Bokashi

To start bokashi composting, you need a special container, called a bokashi bin, and a microbial inoculant known as bokashi bran. The bran is a mix of wheat bran or rice hulls infused with beneficial microorganisms, including lactic acid bacteria, yeasts, and phototrophic bacteria. These microbes ferment the food waste rather than allowing it to rot.

1. Collect Your Food Scraps
   Unlike traditional composting, bokashi allows you to compost almost all types of food waste, including fruit and vegetable scraps, cooked food, dairy, meat, and even small bones.
2. Layer with Bokashi Bran
   Every time you add food waste to the bin, sprinkle a handful of bokashi bran on top. This introduces the beneficial microbes that will ferment the material.
3. Press Down and Seal the Lid
   Compact the food waste slightly to remove excess air, then tightly seal the bin. Since bokashi is an anaerobic process, keeping air out is essential.
4. Drain Liquid Regularly
   As the food ferments, it releases a nutrient-rich liquid known as bokashi tea. This should be drained every few days to prevent unpleasant odors. Bokashi tea can be diluted and used as a powerful natural fertilizer for plants.
5. Let It Ferment for Two Weeks
   Once the bin is full, allow the contents to ferment for about two weeks. The food waste won’t decompose completely but will develop a pickled smell, indicating successful fermentation.
6. Bury in Soil or Add to Compost
   After fermentation, bury the material in a garden bed or mix it into a traditional compost pile. Within a few weeks, it will fully break down, enriching the soil with nutrients and beneficial microbes.

Bokashi material, as a fermented pre-compost, is not finished compost. It is acidic and biologically active and must be mixed with soil to complete decomposition. Do not leave it exposed or apply it like mulch.

Once the bokashi process is complete, the pre-compost material can be incorporated into your garden in several ways:

1. Direct Soil Burial (Most Common)
   • Soil microbes neutralize acidity, complete mineralization, and stabilize nutrients.
   • Steps
     • Dig a trench or hole
     • Add 1–2 inches thick of Bokashi material
     • Mix thoroughly with at least 2–3 times its volume in soil so it’s not solid Bokashi
     • Cover completely so no material is exposed
       • Firm soil lightly to remove air pockets
     • Wait before planting
   • Width: wide enough to mix material with soil
     • Minimum: 2 weeks Ideal: 3–4 weeks
     • Cooler soils may require longer
     • Depth: 8–12 inches
2. Garden Bed Rotation (High Efficiency)
   • Best for: Annual vegetable beds, Raised beds, Continuous soil improvement. This method avoids disturbing crops and steadily improves soil biology.
   • Steps:
     • Bury Bokashi in a section of the bed not currently planted
     • Rotate planting into that area 3–4 weeks later
     • Repeat burial in the next open section
3. Incorporation into a Compost Pile or Bin
   • Best for: Hot or cold compost systems or Large Bokashi volumes
   • Steps:
     • Add Bokashi material as a green input
     • Bury it in the center of the pile
     • Balance with browns (leaves, straw, cardboard)
     • Cover completely to avoid odors or pests
4. Holding Bin (Urban & Small-Space)
   • Best for: Apartment dwellers, Winter storage, Gradual garden use
   • Steps:
     • Fill a tote or bin with soil or finished compost
     • Mix Bokashi material at a ratio of 1 part Bokashi : 3 parts soil
     • Keep moist but not wet
     • Let sit 3–6 weeks
     • Use resulting soil blend in beds or containers
5. Method 5: Tree, Shrub, and Perennial Application
   • Best for: Established trees and shrubs
   • Steps: (Important – Never place Bokashi directly against roots or trunks.)
     • Dig holes outside the drip line
     • Depth: 10–12 inches
     • Mix Bokashi thoroughly with excavated soil
     • Backfill and water lightly

What NOT to Do:

• Do not surface-apply or mulch with Bokashi
• Do not plant immediately
• Do not concentrate large volumes in one hole
• Do not leave Bokashi exposed to air

