Undoubtedly, recycling and reducing waste within the home is one of the best ways to contribute to caring for the environment. In this sense, organic waste can be used to make compost for the benefit of garden plants. To achieve this, the first thing you need is a homemade compost bin, know what it is and the steps to make it.
Homemade Composter What is it?
Before learning about the compost bin, what it is and what it is for, the first thing is to know what compost is. It is a 100% organic fertilizer mixture that is used with the aim of improving the substrate that is used as food for plants. This is made by using various organic waste, but you need a compost bin to get it.
Now, a compost bin is a kind of container built with different materials and it is where the development of compost begins. Although it is possible to buy them in specialized garden stores, the best option is to opt for a homemade compost bin. This can be built with a wide variety of materials, wood being one of the most used.
To make it correctly, it is necessary to follow a series of steps that are essential for the creation of compost. Once the compost bin is known what it is and what it is for, now is the time to discover how to make it at home.
How to make a homemade compost bin?
Building a compost bin at home is a very simple task, the truth is that it does not have too many complications. The important thing is to have the necessary materials at hand and above all, correctly choose the organic waste that will be dumped in the compost bin. The steps for its correct elaboration are the following:
1- In the case of manufacturing materials, the most used are pallets or wooden slats. However, many choose to use recycled metal buckets, as they are very easy to transport.
two- If the material to choose is wood, the important thing will be to join the pallets or slats to form a square. To fix them, it is necessary to use nails or glue to ensure that the pieces of wood do not come off.
3- Besides, a lid must be made so that the compost maintains the right temperature and humidity. This should be airtight to keep out any pests and to keep the compost moist.
4- Home composters can be built fixed or removable to be transported to the desired place.
5- As for its dimensions, this will depend on the number of people in the family. Generally, in a home made up of at least three people, the homemade compost bin will have a height of about 50 centimeters. For its part, the width will be 70 centimeters, while the length will be approximately 80 centimeters. As long as the number of people inside the household, the size of the composter should be larger.
6- The location is also important, this in case you opt for the fixed compost bin. It is advisable to build it directly on the ground. It should also be located in a place that is close to the kitchen and preferably in the shade.
7- Once the home compost bin has been built, now is the time to select the organic waste that can be used and those that should be discarded.
What waste should be used in a homemade compost bin?
As mentioned at the beginning, organic waste is needed to make a homemade compost bin. However, you have to know which ones can be used when it comes to a homemade compost bin. Although what it is about the compost bin is already known, the order and type of waste used is also essential. The most recommended is a combination of kitchen and garden waste.
household waste
Normally, they are usually fruit or vegetable waste, but others can also be used, such as:
– Remains of vegetables and fruits, whether the shells or part of these, they can be cooked or raw.
– Remains of tea bags.
– Egg shells, these must be crushed for better absorption.
– Coffee remains.
– Ashes of vegetable origin.
– Expired yogurt.
– Remnants of hair.
– Newspapers, preferably in black and white.
– Pieces of kitchen paper.
– Some corks.
If possible, the ideal is to reduce this debris to a size of approximately five centimeters. This serves to speed up the compost decomposition process.
yard waste
On the other hand, the garden also provides fundamental materials for the elaboration of the homemade compost bin. Some of them are:
– Lots of dry and green leaves.
– Remains of dry grass.
– Pieces of branches, preferably dry.
– Remains of dry straw.
– Small pieces of plants and shrubs can also be used, as long as seeds or roots that can sprout are avoided.
– Manure can be used, however, only herbivorous animals are recommended, such as horses, sheep, cows, etc. The excrement of cats, dogs or pigs is not recommended.
– Humus is undoubtedly one of the best components for making a homemade compost bin. This benefits the correct execution of soil processes, which is necessary for the proper growth of plants. Be sure to use natural, unfertilized humus, as this makes the humus inert.
Like household waste, garden waste must also be reduced in size.
What are the waste that should never be used?
Now, there are many wastes that should not be used when making a homemade compost bin. This must be kept in mind, since its maintenance depends a lot on this aspect. Some of the components that should be discarded when it comes to a homemade composter are the following:
– Remains of white meat, red meat and also bones, since when they decompose they generate bad smells.
