Cultivated plants and trees require a regular supply of nutrients, and the soil is gradually depleted. Therefore, it is required to regularly apply additional fertilizing to the soil - organic and mineral. Chemical preparations have not only a positive effect on green spaces, therefore modern vegetable growers prefer not to use such means for fertilizing vegetables and fruits, but prefer fertilizing made from natural ingredients.

One such fertilizer is compost. It can be made from vegetable waste that remains after weeding in the garden or vegetable garden, as well as from food and other ingredients. To get a complete top dressing, the necessary elements must be rotted.

Pits are dug under the compost on the plots, where plant waste is piled, from which an excellent tool for improving soil fertility is later obtained. But some gardeners make compost feeding in old boxes, an iron barrel, and in any other containers that are no longer used for their intended purpose.

Below we will talk about how to make compost in a barrel, the main advantages of natural fertilization, as well as the nuances of preparing organic matter in this way.

Top dressing, obtained by decomposition of organic elements, has a positive effect on the composition of the soil, increases fertility, and there are practically no costs for its preparation. As a basis for compost, they dig a hole (or make a container in which it will reheat organic waste), and then put all plant residues from the site there.

If there is no room for a hole in the garden (or there is no way to dig it), then an ordinary barrel is suitable for preparing organic fertilizer. So that the process of fermentation of plant waste is not accompanied by an unpleasant odor, a lid is attached to this container.

Benefits over compost pit

Barrel pros:

• 1) it can be located in any free corner of the site;
• 2) The installation does not require much space;
• 3) the appearance is more aesthetic (compared to the pit);
• 4) small holes can be made in the neck of the barrel for oxygen to enter, which is needed for beneficial bacteria to function;
• 5) it is possible to make a hole in the lower part of the structure through which ready-made compost can be taken;
• 6) in a barrel, organic fertilizer will not dry out or be washed out by melting snow or other precipitation;
• 7) cucumbers or zucchini can be grown in a container with already ripe top dressing.

But composting in a pit has benefits too:

• no need to start large-scale construction, it is enough to dig a square depression with sides 1.4 m and a depth of 0.5 m;
• the pit can be filled throughout the season without thinking about the possible lack of space;
• plant components are put into a pit and after filling it, if there is no way to dig another one, then a compost heap will grow on top.

But such depressions without covers with accumulations formed on top spoil the view of the site, spread an unpleasant smell around.

What to put in the barrel?

Making compost in the country with your own hands is easy. A barrel of any size is suitable for this, but a large one is better - it will fit more waste. The only caveat is that there should be no metal parts in the container for the decomposition of organic residues that come into contact with decay products.

Put into the barrel:

• weeds, plant debris, small tree branches;
• grass, fallen leaves, straw, sawdust and shavings, peat;
• food waste and slops;
• wood ash, chicken droppings.

You cannot add weeds with seeds, diseased plant parts, as well as animal manure to the compost: along with it there is a risk of introducing pathogenic microflora into the prepared organic matter.

The procedure for laying raw materials

It is necessary to put all plant and food residues in a container in a crushed form so that they rot faster. Layers of organic matter are sprinkled with earth, peat or chicken droppings.

The process of composting waste goes faster if water or slop is added to the barrel daily (for such watering, weed infusion, drunk tea leaves, coffee grounds are used).

It is best to alternate the following layers of organic matter and other substances:

• plant remains;
• bird droppings;
• wood ash;
• priming.

Maturation of compost in a barrel

To get rotted organic fertilizer, you have to wait: the rotting process in the compost barrel lasts 2-3 seasons. The time interval depends on the degree of grinding of the raw material and the presence of favorable microflora, under the influence of which decay occurs.

If you start using the produced top dressing at the end of the first season, then it will be better than simple soil from the site, but less valuable in terms of the amount of nutrients than 2-3 year old compost.

Signs of compost maturation

Determining the degree of readiness of organics is easy:

• in a high-quality fertilizer, all plant residues rotted;
• it is homogeneous and loose (no sieving is required before entering the soil);
• you can safely take it in your hands - it will be soft and dry;
• completely rotted compost smells pleasantly of forest, mushrooms and fallen leaves.

You can prepare such a high-quality organic additive in any container, the main thing is to put only plant residues and food in it, and also regularly add moisture for better decay.

Fully matured compost is an excellent fertilizer for garden plants, flowers, shrubs and trees. It is used to prepare a nutrient substrate for growing seedlings of vegetable crops, and is added to the soil when transplanting indoor flowers (those that benefit from organic fertilizing).

This nutritional supplement is added in large quantities when digging a garden and vegetable garden in the fall, when during the season the plants have taken a large amount of nutrients from the soil.