Visual & Sensory Indicators of Success:

• Sour smell disappears within 1–2 weeks
• Soil becomes darker and crumbly
• Earthworm activity increases
• No lingering odor at burial site

Key Timing Guidelines

• Chop large food scraps into smaller pieces to speed up fermentation.
• Keep your bin sealed tightly to maintain an anaerobic environment.
• Drain bokashi tea regularly and use it as a fertilizer to prevent liquid buildup.
• Use enough bokashi bran – If the waste starts to smell foul instead of pickled, add more bokashi bran to balance the process.

Key Principle to Remember
Bokashi is fermentation, not decomposition – It should have a sour, tangy, pickled, vinegar-like smell (not sulfur, rot, or ammonia)

If it smells sour, stays sealed, and is inoculated well, the system is working—it’s not going to look like traditional compost.

1. Strong Rotten or Putrid Odor (Not Sour / Pickled)
   • What it means: Anaerobic fermentation failed and putrefaction is occurring.
   • Fix:
     • Add a generous layer of bran immediately
     • Compress contents firmly to remove air
     • Drain leachate daily
     • Ensure lid gasket is clean and sealing fully
     • Chop future food scraps smaller
2. Visible Mold Growth
   • White Mold (GOOD)
     • What it means: Healthy fermentation is occurring — this is ideal
   • Green, Black, or Blue Mold (BAD)
     • What it means: Competing fungi or aerobic contamination
     • Common causes: Air exposure, Insufficient inoculant, High moisture
   • Fix:
     • Remove visibly affected material if extensive
     • Add extra bran
     • Compress firmly
     • Improve drainage
     • If mold dominates the bucket, discard and restart
3. Excess Liquid or Slimy Contents
   • What it means: Overly wet environment stressing microbes
   • Common causes:
     • High-moisture foods (fruit, soup, leftovers)
     • Not draining leachate
     • Adding liquids directly
   • Fix:
     • Drain spigot daily
     • Add dry absorbent material (bran, shredded paper, cardboard)
     • Avoid adding soups, sauces, or free liquids
     • Tilt bucket slightly toward spigot if needed
4. No Fermentation Smell / No Visible Change
   • What it means: Microbial activity may be too weak or stalled
   • Common causes:
     • Old or improperly stored bran
     • Cold temperatures slowing microbes
     • Too little inoculant
   • Fix:
     • Increase bran per layer
     • Store bucket in a warmer location (ideal: 65–85°F)
     • Replace bran if it smells musty or neutral instead of yeasty/sour
5. Fruit Flies or Insects Inside Bucket
   • What it means: Oxygen and access point exists
   • Common causes:
     • Lid opened too frequently
     • Lid not sealing
     • Food exposed between layers
   • Fix:
     • Add bran immediately after each food addition
     • Keep food fully covered
     • Open bucket briefly and infrequently
     • Clean lid and rim to ensure seal
6. Food Still Looks “Fresh” After Fermentation
   • What it means: Normal for Bokashi — fermentation preserves structure
   • Key clarification – Bokashi does not break food down visually
   • It chemically and microbially alters it
   • Check instead –
     • Sour smell
     • White mold
     • Softened texture
   • Action – Proceed to soil burial or secondary composting as normal
7. Bucket Swelling or Pressurized
   • What it means: Gas buildup from active fermentation
   • Common causes: Highly sugary inputs (fruit, bread) or Very active microbes
   • Fix:
     • Briefly “burp” the bucket if needed
     • Ensure spigot is functioning
     • This is usually not harmful if odor remains sour
8. Soil Smells Bad After Burial
   • What it means: Too much Bokashi in one spot or shallow burial
   • Common causes:
     • Large volume buried at once
     • Insufficient soil contact
     • Cold or biologically inactive soil
   • Fix
     • Bury deeper (8–12 inches)
     • Mix with more soil
     • Reduce volume per burial site
     • Allow 2–4 weeks before planting
9. Plants Struggling After Application
   • What it means: Acidity not fully neutralized
   • Common causes:
     • Planting too soon
     • Bokashi too concentrated
   • Fix:
     • Wait longer before planting (minimum 2 weeks)
     • Blend Bokashi thoroughly into soil
     • Avoid direct root contact