– Vegetables or vegetables in states of putrefaction, fruits or plants damaged by pests or diseases. In addition to producing very unpleasant odours, they would completely damage the compost, for this reason their use is not recommended.
– Sawdust obtained from wood treated with chemical products.
– Burnt wood or plastic ash.
– Varnishes or traces of glue, these are highly toxic.
– Plastic or aluminum materials.
– Plants or grass with traces of chemical fertilizers.
– Diapers, toilet paper or hygienic towels.
– Traces of fat or dairy products.
– Plants with roots or seeds.
– Excrements of domestic animals such as dogs or cats.
What are the steps to make homemade compost?
After making the homemade compost bin and choosing the waste to be used, now is the time to start preparing the compost. Compostera how to make it correctly:
1- The first thing to do is deposit part of the organic matter in the form of layers inside the homemade compost bin. This must be done according to the dimensions of the container and of course, its location.
two- It is important to place a layer of dry organic waste, such as wood chips, leaves, branches, dry shells, etc. Then place on top of this, another layer with wet waste such as fruit and vegetable scraps, green leaves, tea bags and coffee grounds. The latter can be combined with a little soil from the garden.
3- The layers should alternate until they reach the height of the compost bin, but without exceeding it.
4- As a recommendation, between the wet layers it is ideal to introduce a certain number of worms. This will accelerate the decomposition process of organic waste and at the same time, it will benefit ventilation. In addition, the worms allow the production of higher quality compost, which is ideal for plants.
5- With this, the homemade compost bin is finished. However, that is not all, now it is necessary for others to achieve its correct maintenance. The next thing will be, composter how to keep it running.
How to properly maintain the homemade compost bin?
Knowing about the compost bin what it is, what it is for and how to make it is very important. However, if not maintained properly, the compost will not be of the desired quality. For this reason, it is essential to know about the compost bin and how to maintain it properly. The most important steps are the following:
1- Then fill the compost bin with the layers of organic waste, the first step in its maintenance is to maintain its humidity. It is recommended to keep it at an approximate temperature between 35 and 55 degrees. This allows the fermentation process to begin inside the container.
two- Keep in mind that the compost will take some time to be ready, since the decomposition process is very slow. For this reason, the compost bin must be kept covered and moist enough for approximately three months.
3- Before completing this time, the supervision of the compost bin must be maintained at least once every fifteen days. In this way, the humidity inside is controlled, since it should not be very humid or dry.
4- Odor indicators are the best option to know how much moisture is inside the compost bin. If it gives off a putrid smell, it means that the humidity is very high, so leaves or dry matter must be added.
5- If the interior is too dry, it is best to spray with a little water or add wet residue. To know the degree of humidity, you can take a little of the compost and squeeze it by hand. In this case, it should release some liquid, which means it’s wet enough.
6- Now, with the passing of days it is important to stir the compost so that it can be mixed properly. Add more organic matter or water if required.
7- To know if the compost is ready to use, you have to pay attention to its appearance and smell. In this case, its color should be dark, while the texture should be moist enough. In addition, the deposited debris should no longer have any particular form. The smell should be similar to natural earth, without any traces of rot.
8- In this way, the compost is ready to use.
What are the benefits of building a homemade compost bin?
Without a doubt, building a compost bin at home has many advantages, so this option should always be taken into consideration. Especially if you have a garden to obtain organic materials. Some of the main benefits of homemade compost bins are the following:
– It is an efficient and natural way of dispose of household organic waste.
– In this way, the use of fertilizers and chemical fertilizers for plants also decreases.
– With the compost bin, what it is and how to make it, 100% natural organic fertilizer is constantly generated, free and of the best quality.
– Once the decomposition process is over, the compost should not give off any kind of unpleasant odour. So it is perfect to do it on terraces or balconies.
– It does not require the use of electricity or fuel, in addition, it is not necessary to invest huge sums of money for its elaboration.
– Contributes to caring for…