Bokashi, Composting For The Rest of Us
Bokashi is a method of composting that will process your organic waste into a useable soil amendment in about two weeks.
It is accomplished by using lactobacillus. The same kind of friendly bacteria used to made sauerkraut or homemade yogurt, so you know it is safe!
It is a household phrase in the orient where it has been used for centuries. few in the west have ever heard the word.
A word that everyone has heard of however, is Landfill.
It is no great secret that we are literally choking on the wastes that are continually dumped into our landfills.
Experts tell us that some 75 percent of all waste in landfills is organic waste.
It is largely comprised of food wastes, paper, cardboard, grass clippings and landscaping debris. So why not make something good of it and recycle it back into the soil where it belongs?
Many of us want to do the right thing for our environment but feel powerless to make a change.
All that can be eliminated using organic fermentation to dispose of the organic waste from our household rather than putting it out to the curb every week.
Anaerobic fermentation is very inexpensive and it can be as simple as a recycled plastic pail with a lid. You can get more trendy and stylish with a bucket with a drain at the bottom.
Both are equally effective. It is only a matter of personal taste or budget.
Simply add a handful of inoculated bran into the bottom of your bucket and then add your kitchen scraps. Pack it down the best you can ans then sprinkle a little more over the top.
After your bucket is full and you have packed it down and added some more bokashi bran, move your bucket and let it sit COVERED for at least two weeks.
At the end of that time when you pull the lid off you will see beneficial fungi and bacteria growing on the top of your organic waste.
It is time to dig a hole in your garden or your raised bed and empty your bucket into it and then cover with four inches of soil.
While your bucket has been sitting for the last two weeks, the lactobacillus, bacteria and other friendly microorganisms have been multiplying very quickly. They in essence "pickle" the waste, preserving all the nutrients and changing it into a form that is readily broken down in your soil.
Worms LOVE Bokashi!
Earthworms are an important part of your soil. They provide aeration for the soil and they produce excellent fertilizer.
Once you have added your bucket the worms will come running (wiggling) for a feast. No need to add any worms, they will seek it out and multiplying in numbers.
The result is soil that is rich in organic matter and nutrients ready to supply your plants what they need to grow healthy and produce a bountiful harvest.
Boakshi For Your Garden
After two weeks of fermentation your organic waste will be ready to bury in your garden. As a visual indicator, should be able to see white fungus growing in you pail.
After being buried for two weeks the pH level will have balanced nicely and you will be ready to plant.
All the nutrients, minerals and trace elements from your organic waste will now be available to nourish your garden.
Bokashi Bran is available from Teraganix. You can buy it pre-made or order a bottle of EM-1 and learn to make it yourself
