Bokashi Australia- FAQS
How does it work ?
The Bokashi Australia system uses grain contains beneficial microorganisms, known as EM (Effective Micro organisms). When the grain is sprinkled over food scraps it ferments them rather than allowing them to rot or putrefy. The beneficial micro organisms also help to eliminate the unpleasant odours normally associated with rotting food. The fermented or "pickled" waste can then be added to your garden where it will continue to breakdown over a period of 7-10 days. Not only do the beneficial microbes control odour and promote fermentation rather than putrefaction, they accelerate the composting process and re-balance the soil.
What does the Bokashi Australia compost system do ?
Using the Bokashi Australia compost system and genuine EM products, you can transform all your kitchen waste into a nutrient rich natural soil conditioner and fertiliser.
Why is Bokashi composting more effective than the traditional composting?
Bokashi Australia composting uses genuine Effective Micro organisms (EM) in Bokashi to ferment organic waste in anaerobic conditions rather than aerobic conditions.
This means that any organic material can be fermented including meat, seafood and citrus.
Fermentation produces no heat therefore all energy is retained. Done in a bucket it requires no turning, produces no leachate and minimal greenhouse gases.
As opposed to conventional composting, fermentation is sweet smelling and does not attract insects, flies or rodents.
Bokashi compost is ready in as little as 1 week after the bucket is full and produces a very high nutrient rich natural soil conditioner and fertiliser.
Why two buckets?
You do have a choice once your first bucket is full
- you can do nothing for a week while Bokashi compost ferments (not good)
- transfer the contents to another container (very messy)
- or have a second bucket!
The longer you leave the contents to ferment, the more Bokashi juice produced
How much Bokashi do I use?
A small hand full once a day (about a medicine cup full) if you only put waste in at dinner time or the same amount if a similar amount of waste is put in during the day.
High protein waste such as uncooked
meat, prawn heads will also need an extra amount of Bokashi.
How long will my Bokashi last?
A 2-kilo pack of Bokashi is enough for approximately six-bucket loads of waste, this should last at least two months for an average family.
How often should I drain the liquid?
Every three days or so, or more if you are getting a lot of Bokashi drain-off.
What can I do with the Bokashi liquid?
This liquid is teeming with microbes and nutrients!
You can dilute it and use this directly on your garden or pot plants:
- dilute 1:1000 for foliar spray
- dilute 1:100 for lawns and garden beds
- or, if you have a septic system, you can add the liquid undiluted to the toilet or septic tank. The microbes will work to make the septic system more efficient.
- you can simply tip it down the sink – the microbes will go to work on your drains and keep them clean.
How much liquid will I get from the bucket?
The amount of liquid that you get will be totally dependent on the type of waste you have put in.
Lots of fruit will produce lots of liquid, but if you have lots of cooked food, vegetables etc, then you'll get less.
The amount of liquid you get is not an indicator of whether the system is working, and you won't get any more (or less) liquid by increasing (or decreasing) the amount of Bokashi you add.
How can I order more bokashi?
You can obtain Bokashi through our website, go to the Bokashi page to purchase, or contact us if you have any questions.
What if I go on holidays?
Simply drain the liquid from the bucket, make sure there is a cover of Bokashi on the waste, and that the lid is firmly sealed.Then forget about it!
Whilst you are away, the microbes will help keep the waste odour free.
Where can I get more information on Bokashi?
We're are always updating our website with lots of useful information, just go to www.bokashiaustralia.com.au
Otherwise, you can call us on (02) 66 286 386 for advice.
What can I put in the Bokashi bucket?
Any type of organic matter produced in the kitchen.
So this means you can add:
- vegetable scraps
- tea leaves
- tea bags
- small amounts of paper
- coffee grounds
- even onions
- citrus and garlic
- even meat scraps
What can't I put in the Bokashi bucket?
All liquids, such as:
- milk and fruit juice
- paper and plastics
- dog or cat faeces
cannot go in the Bokashi Australia bucket, as these pose a human health risk.
How do I know if my Bokashi is working?
The only test on whether the system is working is the absence of the rotting odour.
If there is no such odour, then the fermenting microbes must be doing their job in fermenting the waste.
Normally, waste left in a bucket will go foul within a day or two, and if this is not happening then you are doing everything right.
What if the Bokashi bucket starts to smell?
Check that the lid is being closed tightly, as the system uses an anaerobic system of fermentation and that you have covered the surface area of the waste with genuine EM Bokashi.
Also, make sure the liquid is drained off once or twice a week.
Finally, make sure that the waste has been compacted down with a masher or similar, to ensure there are no air pockets.
If the waste is too smelly, sprinkle more Bokashi over the top, then empty the waste into your garden, rinse the bucket out in water (use no detergent as it can affect the microbes) and start again.
The Bokashi waste hasn’t broken down in the bucket, what’s wrong?
The Bokashi Australia bucket will NOT decompose the material while the material is in the bucket - it will only ferment (or pickle) it.
If you can imagine a pickled onion, it will still look like an onion, but because it's pickled, it will have changed its internal structure.
The single criteria to determine if the process is working is the odour - if there's no rotting odour, then the fermentation process is working.
The physical decomposition into humus only occurs once the fermented material goes into the soil. Here, it breaks down very quickly because the material has been pre-conditioned (i.e. fermented) and should turn into rich humus/soil within a couple of weeks (this varies a bit with soil temperature).