Starting Your Bokashi Composting Journey: A Beginner's Handbook
Bokashi composting is a simple and effective way to turn your kitchen waste into nutrient-rich soil.
It's an anaerobic fermentation process that uses a special type of bran to break down organic matter quickly and efficiently.
The resulting compost is perfect for use in your garden or potted plants, and it's a great way to reduce your carbon footprint and help the environment.
One of the great things about bokashi composting is that it's easy to get started, even if you're a beginner. All you need is a bokashi bin, some bokashi bran, and your food scraps!
You can compost almost any type of organic matter, including meat, dairy, and cooked food, which makes it a great option for people who want to reduce their food waste.
Another benefit of bokashi composting is that it doesn't produce any unpleasant odors, so you can keep your compost bin indoors without worrying about attracting pests or offending your nose.
Plus, because the process is so efficient, you can produce compost much faster than with traditional composting methods.
Overall, bokashi composting is a great choice for anyone who wants to reduce their environmental impact and create nutrient-rich soil for their plants.
What is Bokashi Composting?
Bokashi composting is a form of indoor composting that uses a special mixture of bran and microorganisms to break down food scraps and other organic waste.
Unlike traditional composting, which relies on aerobic bacteria to break down materials, bokashi composting is an anaerobic process that takes place in a sealed container.
The bokashi mixture, which is typically made up of bran, molasses, and a variety of beneficial microorganisms, is sprinkled over food scraps in a container. As the mixture breaks down the scraps, it produces a liquid byproduct that can be drained off and used as a nutrient-rich fertilizer.
One of the key benefits of bokashi composting is that it can handle a wider variety of materials than traditional composting. In addition to fruit and vegetable scraps, bokashi composting can also break down meat, dairy, and other types of organic waste that may not be suitable for traditional composting methods.
How Does Bokashi Composting Work?
Bokashi composting is an indoor composting method that relies on anaerobic fermentation to break down food waste into a nutrient-rich soil amendment. The process uses a special mix of bran that has been inoculated with beneficial microbes to quickly break down food waste.
To get started with bokashi composting, you'll need a bokashi composting kit that includes a container with an airtight lid and a supply of bokashi bran. Simply add your food waste to the container, sprinkle a layer of bokashi bran on top, and repeat until the container is full!
Unlike traditional composting methods that rely on aerobic bacteria to break down organic matter, bokashi composting relies on anaerobic fermentation. This means that the process can handle a wider range of materials, including meat, dairy, and citrus, that would not typically be recommended for outdoor composting.
During the fermentation process, the bokashi microbes break down the food waste into a nutrient-rich liquid that can be drained off and used as a fertilizer.
Once the container is full, the fermented material can be buried in a garden or added to an outdoor compost pile to finish breaking down into a finished compost.
Benefits of Bokashi Composting
Bokashi composting is a great way to reduce food waste and create nutrient-rich soil for your plants. Here are some of the benefits of using this method:
Environmental Benefits
Bokashi composting is an environmentally friendly way to dispose of kitchen waste. Here are some of the environmental benefits:
Reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills
Decreases greenhouse gas emissions
Produces nutrient-rich soil that can be used to grow healthy plants
Economic Benefits
Bokashi composting can also provide some economic benefits. Here are a few:
Reduces the need for chemical fertilizers
Can save money on garbage disposal fees
Produces a valuable soil amendment that can be used in gardening and landscaping
Household Benefits
Household benefits of bokashi composting include:
It produces a lack of smell due to the use of specially selected microbes to ferment kitchen scraps and the fact that it is produced in a sealed container.
Works with more types of waste, including bones, meat, dairy, and leftovers. Again the sealed container prevents vermin from getting at the compost, unlike a traditional aerobic system.
Bokashi composting can also be done in a relatively small space and produces a highly nutritious plant food that can be buried in compost trenches in a garden, as well as excellent fertilizer tea for feeding plants directly.
Bokashi is faster than traditional composting, taking only two to three weeks to break down food waste.
Overall, bokashi composting is a great way to reduce food waste and create nutrient-rich soil for your plants, indoor or out.
By using this method, you can help reduce your environmental impact and save money on gardening and landscaping expenses.
Getting Started with Bokashi Composting
Supplies Needed
Before starting bokashi composting, it's important to gather all the necessary supplies. Here's a list of supplies you'll need to get started:
A bokashi bucket: This is a special type of bucket that is airtight with a tight-fitting lid and a spigot to allow easy draining of the bokashi tea.
Bokashi bran: This is how the effective microorganisms are carried to your bokashi bucket. Bokashi bran is usually made from food industry byproducts like wheat or rice bran and EM-1, a commercial concentration of Higa's beneficial microbes.
