What is Bokashi?
Bokashi Composting is a unique indoor product that recycles food scraps into an organic, high-nutrient soil conditioner. Bokashi means fermented organic matter. Bokashi composting uses anaerobic fermentation to quickly break down food scraps while avioding rotting oders. A good analogy is sauerkraut for the soil. When we think of our soils like we do our stomachs, the soils respond quite well to our efforts.
What should I do if my Bokashi bin smells?
- Make sure that you are draining your Bokashi bin regularly. It is best to drain your bin every 1-3 days.
- Check to see if there is white mold growing inside your bin. If you see white mold it is a good sign. If you don't see any growth on top of your food scraps, you can add a small amount of sugar to your bin or 1/4 of a can of beer. Also, make sure that every time you add food scraps they are lightly coated with bran.
- Add fresh food scraps. Bokashi cannot reverse the odors/stench of rotting foods. If you add scraps more than 36 hrs old from your countertop pail, they are likely to have started rotting and will create an odor problem later on. Try to add food scraps every day or two to avoid odor problems.
- If you have any further problems or questions, please call our office at 512-870-8062.
How often do your drain your Bokashi tea?
Drain the tea every one(preferably) to three days. Liquids are a key to the rotting process, and explains why the pail has a grate and spigot. The tea produced for your plants is incidental to preventing the rotting process.
If I go on vacation, what do I need to do before leaving?
The pulp in the bin will be just fine and continue fermenting while you are gone. It is best to drain the liquid before leaving. I would just place a large container (i.e. 1/4 to 1/2 gallon) under the spigot and let it drain for 1 hour. Don't let the flow rate fool you. We have been stunned by the amount of liquid accumulated when it looks like the slowest of trickles coming out of the spigot. Keep an eye on it every 10 minutes or so. As long as the liquid is out, you are good to go on a great trip (vacation!!).
Can I store My Bokashi bin inside or outside?
You can do both. However, it is best to keep your bin out of direct sunlight. Ultraviolet light causes the degratdation of plastics. Neither cold nor heat is a problem for the bokashi process.
What is the difference between the nutrient tea that comes from the Bokashi bin and compost tea?
Nutrient tea from the Bokashi bin has all the nutrients from the food scraps you put in your Bokashi bin and around 30 different species of microbes that break down organic matter. (Think Kombucha for the soil) Compost tea has thousands of different species of microbes and fewer nutrients. In compost tea, it is the broad spectrum of microorganisms that are beneficial to your plants. In Bokashi tea, it is the nutrients that are particularly beneficial to your plants.
What food scraps CAN'T go in my Bokashi bin?
Large bones and coconut shells. If it is hard, dry and thick, it is not likely to break down quickly in the soil.
What ratio should I use to dilute the nutrient tea that comes out of my Bokashi bin?
The rate of dilution varies depending on what you put into your bin. As a general rule, if you drain your bin every 1-3 days you should dilute the nutrient tea in a 1 or 2 gallon jug of water before watering your plants. If you want a more technical answer, a ratio of around 1 part nutrient tea to 40 parts water works for most plants.
For more information from a 3rd party source, you can review
this blog by an Austin apartment dweller.
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