Have you ever wondered what to do with all you leftover food scraps after a meal? Instead of throwing them away, you can turn them into something magical, rich, healthy compost for your garden! This super cool way to recycle food waste is called bokashi composting. It’s easy and can give you fantastic soil in just a few weeks!
What Is Bokashi Composting?
Bokashi composting is a special way of breaking down food scraps using something called anaerobic fermentation. That’s just a fancy way of saying “breaking down food without air.” Unlike regular composting, which can take months to work, bokashi composting is much faster and can give you amazing results in just 4-6 weeks!
Here’s the best part: bokashi composting creates soil full of tiny helpers called microorganisms, like garden friendly microbes, yeast and funghi. These little guys make it easier for plants to soak up nutrients, so your garden grows big and strong.
Why Is Bokashi composting awesome?
- It’s Fast! Regular composting can take months, but bokashi composting speeds things up.
- It’s Super Efficient! You can compost things like cooked food and even meat – things that usually don’t go into regular compost bins.
- It Helps the Planet! By recycling your food waste, you’re creating less trash and helping the Earth.
Ready to get started? Let’s go step by step!
How to start your bokashi compost bin
Here’s how you can make your very own bokashi compost bin at home. Follow these steps, and soon you’ll be creating rich compost for your garden!
- Get a bokashi bin and bokashi bran. You’ll need a special bokashi bin (it has a spout at the bottom for draining liquid) and something called bokashi bran. The bran is like a magical powder that helps speed up the composting process.
- Cut up your food scraps. Chop your food scraps into smaller pieces. This helps them break down faster. Bokashi composting is extra cool because you can even include cooked food and meat, which regular composters can’t handle.
- Layer your food and bran.
- Add a 1-inch layer of food scraps to the bokashi bin.
- Sprinkle a teaspoon of bokashi bran on top. If you want, you can use a little more.
- Press the food down with a piece of paper to remove any air pockets. Remember, bokashi composting works without air.
- Repeat until the bin is full. Keep layering food scraps and bokashi bran until your bin is full. Once it’s packed, seal the lid tightly.
- Drain the liquid every 3-4 days. The bin will produce a special liquid called bokashi tea. This liquid is very strong, so you’ll need to mix it with water before using it on your garden. Use a 100:1 ratio (that’s 100 parts water to 1 part bokashi tea). Your plants will love this nutrient boost!
- Wait 2 weeks. Once your bin is full, let it sit for about 2 weeks. During this time, the food scraps will ferment and get ready for the next step.
How to make a soil factory
Now that your bokashi bin is ready, it’s time to create your soil factory! This is where the magic really happens. Here’s how to do it:
- Grab a tote bin and some garden soil. Find a large plastic tote bin (or any container with a lid). Drill a few small holes near the top edge to let in a little air.
- Layer the soil and bokashi compost.
- Add a 4-5 inch layer of garden soil to the bottom of the tote bin.
- Spread the fermented food scraps evenly over the soil.
- Cover everything with another 4-5 inch layer of garden soil.
- Store the bin in a cool, dry place. Keep your soil factory in a spot away from direct sunlight. Let it sit for another 2-4 weeks.
- Check out your rich compost! After a few weeks, your food scraps will break down completely, leaving you with dark, rich compost. You can use it to grow vegetables, flowers, or to improve the soil in your garden beds. Don’t forget to water the soil before and after using your compost!
Why we kove bokashi composting
At the end of the day, bokashi composting is a wonderful way to help the environment while creating healthy soil for your plants. By reusing food scraps, you’re reducing waste and giving back to nature. Plus, it’s so much fun to see your scraps transform into something amazing that you can use in the garden.
If you enjoyed learning about bokashi composting, we’d love for you to join us on our gardening adventures! Check out more of our videos and tips @plantedinthegarden
Happy composting! Let’s make the world greener, one food scrap at a time!