Composting in a barrel is a simple and inexpensive method. Despite the duration of ripening, top dressing can compete with artificial fertilizers due to its effectiveness and safety for plants.

Compost pile for the lazy
11/20/2009 Labels: humus, compost, compost box, manure, do it yourself

In summer cottages, a compost heap is a must. After all, compost is a unique organic fertilizer that enriches the soil with humus. Compost can partially or completely replace manure, which has now risen in price, as well as mineral fertilizers and specially brought fertile soil. In addition, by collecting organic waste throughout the site, we simply clear the area around.

Of course, the compost heap or boxes for composting waste should be placed in secluded places so that they do not catch the eye and spoil the view. Nevertheless, they should always be at hand. In the case of the classic composting solution, three sections are required for the production of compost: in one, the waste is laid, in the other, the compost matures, in the third, the finished fertilizer is ready for removal to the beds. In terms of size, many converge on the following proportions: width -1.5 m, height - 1-1.2 m, length - up to 3-4 m. These dimensions are given in many reference books, they are considered the minimum necessary to ensure the temperature and stable humidity for the normal course of the composting process. According to the same theory, it is advised to shovel the contents of the compost heap annually to supply air to the maturing compost, i.e. to speed up the process of waste decomposition. This task requires serious physical effort.
How to speed up the composting process?

But progress does not stand still, composting technologies are being improved and the compost production process has been accelerated by 2-3 times. For example, to preserve moisture and to increase the temperature in the compost heap, they began to cover it with plastic wrap with openings for air access. Also, to speed up composting, various accelerators of this process have been developed, for example, the drug "Tamir". To speed up the process, you can select a certain composition of organic and other components of the compost heap so that composting will be significantly accelerated. This suggests that today it is not necessary to follow the rigid recommendations developed in the last century.
Composting in an iron barrel
1 - holes in the wall of the barrel;
2 - green mass;
3 - manure;
4 - ash;
5 - earth;
6 - polyethylene.

So a modern compost heap can be made compact or stacked for this purpose in a small container with a capacity of about 1 cubic meter. meter, making it from boards.

But, as you know, laziness is the engine of progress, so it may not cost anything to build. Just take an old metal barrel without a bottom and tweak it a bit:

First, to provide air access in the lower part of the barrel, we make 20-30 holes along its perimeter with a drill with a diameter of 8-10 mm, or you can punch them with a punch. Place the holes at a height of 20-30 cm from the base of the barrel. And no insulating spacers are needed between the barrel and the ground - microorganisms and moisture must move freely in both directions.

Secondly, we paint the barrel on the outside in a dark color for better heating in the sun, which will ensure a high temperature inside and speed up the composting process.

The process of making compost in a barrel is very convenient and simple. Several such barrels can be placed around the site, placing them in places where waste accumulates most quickly. This can be a summer kitchen, garden beds, etc.
Composting layers

To speed up the production of compost, fertilizer components should be placed in a certain order, forming layers of a certain thickness:

First, place green plants or carbon-rich substances, making them into a layer 15-20 cm thick.

Then put in 5 cm of manure or nitrogen-rich substances.

Then we tear everything with a centimeter layer of earth.

So we fill the barrel to the top, continuing to lay the layers in the same sequence - weeds, manure, ash, earth.

Cover the filled barrel with a piece of plastic wrap with holes, which we tie up with twine so that the wind does not blow it away. From time to time we water the prepared compost with water so that it does not dry out. Watering can be done at the same time as watering the beds. But it is not worth overmoistening the compost mass too much. In terms of humidity, it should correspond to the squeezed sponge.

If ants are in the barrel, then the compost heap has dried up and the composting process has been interrupted. To automatically maintain the desired humidity in the barrel, plant a zucchini, pumpkin or cucumber there. In this case, the film is no longer needed. Watering these plants will provide the correct moisture for the compost heap. The difficulty of the last method is only to immediately fill the barrel with all layers of compost to the top.

This design of the compost heap in the form of a barrel significantly accelerates the composting process. And you don't have to wait 3 years, as in the classic version. No need to shovel the compost. In one summer, you can get several hundred kg of excellent fertilizer.

It takes about 9-10 months to prepare compost in the usual way. In a rotating, closed plastic barrel, the cooking time is reduced to 15-20 days.

Loading - from the cylindrical side. The cover clings to the hinges and is secured with two screws. On the sides there are openings for air intake, enclosed by fine mesh. The barrel is placed on the frame. There are gear rollers in the corners of the frame, these are connected to the toothed rim of the barrel, and it can be turned by hand to mix the compost. The smaller container is structurally made somewhat differently and rotates on an axis passing through the center. To obtain compost, ordinary plant and household waste is used.

