- By Inge Bremer
Bokashi - The compositing solution for small spaces
Bokashi is a form of composting that allows you to compost kitchen scraps of all kinds. This includes meat and dairy products that are banned from aerobic systems.
The scraps are pressed into the Bokashi bucket, covered with a handful of bran (called compost zing) , and tightly covered. There is no smell and the method is similar to making Sauerkraut (fermenting under pressure).
You can buy a commercial double bucket, or make your own set, where the first one has holes on the bottom, the leachate will collect in the lower bucket. The Bokashi method speeds up the compostiing process (one month instead of six months plus for a compost heap.
When the bucket is full, you can either put it into the compost (if you have a garden), or use a second Bokashi bucket system, and let the first one mature for about a month. You can then use it for mixing with top soil in planters.
Several on-line sites, including at least one on YouTube, tell how to start and culture a batch of inoculant from scratch, eliminating the need to buy commercial Bokashi inoculant.
Where Did Bokashi Come From?
Most Bokashi sites state that the inoculant (usually called EM or Effective Micro-organisms) was discovered or developed by Dr. Teuro Higa, a professor at University of Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan, around 1982 or so.
The linked article by two Hawaiian horticulturists, “How to Cultivate Indigenous Organisms (PDF),” describes how to find and cultivate the sorts of micro-organisms used in EM. In other words, how to create one’s own Bokashi inoculant.
Watch this Video on how to make a Bokashi
Links of interest