The Bokashi bucket system can be purchased, although a homemade Bokashi bucket can be constructed using two nested containers, with the inner bucket perforated to allow drainage of fermentation liquid. The outer bucket collects this liquid, which can be diluted and used as a soil amendment or drain cleaner. An airtight lid is essential to maintain anaerobic conditions. This simple setup replicates the function of commercial systems at a lower cost while providing an effective environment for fermentation.

Buckets can be resourced for free often from the Deli or Bakery Section at your local Grocery Store.

Often purchased, this can be the most expensive part of maintaining this system.

Bokashi bran is produced by combining a carbon‑rich substrate—commonly wheat bran—with a mixture of water, molasses, and an effective microorganism (EM) solution. The mixture is packed tightly into an airtight container and allowed to ferment for two to three weeks. Once fermentation is complete, the bran is dried thoroughly to stabilize the microbes for long‑term storage. Homemade bran performs comparably to commercial products when prepared carefully and kept dry.

How to Make DIY Bokashi Flakes

(Source: Rebecca Louie, The Compostess, www.thecompostess.com)

Materials

1. 1.5 TB EM-1 3 lb.
2. Flake material: Wheat bran can be purchased in bulk at Mother Earth’s for about $1.59/lb. Considering a 2 lb. bag of finished bokashi flakes can cost upwards of $15, you’re in for some serious savings!
3. 1.5 TB Molasses: This serves as food source for the microbes.
4. 3 cups Water
5. Container for mixing. Make sure it’s big enough to hold your flake material and then some.
6. Plastic bag: Make sure there are no holes in the plastic.

Instructions

1. Dissolve the molasses in the water.
2. Add EM-1 to the water mix.
3. Pour dry flake material into the mixing container.
4. Add 2/3 of the water mixture to the flake material and mix it together. Use your hands! It not only feels good, but is vital to determining when you’ve achieved the ideal moisture level.
5. Squeeze a handful of flakes together.
   • If it sticks together without dripping, it’s perfect! Continue to the next section!
   • If it crumbles apart like dust, it’s too dry. Slowly add the remaining liquid to your flakes, pausing periodically to squeeze test it until it achieves the conditions described above.
   • If liquid oozes from the flakes, it’s too wet. Add more dry flake material until it achieves the conditions described above.
6. Compress the bag contents to squeeze out as much air as you can from between the flakes and throughout the bag.
7. Twist or tie the bag closed, sealing the flakes in a private, air-tight universe.
8. Keep the bag in a warm, out-of-the-way corner like a cupboard or cabinet for a minimum of two weeks. In this quiet, dark, airless space, the microbes will ferment the flakes.
9. After a few weeks have passed, open the bag. It should have a sweet, yeast-y smell to it.
   • You may see white mold on it, which is totally fine. If you see green/blue/black mold, something went wrong and the wrong microbes cultivated. Compost the bad batch and start over.
10. Once you’ve achieved the proper moisture level, put the dampened flakes into the plastic bag.
11. Dry your flakes for long-term storage and use. Spread your bokashi flakes out in a thin layer on the floor or on a table to air out. You can do this in a tray, on a plate, or any other surface you don’t mind spreading flakes on. Heat and sunshine help speed things up.

How Much will you Need? (Source: Potager Project)

“Each 2.2 lb bag of bran will ferment 5 bokashi bins. For an average family, this is generaly 3 – 4 months worth of food waste. Then as the bucket fils, add 1-2 tablespoons of bokashi bran for every 6 cm (2.3 in) of food.” Source: Potager Project