BOKASHI KITCHEN COMPOSTING

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1 Info Sheet LAST UPDATED: 20 July 2015 BOKASHI KITCHEN COMPOSTING TIPS FOR COMPOSTING YOUR FOOD SCRAPS WHY COMPOST YOUR FOOD SCRAPS? Victorians throw away enough food waste to fill the MCG approximately five times every year! By starting a compost or worm farm you will: Save space and reduce methane emissions in landfill Create a valuable soil supplement that can be used in home gardens Save money! A QUARTER TO A HALF OF THE WASTE YOU PUT IN YOUR WASTE BIN IS FOOD SCRAPS!! WHAT IS BOKASHI KITCHEN COMPOSTING? The Bokashi kitchen composting method mixes food scraps with an inoculant (called Bokashi) that contains beneficial micro-organisms to speed up the compost process. The liquid created from this composting process is loaded with microbes and nutrients and must be removed every 2-3 days. The liquid can be diluted and used to water indoor and outdoor plants. When the Bokashi bucket is full, the contents take 2-3 weeks to ferment and then can be added to an outdoor compost bin (speeding up the composting process). 1

2 STEP BY STEP BOKASHI STEP 1: What to Put In Your Bokashi Bin Kitchen waste Meat Bones Dairy Coffee grounds and tea bags Eggs shells veggie and fruit scraps) Remember to sprinkle a handful of Bokashi mix over every layer of waste Press down to remove air after each addition of waste and handful of Bokashi mix. Tip: Use a potato masher STEP 2: Keep it Closed Check that the lid is closed tightly at all times for the composting process to occur. STEP 3: Drain the Liquid Regularly drain the Bokashi juice produced using the tap at the base of the bucket (every 2-3 days). STEP 4: Layer it Up Repeat the layering process of waste with a handful of Bokashi mix until the Bokashi bin is full. STEP 5: Empty the Waste Once full, the waste is ready to be buried or stirred into your compost bin/heap or buried in a garden (not too near any plants as the waste will be very acidic at first). STEP 6: Rinse Rinse your Bokashi bucket after each use do not use any soap. STEP 7: Start Again If you have two Bokashi buckets you can begin the process right away in your second bucket, allowing the contents of the first bucket to continue to ferment. Note: the waste does not break down in the bin; it is fermenting and will reduce in volume as it loses water content. Complete breakdown of the waste and the composting process occurs when it is buried in the soil or stirred into a compost bin. 2

3 BOKASHI JUICE The amount of juice your Bokashi bin produces depends on the type of food stored in it; so don t be concerned if little or no juice is produced. Adding fruit and vegetables tends to increase juice production. Be careful not to add too much Bokashi mix as this can result in reduced juice creation. Take care with the tap. Do not unscrew more than ¾ of a turn. If you think the tap is blocked, try clearing with a skewer. USING BOKASHI JUICE In the Garden BOKASHI JUICE MUST BE DILUTED PRIOR TO USE IN THE GARDEN! Bokashi juice contains nutrients from the food waste and is alive with micro-organisms so it makes a nutrient-rich, free fertiliser! To fertilise an existing garden or pot, dilute 1 teaspoon of juice with 2-3 litres of water and apply directly to the soil. To fertilise trees or shrubs, dilute 2 teaspoons with 2-3 litres of water. Do not apply directly to foliage Around the Home You can pour the concentrated Bokashi juice directly into kitchen and bathroom drains, toilets and septic systems. Benefits include: Helps prevent algae build-up Controls odours Bokashi juice cannot be stored and must be used within 24 hours after draining from the bucket. 3

4 FERMENTATION PROCESS Fermentation generally takes between 14 and 30 days to complete depending on the outside temperature, the contents of the Bokashi bin, and the quality of the Bokashi mix. On average you can successfully ferment food waste in 14 days, but it may take longer. Heavier scraps such as bones, avocado skins, and meat will take longer to breakdown. Fully broken down organic waste should have a sweetish, sour or pickled odour and will generally be mushy when squeezed. BENEFITS OF BOKASHI Composts all kitchen waste hygienically - minus any unpleasant odours and insects that come with outside compost bins Waste is conveniently stored indoors no need to go outside to the compost bin Keeps your kitchen bin fresher for longer as food waste is stored in your airtight Bokashi bin Conventional composting can take up to a year to complete while Bokashi composting, is rapid, occurring in a matter of weeks The Bokashi liquid is great to pour directly into kitchen and bathroom drains, toilets and septic systems or dilute and use to water your indoor and outdoor plants Congratulations if you re going well with your Bokashi bin so far! Sometimes there can be problems with your new Bokashi bin, like smell or material not breaking down. This can be due to a few factors. See the next page for ideas on troubleshooting to get your Bokashi bin back into balance and making nutritious juice for your garden! 4

5 BOKASHI TROUBLESHOOTING TIPS SYMPTOM PROBLEM: Fruit flies in container CAUSE SOLUTION Attracting fruit flies Bokashi bin contents are not acidic enough Add more Bokashi bran or liquid spray to make the food waste more acidic so the fruit flies can t live in it. If you have one, put all the fruit and vegetable peelings straight into your garden composter instead. PROBLEM: Rotten smell or presence of maggots or fungi The fermenting process has failed. There will be some quite unfriendly bacteria in there, so you need to get rid of it and start again. You can dig a hole in the garden, add some Bokashi bran or liquid spray, tip the contents of the bucket in, sprinkle a couple of handfuls of bran over the top/4-5 sprays of the liquid spray, then bury the lot and leave it to sort itself out Or A strong rancid or rotten smell, or the presence of maggots or black or blue-green fungi Empty the bucket into a plastic bag and put it in the dustbin. Don t be discouraged this doesn t happen often, and will probably be due to one or more of the following: Not enough Bokashi bran mix or liquid spray was used be generous you can t use too much; The container lid wasn t kept tightly closed this is vital for the fermentation to work; The juice was not drained off enough so the mix was too wet; The inner drainage tray wasn t properly in place; The container was too hot or too cold it needs a warm place out of direct sun. PROBLEM: White mould White mould appearing on contents in container Not a problem, contents are fermenting properly. No action required. Bokashi bin is working correctly. For more information contact the Environmental Project Officer - Education on WEBSITES FOR MORE INFORMATION: data/assets/pdf_file/0011/136685/bokashi_bucket.pdf 5