Construction of a Compost bin out of pallets and a Compost for “black gold”.

Start making soil

Choose a suitable place for the compost.
If possible, put the compost in the shade of a tree or some larger shrubs. Any roots from trees or shrubs that grow into the compost do no major damage, but are rather an advantage because they utilize some of the nutrients that would otherwise leak from the compost and pollute the groundwater. A compost heap directly on the ground covered with a layer of leaves or straw can look just as good and is experienced by most as a more natural element in the garden

How to proceed at the facility.
The most important thing is always the mixture of the material and that it is moderately moist and there is a good supply of oxygen.

Finely chop the material.
Keep in mind that in all forms of composting, the decomposition process is faster if the raw material is finely divided; in addition, the material takes up less space in the compost.

Leaves, hedge trimmers and leaner twigs are most easily atomized by driving over it a couple of times with the lawnmower. For coarser materials in larger quantities, however, some form of compost grinder is needed.

Size is important.
A compost heap directly on the ground is most easily shaped like a loaf with a width of one and a half meters and just under a meter high, the length is determined by how much material is to be composted. Keep in mind that small compost is difficult to raise the temperature and easily cools, if a sufficiently high heat is not achieved, the process is much slower and in addition, pathogenic bacteria, weed seeds and harmful insect larvae survive. The decomposition in the compost has the best conditions when the temperature is between 35 and 55 degrees, which are fastest at a temperature between 40 and 55 degrees.

Humidity.
The consistency should be like a squeezed sponge, it means moisture content of 50 -60 percent. In an open container or in a compost heap directly on the ground, it is usually no problem to keep even moisture. In normal cases, nature itself takes care of it in an exemplary way. In the event of prolonged drought or in a closed container, however, water is allowed at regular intervals. Do not wait too long, completely dried compost is not easy to water, the risk is great that the water just flows straight through. Remember that weeds that grow on the compost steal water, so always cover the surface with a layer of leaves, straw or other suitable material so that the weeds do not get a foothold.

Ventilation.
A good supply of air is a prerequisite for well-functioning compost. A mixture of different materials in different sizes is usually enough to provide the required air exchange. If the contents become too compact; the easiest way to air is to mix in a slightly coarser material. The compost must absolutely never be packed or trampled on.

Additives.
A small amount of garden soil or even better old compost should always be added to speed up the process. On the other hand, avoid the special compost agents that are available in the trade, it is a waste of money because everything needed to start the composting process is in abundance in nature. Also avoid adding lime as it is easy to overdose and then the valuable nitrogen disappears into the air like ammonia. A certain amount of organic fertilizer (blood flour, urea, etc.) can possibly be added if the compost contains very carbon-rich material such as dry leaves, straw, sawdust and the like. But these remedies are relatively expensive and definitely do better benefit directly in the garden land. Instead, try to balance the carbon-rich material with a mixture of fresh grass clippings that are nitrogen-rich and usually available in abundance. Commercial fertilizer is something you should completely avoid in the garden for environmental reasons and of course does not prefer to do in the compost.

The facility.
Always start by putting a layer of airy material in the bottom e.g. branches, twigs or hedge trimmers, and then top up with materials from the garden and kitchen as it become available. Always try to apply a mixture of materials so that there are no uniform layers of the different ingredients. Animal waste from the kitchen as well as diseased plant parts and weeds, you always put in the middle of the compost and cover carefully so you avoid problems. Occasionally sprinkle a few liters of garden soil or old compost. When the container is full or the open compost has reached the size you want, it can be left alone for a couple of months. If you have placed compost directly on the ground without any kind of container, you should cover it suitably with leaves or straw as insulation. It now takes anywhere from three months to two years before the compost is finished, all depending on the type of waste included and the conditions during the process. All you need to do is check the humidity from time to time. If you want, you can of course turn the compost a few times to speed up the decomposition, even if it is not necessary. In general, you can say  that the more often you turn the compost, the faster it will be finished, but it is a heavy job and absolutely not necessary if you have time to wait for your soil.

What type of waste can be composted?

• Ash
  Wood ash from a wood boiler, wood stove and fireplace, but not in excessive quantities,
• No more than 2 dl per 100 liters of compost. Sprinkle the ash on the lawn instead, where it makes better use where it counteracts acidification and moss formation.

Avoid charcoal, coke and cigarette bags.

• Bark
  All types of finely divided bark can be added to the compost, decompose slowly due to its large carbon content and should therefore be mixed with e.g. grass clippings.

• Conifers
  All types of conifers can be added to the compost, but especially spruce conifers in large quantities can be dangerous for some plants.

