Sometimes it is very difficult to remove from the cottage various garbage, in particular, from cooking. Previously, this problem was solved by digging a special pit for humus, where food and other organic wastes were stored. But very often this is a very labor-consuming occupation, and the smell emanating from it is carried within a radius of 10 meters. To save time and effort, and to avoid stink and large heaps, special composters were developed for the dacha.
In this article we will consider what the principle of the garden composter's work is, what is its usefulness for the dacha, and what kind of products are produced.
The device of the country composter
A garden composter is a container (box) with a lid, into which food waste and leftovers of garden activity are deposited. Inside it, under the influence of microorganisms, the loaded decomposes and turns into compost - an organic fertilizer , and also releases moisture and carbon dioxide.
To get quality compost it is necessary that the raw material has air access, and the released water can drain, so the garden composter should have ventilation holes in the walls and in the bottom.
If you get a dry, crumbly mass of dark color, smelling of the earth, without insects, mold and unbroken residues, this means that your composter is working correctly.
Varieties of composters for cottages
Choosing a composter for the dacha is necessary, based on their needs: the number of people living in the country and the area of the site. This is very important in order to calculate the volume of the composter that will contain all organic waste. They can range from 200 to 1000 liters.
According to the material used, when making a composter for a dacha, they are metal, wooden or plastic. The most important thing is that it must be strong, held and kept warm, as high temperature promotes the activity of microorganisms.
In addition to traditional boxes of green or brown flowers, there are also figured (or landscape) composters made in the form of a stone or a mound. Thus, they not only fulfill their basic function, but also decorate the garden plot.
If you live permanently at the dacha, you will need a thermo-composter made of frost-resistant plastic and having thicker walls, due to which a positive temperature is stored inside them permanently and the decomposition process does not stop even in winter. They necessarily have a thermostat, which regulates the internal temperature, depending on the weather conditions.
The most convenient are models consisting of two or three sectors, since it is easier to get ready compost from them. Also there are integral and demountable composters, the latter are easier to transport into place.
How to use the composter?
In the use of composters there is nothing complicated. First, you need to learn to put in the "right" garbage: it's all food waste, except for meat or dairy products, torn weeds (roots can not be cleaned from the ground), fallen in autumn or during a heat wave
For the decomposition process, oxygen is needed, so periodically the bunch needs to be pumped to get air into the middle.
The punch should be standing in place, where the moisture is well absorbed: sand, gravel or grass.
To accelerate the process of obtaining compost, you can pour waste with special means - biological composting accelerators, which can usually be purchased at the points of sale by the composter or horticultural stores.