Bokashi Composting

Bokashi composting is a two-step process that starts by

fermenting food waste in a sealed container before
composting it. Bokashi allows a greater variety of food
waste to be composted, speeds up the composting
process, and can be done indoors.
Bokashi composting developed out of traditional farming
practices in East Asia. The particular mix of microbes used
in modern bokashi composting were invented in Japan in
the 1980s and are called Effective Microorganisms (EM).

Backyard composting relies on aerobic microbes (which

need oxygen) to break down organic matter. Bokashi
composting starts by fermenting waste using anaerobic
microbes (which don’t need oxygen) before switching to
the usual aerobic microbes for the second step.

Pros of bokashi composting:

 It can safely include a greater variety of food waste

than backyard composting, including meat, bones,
dairy and cooked foods.

 It can be done mostly or entirely inside, making it a

good method for offices, schools, or apartments. The
fermenting step is always done inside, and the
composting step can happen inside or outside.

 Because the buckets are kept sealed, it reduces the

risk of odours and pests, such as rodents and flies.

 Waste breaks down more rapidly than with most

backyard composting. Food waste can be reliably
broken down into finished compost in 1-2 months.

Cons of bokashi composting: Buckets

 It requires regular additions of bokashi bran or another You will need at least two airtight buckets to ferment your
EM inoculant to work. This bran will have to be food waste in. Although it is possible to buy specialized
purchased or mixed at home. ‘bokashi buckets’ from online vendors, any 3.5 or 5 gallon
 It is meant primarily for food waste. It does not have food-safe pail will do. Plain buckets can be bought from
enough room to deal with grass clippings, leaves, or most hardware stores. Some ice cream or smoothie shops
other yard waste. may also have emptied food pails available.

 If not handled properly, it can create odour problems. While the food waste is fermenting, it will release some
liquid that will settle to the bottom of the bucket. The
amount depends on how ‘juicy’ the food scraps are. making sauerkraut, the microbes in bokashi bran are also
Because the fermentation step works better when the able to ferment food waste without giving off gases. This is
materials aren’t soaking in juice, it is important to deal with why pressure does not build up inside the pails.
this liquid somehow. Specialized bokashi buckets and
In dried bokashi bran, the microbes are in a dormant state.
homemade bokashi buckets do this in different ways.
If it is kept in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight, it will
stay effective for many years.
Specialized bokashi bucket vs. homemade bucket You may choose to make your own large batch of bokashi
bran using a mixture of EM, water, molasses, and
untreated bran. We will not cover the whole process here,
but there are recipes available online. Most bokashi
composters find it is simpler to buy ready-made bokashi
bran. Some North American bokashi bran dealers include:

 Bokashi Ninja (based in Saskatoon, SK)

On Facebook as ‘ Bokashi Ninja’ or email
[email protected]

 Eco Living Organic Solutions

(based in Salt Spring Island, BC)
Ecolivingbokashi.com

 All Things Organic (based in Langley, BC)

Allthingsorganic.com
Specialized bokashi buckets typically include a false
 Bokashicycle (based in Nevada, USA)
bottom and a small spigot, which should be used to drain
Bokashicycle.com
the liquid out of the bucket every few days while the food
waste is fermenting. While this liquid contains some
nutrients and beneficial microbes, it is also quite acidic. It
can either be significantly diluted with water (between 1:20
and 1:100) and used to water houseplants, or poured
down the sink as a biological drain cleaner.
This liquid has a strong ammonia smell, which some home
composters object to. Luckily for them, it is also possible to
ferment the food waste without interacting with the liquid at
all. Homemade bokashi buckets typically deal with the
excess liquid by adding 3-4” of dry, absorbent material to
the bottom of the bucket to soak it up. The most common
material for this is sawdust (from untreated wood), but you
can also use shredded newspaper, shredded cardboard,
or crunched-up dry leaves. Start with an airtight bucket with either 3-4” of absorbent
Bran material in the base or a false bottom and spigot.

