Bokashi
Bokashi composting
Getting started
There are two ways you can approach your bokashi bucket: build your own or buy a purpose-built one. To build your own, you can use two tightly stacked five-gallon buckets. You'll need to put a spigot with a valve in the bottom one, below where the top bucket nests. You'll need to drill some small holes (quarter-inch or so) in the bottom of the top bucket. And, you'll need an air-tight lid for the top bucket. You can get all the materials for this from just about any hardware store. See our Resources page for links to detailed guides. If you want to buy a purpose-built bucket, places like Bokashi Living sell them. You're also going to need bokashi flakes. These are bran or other grain flakes inoculated with EM-1 (a mix of microbes that does the fermenting). You can make your own or buy them. And, finally, you'll need a piece of flexible plastic just larger than the opening of your bucket. A repurposed bubble mailer or plastic bag works well.
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Whatever your container, sprinkle a light dusting of flakes on the bottom of the bucket. If you're using two stacked buckets, this is the top bucket with holes in the bottom. Then, add your food waste. For best results, make sure pieces are chopped up so they're smaller than the palm of your hand. Smaller pieces break down faster. For every inch of food waste you add, sprinkle a light dusting of bokashi flakes on top. If you have a lot of food waste, you can do this in layers. Once you've added all your food waste and topped it off with a dusting of bokashi flakes, cover it with the sheet of plastic and gently press out any air. You want things as air-tight as possible. Then, cover your bin with the air-tight lid. Drain the spigot and pour any liquid down the drain. It will not hurt your pipes or our sewer system, and many people report that the microbial community keeps their pipes clear (bonus!).
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On a weekly(ish) basis
Add your food scraps as they accumulate. Top them with a dusting of bokashi flakes and recover the mix with the sheet of plastic. Try not to open your bucket too often. The bokashi fermentation process is oxygen-free and opening the bucket lets oxygen in. To reduce the need to open the bucket, you can accumulate scraps in a bowl in your fridge and empty it every few days or as needed.
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At least once a week, and more frequently if needed, drain the bucket using the spigot. The goal here is to make sure your bokashi is never sitting in liquid. If the liquid smells a little like pickles, you're doing things right. And, if you notice a white mold on your scraps when you open the bin, this is another sign things are going well. Hooray for you!
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When things go sideways
At some point, things will take an undesirable turn. The good news is that it’s fixable! Make sure you're draining the bucket frequently enough. You can also try adding a bit more bokashi flakes, chopping foods smaller before adding them, and avoiding adding any moldy foods. If things are just totally putrid or there's a colorful mold community flourishing, add the mix to your covered bin with plenty of browns. After a few weeks, it should be totally broken down like normal. In the meantime, you can restart your bokashi bucket.
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Full bucket! Now what?
Once you’ve filled up your bucket, it needs time to complete the composting process. It can do this in your covered bin (or, if you live somewhere where it's feasible, you can bury it). Mix it in with plenty of browns (remember the 2:1 ration of browns to greens for a covered bin) and carry on as usual with your covered bin system. The bokashi ferment will take a few weeks to break down. As it does, the microbes you added with the bokashi flakes will accelerate the bin's composting (another bonus!). The first week or two after you add your bokashi to your covered bin, you may notice that the bin is very warm inside. This is the microbes at work! Once their job is done, the temperature will come back down.