Table of Contents
What is Bokashi composting?
Bokashi composting isn’t entirely a composting method in the traditional sense. It is a long fermentation process (approximately 4 weeks) followed by a rapid decomposition process (another 2 weeks). After the first phase of fermenting the food waste, it looks exactly the same. Bokashi relies on inoculated bran to ferment kitchen waste, including meat and dairy, into a safe soil builder and nutrient-rich tea for your plants.
Can bokashi bran be mixed with soil?
Yes, the bokashi bran contains lots of beneficial anaerobic microbes. Adding bokashi to your soil can help improve microbial diversity and improve nutrient availability to your plants. Not all anaerobic microbes are bad for your soil. For a more in-depth explanation check out this article.
Can you bokashi meat?
Yes, you can add almost any food waste to your bokashi bin. Including meat, eggshells, dairy and coffee grounds. Just avoid liquids and anything that is very oily. No ‘brown’ material should be added to your bokashi bin either.
What to do if my bokashi bin smells?
A poorly managed bokashi bin can literally smell like vomit. If your bin stinks ensure all of the liquid is drained from the bottom of the bin, add more bokashi bran to the surface of the food waste in the bin, cover the food waste with a plastic bag and/or a plate, set it aside for a few days without opening it, continue filling as normal.
Can bokashi go into a compost pile?
Yes, you can add your bokashi waste to a compost pile. If you decide to go this route you should add a lot of carbon-rich matter to an established composting pile. Ideally, the pile should still be in its thermophilic phase (still heating up). Add a shovel of garden soil to further inoculate the compost pile with a greater diversity of microbes. If the pile starts to smell add more carbon-rich material to the pile and mix well.
Does bokashi speed up composting?
Yes, you can add either the bokashi bran or fermented bokashi food waste to speed up the composting process. If done correctly, the material in your compost pile will break down noticeably quicker.
Is bokashi better than composting?
It depends. Bokashi is more flexible than traditional aerobic composting. However, there are things that you can add to your compost pile/ tumbler that you wouldn’t add to your bokashi bucket. To see the full comparison of the two methods check out this article.
Is bokashi better than worm composting
Nothing is better than worm composting. Lol, What I meant to say was, it also depends. Choosing a composting method largely has to do with what is most comfortable for you. If you are freaked out by worms and have limited outdoor space you would probably prefer bokashi over worm composting. If you have a large garden and need a constant supply of nutrients added to your soil. We went through all the pros and cons of the two methods in this article. This brings me to my next question.
Can bokashi be fed to worms?
Yes, you can feed fermented bokashi waste to your worm bin. After your bokashi waste has been set aside for the recommended 2 week period you can add it to your worm bin. Because bokashi compost is very acidic you shouldn’t spread it all over the bin. Rather you should use a pocket feeding method. To do dig a small hole in the bedding of your worm bin. Add some fresh bedding, add the bokashi compost on top and then cover with some fresh bedding. As the pH neutralizes the worms will move into that area. They can easily go through the waste in a few days in most cases.
Can I use the Bokashi method without a garden?
Technically, you could. If you don’t have any yard space you could:
- Get somewhere to burry your waste after it has fermented. If you had a friend with a garden or some yards space he/she/they could bury it for you.
- Feed the waste to your worms
- Make an indoor soil factory and burry your fermented bokashi waste in that.
Does bokashi create methane?
Bokashi doesn’t produce any gasses, if it did the lid of an airtight bokashi bin would swell. If you can detect a smell coming from your bokashi bin when it’s closed then the lid isn’t airtight.
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