Bokashi bran is regular grain bran that has been Gather your kitchen scraps in a medium-sized bowl or
inoculated with EM (if you are allergic to wheat bran, some container and empty it into your Bokashi bucket every
bokashi suppliers can make batches from rice bran upon couple of days (preferably before they begin to mold).
request). The microbes in it – a mix of lactic acid bacteria, Chop bulky items, such as watermelon rinds, into smaller
photosynthetic bacteria, and yeast - are essential to pieces to avoid making large air spaces in your Bokashi
ferment the food waste quickly and safely. These microbes bucket.
give bokashi bran a light, yeasty smell similar to beer Add a small handful (about 2-3 tbsp.) of bokashi bran to
mash. Bokashi bran is safe to touch and even ingest. the bucket after every 1-2” layer of food waste. Pack the
Unlike many home fermentation processes, such as food waste and bran down firmly to minimize air spaces.
Although the bokashi bran and fermenting food waste are
safe to touch with your hands, you will probably prefer to
use rubber gloves or as a round plate to compress them.
(To get the plate out again, simply press down on one
edge to pop the other edge up). Other options include
squashing the food down with a potato masher or a
plastic grocery bag. Close the bucket tightly when you are
done.
As the older layers of food waste begin to ferment, you
will notice a vinegary or beery smell in the open bucket.
This smell should not be noticeable when the bucket is
closed. You may also notice white mold growing on the
contents; this is a sign that the bokashi bran is working.
Mold of another colour, such as green, blue, or black, is a
sign that a different fungus is taking over in the bucket. If
this is the case, try adding an extra big handful of bokashi
bran for the next couple of days to give it a boost.
If you are using a bucket with a false bottom and spigot,
remember to drain the liquid every few days.
Begin using your second bucket after your first one is full.
If you find that it takes you less than two weeks to fill up a
bucket, you will need to have more than two buckets in
your rotation.
If you are worried about attracting rodents, inquisitive
After two weeks fermenting, the buckets are ready for the pets, or other animals, make sure to bury the waste under
second step. There is also no rush. As long as the at least 8” of soil.
buckets remain sealed, they are safe to store for several
Aerobic soil microbes and other tiny critters will rapidly
months or longer. It is also fine to the let fermented waste
colonize and finish breaking down the fermented waste.
freeze, if you want to put your bucket(s) outside in winter.
Everything but the large bones should be totally dissolved
within two to six weeks. After six weeks the area is safe to
plant into. If you choose, you can also reuse the same
After fermenting for at least two weeks, your bokashi spot in the garden to bury your bokashi waste over and
compost is ready for its second step: composting. over again. The finished compost will enrich the soil with
Although the fermented food will still resemble the original moisture, nutrients, and humus.
food, the cellular structure will have been changed and
softened, which will allow it to break down quickly when
composted using one of the following methods:

1. Bury it in a garden
This method works well if you have at least occasional
access to a garden space. If you do not have your own
space, try asking a gardening friend or family member if
they would like to use your bokashi material to enrich their
soil.
Dig a 12-18” deep hole or trench in your garden and
empty the fermented food waste into it. The food will be
acidic for about one week, so make sure to bury it at least
a few inches away from nearby plants. Stir a bit of soil in
with the food waste and then cover it over with 5-6” of
earth.
2. Add it to a compost bin 3. Use an indoor ‘soil factory’
Alternatively, you can add the fermented waste to an A ‘soil factory’ is the indoor variation of the burying method.
outdoor compost bin. Again, if you do not have your own You just need a large tub and some garden soil to get
bin, try asking someone you know who composts. started. Do not use sterile potting soil for this; you are
looking for earth that is full of microbes and other soil
Because the fermented waste has a sour smell, try to blend
critters. Spread a couple inches of soil in the bottom of the
it in with the material already present in the compost bin, or
tub. Pour in the contents of one bokashi bucket and blend it
cover it with an armful of leaves. The smell will rapidly
thoroughly with this soil. Then cover the mix with a couple
dissipate. Meanwhile, the wet, nitrogen-rich waste will act
more inches of soil.
as an accelerator and help the whole compost bin break
down more rapidly. Keep the tub somewhere out of the way indoors. You can
put a lid on it loosely if you desire. After two weeks, you can
check how the decomposition is going. After four to six
weeks, the waste should be totally broken down and you
can repeat the process with another bucket. As the soil and
compost mix starts to fill up the tub, scoop some out to use
as potting mix or scatter outside.

One last note – what to do with a ‘bad batch’:

If you follow the steps, it is unusual for something to go
For more information about bokashi wrong in a bokashi bucket. However, you can recognize a
composting contact: bad batch by a strong putrid smell and/or a lot of green,
blue, or black mold. The best way to deal with this is to
bury the waste a few inches deeper than usual, with more
Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council space left between the waste and any nearby garden
#208—220 20th St. W. plants. You can also throw a couple handfuls of bokashi
bran into the hole. Soil microbes will even out the bad
Saskatoon, SK S7M 0W9 batch in a few weeks.

(306) 931-3249
[email protected]
www.swrc.ca/compost