Those readers who may have read us periodically will know that we have dedicated the odd article on composting and the compost pile . However, this system is a different way of obtaining the same result but applying different methods. Here we no longer use a composter, we don’t have to make or buy any, so it also has its advantages.
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HOW TO MAKE A COMPOST PILE
As in many other things in our daily lives, there are different ways and ways to obtain the same result and each one has its advantages and disadvantages. What we have seen to date is the method of making compost from a composter, which we also teach how to do in our article on making a homemade composter .
The system of compost in a container is a system that has several advantages over the compost method in piles, and the first thing that comes to mind is cleanliness, order, design, and even in certain cases a faster compost is achieved. However, it has the disadvantage that it takes an expense (of money or time) either when buying or when making the composter at home, and especially the size.
It is not suitable for large volumes of organic matter . This is where the compost pile or compost heap system takes center stage . Efficient, cheap, comfortable. Let’s see how it’s done.
Our objective with this traditional form of composting is to take advantage of agricultural waste, kitchen waste, pruning and plant remains and others to take advantage of them and reincorporate them to the earth. To do this, this method is very easy to perform, and we will simply have to create a pile or heap with those waste. Well, there are a few more things, but that’s basically it.
As you will know from other articles related to composting, temperature is essential in the conversion of waste into organic matter. This compost pile goes through several stages with different temperatures, but generally we will say that the average is around 70º C. To achieve this temperature we need the compost pile to have at least 1 cubic meter in volume.
HOW TO MAKE THE COMPOST PILE
GET THE “INGREDIENTS”
First of all, get as much waste as we can to add to the compost pile. To make things easier for you at this stage, you have some articles that can help you and they are these:
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+ The Carbon-Nitrogen ratio of the compost pile
+ How to make homemade compost step by step
+ The fauna involved in composting
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With this we already have a base to get the “ingredients” in our composting, now we only have to do a few more steps and that’s it. Let’s continue.
FINDING THE BEST SITE FOR THE COMPOST PILE
The best place for your pile has to be a space that is mostly shaded, that is protected from wind, rain or hail, with easy access (for loading and unloading) and that is comfortable for you to water it. regularly and constantly.
As for the surface of the pile, you can play with it but starting from a base (as in Gaspar Caballero’s Parades method in Crestall ). Those measurements are 1.60 to 2 meters wide and 1.5 meters high. You can play with the full length. One tip is to do it in a pyramidal or trapezoidal shape, in order to add stability to your compost pile.
MOUNTING THE COMPOST IN PILES
To make our pile of organic matter we have to go layer by layer, step by step. The first layer of our remains or waste will be 20 cm high. It is important that these wastes are mainly dry, such as woody branches of plant debris, straw, cardboard, etc. The next layer will be provided with fresh materials such as fresh pruning remains, kitchen waste, etc. with the height we want.
It is important to save a structure that would be formed in the following way. Layer of dry materials, layer of fresh materials, and so on, until reaching a meter and a half in height. In each layer we water to start the decomposition process of our compost into piles.
We already have our compost in piles almost finished, but we have one last thing left. If we left the pile like this, it would be exposed to inclement weather, it could collapse, it would have easy access to animal fauna, etc. It can be left like this (after all it is the most traditional method), but if we want to speed up the process we can cover our pile with a plastic or black mesh. It has its advantages:
- Protects from temperature variations
- Avoid the entrance of animal fauna attracted by the smell
- Protects the battery from solar radiation
- Prevents heat generated in the battery from escaping
The rest, the correct formation of compost, you will surely know it, since it follows the same procedure in making any compost. So now it’s up to you to get started, and if you have any problem, or better yet, if you have any advice to give us, you can do it in our section of the forum dedicated to composting . Cheer up!