We use:

Used barrel (with lid)

A galvanized pipe on which the composter will rotate (a bar of smooth reinforcement is also suitable)

Bolts with washers and nuts

4 latches

Door hinges

1. Drill in the barrel in the center of the ends two holes for the pipe - axes. The axis will be supported by a wooden frame

2. Cut out the door in the barrel, attach it to the hinges. We fasten the latches. An improvised handle is made from a cord that has come to hand.

3. Punch or drill a lot of ventilation holes in the barrel. In several places we drive long nails into the barrel - splitters for better mixing of the contents (instead of nails, you can use a slotting machine, tightening it with bolts).

3. We make a frame for a composter from boards. We install the barrel on the frame.

4. Launching the finished composter

For fast composting, just load the waste into the composter and turn it every few days.

Variations on a theme

Barrel vertical position:

Two-level composter (for it, wooden frame racks were concreted into the ground):

To connect plumbing fixtures to the water supply network, a flexible water pipe is used. It is in demand when connecting mixers, showers, toilets and other points of water intake, and greatly simplifies the installation process. Flexible hose is also used when installing gas equipment. It differs from similar devices for water in manufacturing technology and special safety requirements.

Characteristics and types

Flexible hose for connecting plumbing is a hose of different lengths made of non-toxic synthetic rubber. Due to the elasticity and softness of the material, it easily takes the desired position and allows installation in hard-to-reach places. To protect the flexible hose, there is an upper reinforcing layer in the form of a braid, which is made of the following materials:

• Aluminum. Such models can withstand no more than +80 ° C and remain functional for 3 years. At high humidity, the aluminum braid is prone to rust.
• Of stainless steel. Thanks to such a reinforcing layer, the service life of the flexible water line is at least 10 years, and the maximum temperature of the transported medium is +95 ° C.
• Nylon. This braid is used for the manufacture of reinforced models that can withstand temperatures up to +110 ° C and are designed for intensive use for 15 years.

As fasteners, nut-nut and nut-union pairs are used, which are made of brass or stainless steel. Devices with different allowable temperatures differ in the color of the braid. The blue ones are used to connect to the cold water pipeline, and the red ones are used with hot water.

When choosing an eyeliner for water, you need to pay attention to its elasticity, reliability of fasteners and purpose. It is also mandatory to have a certificate that excludes the emission of toxic components by rubber during operation.

Features of gas connections

When connecting gas stoves, columns and other types of equipment, flexible hoses are also used. Unlike water models, they are yellow and do not pass environmental testing. End steel or aluminum reinforcement is used for fixation. There are the following types of devices for connecting gas appliances:

• pVC hoses reinforced with polyester thread;
• made of synthetic rubber with stainless steel braid;
• bellows, made in the form of a corrugated stainless steel tube.

Holding "Santekhkomplekt" offers engineering equipment, fittings, plumbing and accessories for its connection to communications. The assortment is represented by products and materials from well-known foreign and domestic manufacturers. Discounts apply for bulk purchases, and the quality of products is confirmed by certificates of the established form. For informational support and assistance, a personal manager is assigned to each client. The ability to arrange delivery within Moscow and to other regions of the Russian Federation allows you to quickly receive the purchased goods without unnecessary hassle.

Drainage - irrigation and drainage measures to remove excess groundwater.

If water does not leave the site for a long time, the soil gleys, if the shrubs and trees quickly disappear (soak), you need to urgently take action and drain the site.

Reasons for waterlogging

There are several reasons for waterlogging:

• clayey heavy soil structure with poor water permeability;
• the aquiclude in the form of gray-green and red-brown clays is located close to the surface;
• high occurrence of groundwater;
• man-made factors (construction of roads, pipelines, various objects) that impede natural drainage;
• violation of the water balance by the construction of irrigation systems;
• the landscape plot is located in a lowland, a ravine, a hollow. In this case, precipitation and water inflow from higher places play an important role.

What is the risk of excess moisture in the soil

You can see the results of this phenomenon yourself - trees and shrubs die. Why is this happening?

• the content of oxygen in the soil decreases and the content of carbon dioxide increases, which leads to a violation of the processes of air exchange, water regime and nutrition in the soil;
• oxygen starvation of the root-forming layer occurs, which leads to the death of plant roots;
• the intake of macro and microelements by plants (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, etc.) is disturbed, because excess water washes out mobile forms of elements from the soil, and they become inaccessible for assimilation;
• there is an intense breakdown of proteins and, accordingly, putrefaction processes are activated.

Plants can tell you where the groundwater is.

