Bokashi composting is a Japanese fermentation method that breaks down all types of kitchen waste, including meat, dairy, and cooked food that traditional composting cannot handle. Using beneficial microorganisms to ferment organic matter in a sealed bucket, bokashi is fast, odor-free, and perfect for small spaces. Here is everything you need to know to get started.
What Is Bokashi Composting?
Unlike aerobic composting that relies on oxygen-loving bacteria, bokashi uses anaerobic fermentation powered by effective microorganisms, often abbreviated as EM. These include lactic acid bacteria, yeasts, and phototrophic bacteria that pickle food waste rather than decompose it. The result is a pre-composted material that breaks down rapidly when buried in soil, releasing nutrients and beneficial microbes directly into your garden beds.
What You Need to Get Started
A bokashi system requires a bucket with an airtight lid and a spigot at the bottom for draining liquid. You can purchase a purpose-built bokashi bin or make one from two nesting five-gallon buckets. You also need bokashi bran, which is wheat bran or rice bran inoculated with effective microorganisms. A two-pound bag of bran typically processes about one bucket of food waste.
Step-by-Step Bokashi Process
Add a layer of food scraps to the bottom of your bokashi bucket, about two to three inches deep. Sprinkle a generous handful of bokashi bran over the scraps. Press the material down firmly to remove air pockets using a plate or potato masher. Repeat this layering process each time you add scraps. Keep the lid sealed tightly between additions, opening it as briefly as possible.
Drain the liquid from the spigot every two to three days. This bokashi tea is a potent liquid fertilizer when diluted at a ratio of one part tea to 100 parts water. It can also be poured undiluted down drains to help prevent clogs and odors by introducing beneficial bacteria into your plumbing.
What Can You Bokashi?
One of the biggest advantages of bokashi is that it handles virtually all food waste. You can add fruit and vegetable scraps, meat and fish bones, dairy products, cooked food, bread and pasta, coffee grounds, tea bags, and even small amounts of paper towels. The only items to avoid are large bones, excessive liquid, and moldy food covered in blue or black mold, as these can introduce competing organisms.
The Fermentation Phase
Once your bucket is full, seal it tightly and let it ferment for 10 to 14 days at room temperature. Continue draining the tea every few days. During this phase, the contents undergo lactic acid fermentation. A successful fermentation produces a slightly sweet, pickled smell similar to home-brewed beer. White mold on the surface is normal and indicates healthy fermentation. Foul, putrid odors suggest something went wrong, usually from insufficient bran or too much air exposure.
Burying the Fermented Material
After fermentation, the material needs to finish breaking down in soil. Dig a trench about 12 inches deep in your garden bed, add the bokashi material in a layer about four to six inches thick, and cover with at least eight inches of soil. Within two to four weeks, the fermented waste will be fully absorbed into the soil, enriching it with nutrients and beneficial microorganisms. You can also add the material to a traditional compost bin where it will break down much faster than raw scraps.
Benefits Over Traditional Composting
Bokashi composting completes in two weeks versus months for traditional methods. It handles all food waste types, reducing what goes to landfill. The sealed system produces no outdoor odors and attracts no pests, making it ideal for urban gardeners. The fermented material retains more nutrients than traditionally composted material because the lower temperatures preserve nitrogen and other volatile compounds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I bokashi indoors year-round?
Absolutely. Bokashi bins are odor-free when sealed and compact enough for a kitchen counter or under the sink. Many apartment dwellers use bokashi as their primary composting method, burying the results in large outdoor containers or community garden beds.
How much bokashi bran should I use?
Use about one to two tablespoons per inch of food waste. More bran speeds fermentation and reduces the chance of failure. In warmer climates or when adding meat and dairy, err on the side of using more bran.
Can I make my own bokashi bran?
Yes. Mix wheat bran with molasses water and EM-1 inoculant, seal in an airtight bag for two weeks, then dry the bran in the shade. Homemade bran costs a fraction of commercial products and works just as effectively.