What is Bokashi composting?

Bokashi is a powder made from certified organic rice bran. This powder is commonly used to activate anaerobic fermentation; a method of recycling food waste that has many advantages over traditional composting. The Bokashi concept is based on an ancient Japanese farming practice, in which farmers used microbial-rich soil to break down food and crop waste, creating nutrient-dense humus to fertilize future fields.

Decomposition, or rot, is usually the result of anaerobic microbes, microbes that require little or no oxygen. These putrid microbes take over the materials, releasing foul-smelling gases in the process. Most popular composting methods use microbes that require oxygen…a lot. If not managed well, even aerobic composting can produce many odors and attract all kinds of pests. Furthermore, aerobic composting can also be time consuming, labor intensive and inefficient.

The Bokashi method is anaerobic, but it does not putrefy or rot. Bokashi’s anaerobic composting uses microorganisms that require low oxygen (known as optional) to break down organic materials. For this reason, the process generates little or no foul-smelling byproducts and, compared to traditional composting, requires very little supervision or time. Bokashi is much more convenient than traditional composting and is so safe that it can be done indoors. Since the microbes do not require oxygen, the process can be contained within an airtight space and once the process is complete, simply add the nutrient-rich humus to your garden, worm bed, animal feed or lawn.

Benefits of Bokashi Composting:

• Effectively breaks down food waste, including heavier items that traditional composting can’t, including dairy, fish, and meat.
• No harmful by-products, which means no unpleasant odor or greenhouse gases. The final Bokashi product has a sweet pickled smell rather than a rancid decomposing smell.
• A closed system protects against the attraction of insects and pests, a major drawback of traditional composting which must be left in the “open air” so that the microbes in the composting pile have access to oxygen.
• It takes about two weeks to complete, much faster than traditional composting! And Bokashi bran powder can be combined with Super Wax (Super C) powder to create EM-1 Bokashi for super accelerated composting.
• Minimal involvement required, no turning or monitoring of green to brown ratios. Just add leftover food and bran, and walk away. Microorganisms do the rest. After two weeks, bury the fermented matter where you want to enhance plant life and the compost will completely break down in the soil for the next 2-4 weeks.
• Super compact! No more need for backyard space… Bokashi containers can fit in a pantry or under the sink. This makes Bokashi ideal for businesses and city dwellers (or anyone fed up with maintaining the green to brown ratio of their traditional compost heap).
• Super efficient! Materials break down quickly in a small amount of space…and since the process is contained, no nutrients are lost.

What you need to get started with Bokashi:

• Unwanted food waste
• Bokashi Rice Bran or EM Bokashi for Accelerated Composting
• A Bokashi bin/composting bin: should be compact with flexible, easy-open, airtight lids. The Deluxe Bokashi Bucket Fermenter also contains EM-X® ceramic powders that speed up the fermentation process.
• Having two buckets on hand is even more convenient, as you can quickly change them for greater efficiency.
• Consider a Bokashi container with a faucet if you want to use compost tea during the two week cycle.
• A space to bury the resulting fermented content of the Bokashi container (planters, pots, etc.).

That is all! It’s obvious why Bokashi is considered the easiest food recycling method available. Give it a try and you’ll never go back to aerobic food waste composting again!