiful baskets with flowers or pumpkins - your tongue does not turn to call it all a pit or a bunch. So, the fourth season will imperceptibly come from the beginning of your experiment in compost production in a heap pit, made effortlessly with your own hands. You can continue to weave baskets, but for the greater good of the matter, the very first compost pit, or rather, the wattle fence on it, disassemble - rotted pegs and twigs will easily break from a little effort.
Sort the resulting humus using a small spatula or large scoop, taking away unrefreshed branches to the side.
Take humus to the beds, to flower beds, under bushes or trees. By the way, pay attention that humus - compost is much more than you would receive ashes if you would burn this garbage three years ago.
Take the twigs, pegs remaining from the former wattle fence, as well as not rotted remains, to a new place where you will form a new compost hole.
Here is such a non-waste production when disposing of garbage after trimming in the garden and cleaning in the garden. And, mind you, no ugly heaps and wasting time shoveling. In addition, your garden or garden will always have an unusual decoration. And in order not to drag compost far - make a bunch closer to the place where it will be used.
How to use compost in the country? Sprinkle it over the dug up earth before winter, add it to the pits when planting potatoes or seedlings, mulch the beds. And be sure to compare the crop results obtained with or without its use. Very soon you will see that the saying of gardeners “Compost Black Gold” is justified.
Here is another option for applying nutritious, fertile land from a compost heap pit. After you remove the fence - just rake the pile with a rake and form a new garden bed or flower bed out of it. You can break a flower bed from a ready-made compost right on the lawn.
Examples of manufacturing compost pit from improvised means
You can mark the boundaries of the compost heap with a mesh net or any other metal mesh.
Or make a base under the lodge or hut of long poles fastened from above. And let them use the same morning glory, or beans, or cucumbers. But do not forget to leave a place for entry on one side, through which you will replenish the compost pit with new plant residues.
In short, experiment with design options for composting heaps by fitting them into the look of your infield and share your findings with us.
I will try to periodically replenish the collection of photos of compost pit heaps. Here, for example, I saw such a composter recently. Of course, this is a rather complicated construction, in my opinion, but, you see, a very interesting idea.
I saw such a nice structure on one of the sites. Of course, the owner of the site is the master. Great to try! But we are not out of place to admire such beauty! I want to take an example from the good!
Remember to photograph your compost pits. Everyone will be very interested in your experience. On our site you can not just leave a comment, but also add a photo to it.