How To Start Composting, Using The Bokashi Bin

How Does It Work?

The great thing about the Bokashi One Bucket is that it accelerates the composting process so that the scraps ferment and reduce in size.

The bucket has a grate at the bottom and an airtight lid to keep out bugs and help the fermenting process. Every time you add a layer of scraps sprinkle Bokashi One Mix over the top, you should drain the juice out of the bottom — this is good for the garden. The Bokashi mix contains microorganisms that ferment the food scraps. The juice produced is very acidic but a great fertilizer. 

Once the bin is full, bury it in your garden to fully compost or put it into an outdoor composter. 

Video: Instagram / @mypurposefulhome

How To Use

1. Position the plastic grate on the ledge near the bottom of the bucket with the knob upright. Make sure the tap is in the off position.
2. Place your kitchen waste in the bucket and sprinkle a handful of Bokashi One Mix over every layer of waste. As a guide, use approximately 1 tablespoon of the mix for every cup of waste. 
3. Check that the lid is closed tightly at all times.
4. Regularly drain the Bokashi juice produced using the tap at the base of the bucket. 
5. Repeat this layering process until the Bokashi One Bucket is full.
6. Once full, the waste is ready to be buried. 
7. If you have two Bokashi One Buckets, begin the process again in your second bucket, allowing the contents of the first bucket to continue to ferment. Continue to drain off the bokashi juice regularly.
8. Wash your Bokashi one bucket after each use.

Note: the waste does not break down in the bucket; it is fermenting and will reduce in volume as it loses water content. A complete breakdown of the waste and the composting process occurs when it is buried in the soil

Image: Canva

How To Bury Your Compost

1. Dig a hole or trench approximately 20-25cm deep. Add the Bokashi waste and mix it in some soil. Cover the waste completely with soil. Now forget about it — there’s nothing else to do!
2. Your soil has begun to be enriched on a microbial level.
3. For established gardens, dig the hole around plants or between rows of trees.
4. Be sure the roots of very young plants do not come into direct contact with the compost as it may burn them. The compost is acidic when first dug in, but neutralises after 7-10 days. It is best to wait 2 weeks before planting.
5. If you don’t have room to dig a hole every time your bucket needs emptying, you can create a Bokashi compost heap, burying the waste in a regular spot in your garden. Once the waste has completely broken down, use it as rich topsoil. Bokashi waste can also be added to a conventional compost bin.