Food scraps: You'll need a supply of food scraps to add to your bokashi bucket. Almost any type of food waste can be added, including meat, dairy, and citrus.
To get started, you can purchase a starter’s Bokashi kit on Amazon:
These kits have a bucket with a spigot, the bokashi bran, and instructions on getting started with Bokashi.
Preparing the Bokashi Mix
Once you have all the necessary supplies, it's time to prepare the bokashi mix. Here's how to do it:
Add a layer of bokashi bran to the bottom of your bokashi bucket.
Add a layer of food scraps on top of the bokashi bran. Make sure to chop or shred the food scraps into small pieces to speed up the composting process.
Add another layer of bokashi bran on top of the food scraps.
Repeat steps 2 and 3 until your bokashi bucket is full.
Seal the lid tightly and let the bokashi mix ferment for 2-4 weeks.
Using the Bokashi Mix
Once the bokashi mix has fermented for 2-4 weeks, it's ready to be used. Here's how to use it:
Remove the bokashi mix from the bucket and bury it in a garden or compost trench. Alternatively, you can add it to a traditional compost bin or pile.
Drain the bokashi tea from the spigot at the bottom of the bokashi bucket. Dilute the tea with water (1:100) and use it to water plants directly.
Clean the bokashi bucket with soap and water before starting the process again.
Tips for Successful Bokashi Composting
If you're new to bokashi composting, it can seem overwhelming at first.
But with a few tips, you can be on your way to successfully composting your food waste and creating rich soil for your garden. Here are some tips to help you get started:
What to Compost
One of the great things about bokashi composting is that you can compost almost any type of food waste, including meat, dairy, and citrus. However, there are a few things to keep in mind:
Avoid composting large bones or hard objects that won't break down easily.
Don't add too much liquid to your compost bin, as this can slow down the fermentation process.
Try to balance out the types of food waste you add to your bin, so that you have a good mix of carbon-rich and nitrogen-rich materials. If you need more carbon in the mix, you can add some shredded cardboard or shredded paper.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Even with the best intentions, you may run into some issues with your bokashi composting system. Here are a few common problems and how to troubleshoot them:
Issue: The compost smells bad
Solution: Make sure that you're using enough bokashi bran to ferment the food waste. If the smell persists, try adding more bran or reducing the amount of food waste you're adding to the bin.
Issue: The compost is too wet
Solution: Try adding more carbon-rich materials, such as shredded newspaper or dried leaves, to the bin to absorb excess moisture. You can also drain off any excess liquid from the bin.
Issue: The compost is too dry.
Solution: This is an easy one to solve, simply moisten the compost in the bucket!
Issue: The compost is becoming moldy.
Solution: Bokashi compost requires an anerobic environment which excludes fresh air containing oxygen. This is why we ferment in a sealed container, so make sure the container is sealed air tight. Second, the system also relies on microbes in the bokashi bran to start the composting process, so make sure you get your food scraps into the bokashi before they begin developing other kinds of mold organisms.
Also keep in mind, the bokashi organisms contain brewers yeasts which will provide a white-gray fuzzy mold naturally. Other mold colors, such as green or red, indicate issues with the seal or other organisms growing in your bucket.
Issue: The compost isn't breaking down quickly enough
Solution: Make sure that you're using enough bokashi bran to ferment the food waste. You can also try chopping up larger pieces of food waste into smaller pieces to help them break down more quickly.
By following these tips, you can have a successful bokashi composting system up and running in no time. Happy composting!
Conclusion
Bokashi composting is a simple and efficient way to turn your organic waste into nutrient-rich soil for your garden. This method is particularly useful for those with limited space, as it can be done in a relatively small area and without the need for air-fluffing materials.
As a beginner, it is important to understand the basics of bokashi composting, such as what materials to use, how to ferment the compost, and how to apply it to your garden.
The process involves sealing kitchen scraps and organic waste in an airtight container with a medium and allowing it to ferment for several weeks.
Once the fermentation process is complete, the resulting product can be buried in compost trenches in your garden or used to create a highly nutritious fertilizer tea for feeding your plants directly.
Bokashi composting is also an excellent way to reduce your carbon footprint and contribute to a more sustainable gardening practice.
Getting started with bokashi composting is easy and requires only a few simple steps.
First, you will need to purchase a bokashi composting kit or create your own using an airtight container and a bokashi bran medium.
Next, begin collecting your organic waste and adding it to the container, along with a layer of bokashi bran between each layer of waste.
Finally, seal the container and allow it to ferment for several weeks before using the resulting product in your garden.
Overall, bokashi composting is an excellent way to reduce waste and create nutrient-rich soil for your garden. With a little bit of effort and some basic knowledge, anyone can get started with this simple and effective method of composting.