Take a closer look at the flora of your site. The species inhabiting it will tell you at what depth the groundwater layers are located:

• top water - in this place it is best to dig a reservoir;
• at a depth of up to 0.5 m - marigold, horsetails, varieties of sedges - vesicular, holly, fox, Langsdorf reed grass grow;
• at a depth of 0.5 m to 1 m - meadowsweet, canary grass,;
• from 1 m to 1.5 m - favorable conditions for meadow fescue, bluegrass, mouse peas, ranks;
• from 1.5 m - wheatgrass, clover, wormwood, plantain.

What is important to know when planning the drainage of the site

Each plant group has its own moisture needs:

• at a depth of groundwater from 0.5 to 1 m, vegetables and annual flowers can grow in high beds;
• the depth of the water layer up to 1.5 m is well tolerated by vegetables, cereals, annuals and perennials (flowers), ornamental and fruit and berry bushes, trees on a dwarf rootstock;
• if the groundwater is at a depth of more than 2 m, fruit trees can be grown;
• the optimum depth of groundwater for agriculture is from 3.5 m.

Do you need drainage of the site

Write down your observations at least for a while. You yourself can understand how much drainage is needed.

Maybe it makes sense to just redirect melt and sedimentary water along a bypass channel, rather than letting them flow through your site?

Perhaps it is necessary to design and equip a storm drain and improve the composition of the soil and this will be enough?

Or is it worth making a drainage system only for fruit and ornamental trees?

The exact answer will be given to you by a specialist, whom we strongly recommend to call. But after reading this article, you will gain some awareness of this issue.

At the end of the technological and production tasks related to the arrangement of the sewer system in an apartment building, an industrial building, as well as in a private household, it is required to test the involved system by the forced spill method. This task was applied to identify possible defects or improper installation of the entire sewer part involved, and the test report for internal sewerage systems and gutters will be material evidence of the acceptance of the facility.

The visual check should be accompanied by the introduction into the act of testing the internal sewerage and drainage systems according to SNIP, which is currently represented by the current regulations of the D series application, which corresponds to SP 73.13330.2012 "Internal sanitary systems of the building", recently a new one has been applied updated working edition for SNiP 3.05.01-85.

13.03.2017 1 409 0 ElishevaAdmin

Gardeners can receive free environmentally friendly fertilizer - compost, collecting and processing organic waste - leaves, grass, etc.

Some make a compost heap, others - a compost pit, where the components rot and gradually form compost.

But this process can be accelerated, optimized, being able to mix the components often and actively. To do this, create a compost barrel.

It can be done easily and easily, having the minimum of tools that the gardener and the gardener always have at hand. And the materials are not God knows what, they can also be found in your own shed or closet. You just need to buy a barrel, maybe rollers.

Tools

Drill driver

A hammer

Jigsaw

Saw (saber, table or ordinary hacksaw)

Phillips bit and screwdriver

Pencil

Materials

4 rollers;

Wooden beams of different lengths 50 x 100 mm (other sections are also possible)

Screws and nails

Plywood 6 mm thick

Rubber harnesses

Making a compost barrel

Having prepared the tools and materials, let's get down to business.

1. The barrel should be closed, let's make a lid from plywood. To do this, putting the barrel "on the priest," draw a circle for the neck. Take a jigsaw or a saw and cut out a circle.

2. From the inside of the lid, we will nail a few bars to the plywood. To do this, we will inscribe a square in the circle of the lid (by eye), and place the blocks in its corners. They need to be fastened with nails (we will bend the ends) or screws.

3. The lid must be firmly fixed so that all the contents do not fall out of it during rotation. It is convenient to make the latch from rubber bands, providing them with hooks. The hooks will be threaded into the neck of the barrel, for this we will drill several holes.

Particular attention should be paid to the selection of the correct harness length. They should be removed and put on without problems, while keeping the lid closed securely.

4. Let's make a frame out of beams, on which the barrel will rotate. It is a rectangle, its long side slightly exceeds the length of the barrel, and the short side is about ¾ of the width of the barrel.

We take the beams and knock a rectangle out of them, fix the braces in the corners for rigidity, cutting them out of the remains of plywood.

How to make a compost pit or heap?

5. Install rollers on the long sides of the frame, it is on them that the barrel will swing. We fasten 2 rollers on each long side with screws, pushing them closer to the ends of the barrel. In this case, it is easier to rotate and it is more stable.

If the rollers are located close to the middle, the barrel may jump off during rotation.

However, the screws will allow you to correct the position of the rollers, if necessary.

6. When rotating, the barrel strives to slide off the frame along its length. To prevent this, we will place an emphasis on one of the end sides of the frame. This is a simple board that will hold the barrel in place.

7. In order that during the rotation of the barrel its contents not only slide along the walls, but also actively mix, it is worth fixing several bars inside the barrel.

That's it, the compost barrel can now be used. Note that all operations to create it are done by eye, no precise measurements are required.

Compost pile: a video on how to make it yourself