• Bones
  Bones can be put in the compost but break down very slowly. Smaller bones from e.g. bird can be run in compost mill, while coarser bones may be crushed by hand.

• Feather
  Feather contains a lot of nitrogen and therefore fits well in the compost.
• Fruit
  Fruit and berries can be put in the compost well, however, peels from oranges, lemons takes long.

• Branches and twigs
  Finely divided branches and twigs mixed with e.g. grass clippings fit perfectly in the Compost. Use a compost grinder, or if you have plenty of space, put the branches in a pile to dry over a season, then you can more or less crumble them by hand.

• Lawn mower
  Must be mixed well with a more carbon-rich material. Rather use the grass clippings as surface compost in the garden land where it does better.

• Grass turf Grass turf from e.g. the edge cutting of the lawn is perfect to put in the compost if you shake off most of the soil so it does not become too compact.

• Hedge trimmer
  Suitable as a base for the compost. Finely divided, it is good to mix with other material in the compost if it is not in too large quantities.

• Hay and straw
  Must be mixed with a nitrogen-rich material, e.g. fresh grass clippings or manure.
• Soil A little garden soil works wonders in the compost.
• Cones
  Decomposes slowly but aerates well in the compost
• Kitchen waste Nitrogen-rich, and among the best you can put in the compost.
• Latrine
  Can be placed in the middle of the compost, but do not forget to cover.

As a rule, a special permit is required to compost latrines.

• Leaves
  Leaves are placed in the compost as fresh as possible. Old leaves should preferably be finely chopped and mixed with a slightly more nitrogen-rich material.

• Weeds
  Can be put in the middle of the compost, but do not forget to cover.
• Paper
  Household paper, unbleached napkins, paper bags, egg cartons and other similar packaging can be placed in the compost.

• Sea grass and Seaweed
  Sea grass and seaweed from the beach contain a lot of nitrogen and are suitably mixed with dry leaves or sawdust. Keep in mind that the high sodium content can be harmful to some plants.

• Seashells
  Crushed or ground, but not in large quantities.
• Manure works wonders in the compost. Mix with dry leaves, straw sawdust or other carbon-rich material.
• Stone flour contains a lot of silicon and also a number of other important minerals that are broken down by bacteria. A small amount of stone flour can therefore be added to the

Compost without any problems.

• Sawdust
  Sawdust is excellent to put in the compost, but mix well with other materials. If you saw wood with a chainsaw, keep in mind that the sawdust always contains a small amount of chain oil and is not suitable for putting in the compost. If you have not already done so, switch to biodegradable chain oil.
• Newspapers
  Newspapers torn into strips or crumpled, mixed with grass clippings or kitchen waste, but never in large quantities.
• Peat
  It is good to mix in the compost in smaller amounts but makes better use directly in the garden land.
• Urine
  It is good to mix in the compost but makes better use directly in the garden land or as fertilizer for the lawn.
• Gold water: 1 part urine and 10 parts water = fertilizer
• Reed
  Reed is rich in nutrients and finely divided, it therefore fits well in the compost.

What to avoid mixing in the compost.

• Lime
  It is a common misconception that you should whitewash the compost, but this is completely wrong, and usually does more harm than good because for the compost valuable nitrogen is released into the air as ammonia.

• Commercial fertilizers
  Should be avoided for environmental reasons.
• Sand, stone, clay, mud
• Fat
  g. butter and cooking oil in larger quantities should be avoided.
• Salt
  May be harmful in large quantities.
• Tobacco ash and cigarette butts.
  Contains heavy metals and substances harmful to plants.
• Vacuum cleaner bags
  Contains a lot of heavy metals.
• Inorganic materials.
  For example. glass, sheet metal, plastic etc. should not be placed in the compost.

The most important points for a successful result.

• A mixed comminuted material with a well-balanced carbon / nitrogen ratio.
• A humidity of 50-60 percent.

Good oxygen supply

• Source: https://www.odla.nu/inspiration/kompostering

Important

Keep in mind that guidelines and recommendations are constantly changing. Therefore, always talk to an expert before starting your project.

Worth knowing about composting

Use a long-stemmed temperature gauge to measure the temperature inside the compost. If the compost does not get hot, this is probably due to one of the following reasons:

1. Imbalance between carbon and nitrogen. 2. The material is poorly mixed. 3. The compost should be scooped. 4. The humidity is too high. 5. The humidity is too low. 6. Wrong activator is used (Tip: Nitrogen-rich waste such as fresh grass clippings, manure, etc. can be used as activator). 7. The compost is too small. 8. The compost is too big. 9. The air temperature is too low. 10. The compost is ready.