To compost it is necessary (but not essential) to have a  composter . They come in various shapes and sizes. Here we are going to show you how to make your own composter without spending money and with very few materials.

BUILD AND MAINTAIN A HOMEMADE COMPOSTER

When maintaining a  composter,  the following considerations must be taken into account:

• Choose a covered place so that the compost is not affected by rain, sunlight or wind, since it would alter the quality of the compost and could interrupt the fermentation. These conditions can be avoided as long as the compost is covered properly.
• The first 5 days the compost should be turned twice a day (morning and afternoon). During the next 10 days the frequency of turning will be reduced to once per day.
• The compost is ready when its temperature is equal to that of the environment and its color is greyish, it remains dry and sandy in composition.
• The temperature should not be allowed to rise too high.
• It is important not to neglect humidity and temperature, because microbiological activity can be impaired by lack of oxygenation or excess humidity.
• It is recommended that the compost be in contact with the ground, not cover with cloth or wood.
• If the compost gives off a lot of heat, it must be aerated with a rake. If the problem persists, it may be that the composter is poorly aerated and it is necessary to make openings in the walls.

COMPOSTER CONSTRUCTION

There are several ways to build the composter manually. In this case, it will be made with wooden pallets as raw material in the realization. The necessary materials are the following:

• 4 wooden pallets of the same size.
• Wooden boards to cover the gaps in the pallets if they are too large.
• Wooden board that will act as a roof for the composter.
• Related tools.
• Heather.

One of the main problems with the use of pallets is the excessively large gaps that it leaves.

To make a good compost, the air inlet does not have to be so large, so you must find a way to plug the holes, leaving openings 1-2 cm high.

If it is too cumbersome to cover the gaps in the pallets with pieces of wood, you can choose to surround the composter with heather, regulating the air intake inside.

The assembled structure is as follows:

The vertical pallets can be anchored by means of bolts, as follows:

Everyone can make the modifications they want. In the previous case, the entry and collection of compost is done from the top. A manufacturing plus consists of placing hinges between two pallets to facilitate compost collection once the fermentation process is finished, as is the case:

The lid can be made either with another pallet or using a wooden board. You can color a few opening and closing hinges, or you can remove the lid directly when handling the compost.

The key to getting a good compost is experience and trial. In a period of 2 – 3 months, depending on the conditions, a compost like the one in the image will be obtained: