Bokashi FAQ: the 25 most frequently asked questions, with short, clear answers

Before you start

Is bokashi really compost?

Not yet. After two weeks in the bucket, your scraps are fermented and stabilized, but they still look the same: this is an acidic pre-compost. It only turns into soil once it goes into the ground, a composter, or a worm bin, which takes anywhere from two weeks to two months depending on the season. The whole principle is explained in What is bokashi?.

Can you make bokashi without a yard?

Yes, as long as you plan where the pre-compost will go. You can turn it into soil in a large container, the famous "soil factory," place it at the bottom of a large pot a few weeks before planting, or give it to a community garden or a neighbor who gardens. All the options are in Bokashi without a yard: what to do with your fermented bokashi?.

Do you really need two buckets?

It is strongly recommended. A full bucket must stay closed for at least two weeks, and in the meantime, the second one takes your daily scraps. With only one bucket, you would have to either throw your scraps away or reopen a bucket in the middle of fermentation. How to organize the rotation is explained in Why use two bokashi buckets.

What size bucket should I choose?

Plan on about 2.6 gallons (10 liters) for one or two people and 4 gallons (15 liters) for three or four; ideally, a bucket should fill up in about two weeks. Above all, a good bucket must seal airtight and let you drain off the juice. Compare our models in How to choose a bokashi composter, or see how to make your own bucket.

Does bokashi smell bad in the kitchen?

With the lid closed, you can hardly smell anything. When you open it, a bucket that is working well smells sour, like pickles or cider, and the juice smells stronger than the contents. A rotten smell, however, is not normal: it signals a problem that needs fixing. To choose the right spot, read Where to put your bokashi?.

Food scraps

Can you add meat, fish, and dairy products?

Yes, in fact it is one of bokashi's great strengths. Cut these scraps into small pieces and sprinkle a little extra bran over anything high in protein. Small bones are fine; large bones, on the other hand, take years to break down in the soil. The full list is in What to put in a bokashi?.

What about citrus, garlic, and onions?

Yes, no problem: lactic fermentation handles their acidity very well, whereas the worms in a worm composter are not fond of them. Simply cut the peels into pieces.

What should never go in the bucket?

Plastic, including so-called "compostable" bags and packaging, pet waste and litter, ashes, and diseased plants. Also avoid liquids (soup, milk, oil in large amounts), large bones, shellfish shells, and food that is already rotten or moldy: they compromise fermentation or barely break down at all.

Day to day

Should you stir the contents of the bucket?

Never. Bokashi works without air, and stirring lets oxygen in, which encourages bad smells and mold. Each time you add scraps, press them down firmly with the compactor or a potato masher, then close the lid right away. Good practices are described in Starting your first bokashi bucket.

How much bran should you add, and can you add too much?

Plan on 1 to 1⅓ tablespoons (15–20 ml) per 1.2–2 in (3–5 cm) layer of scraps, a little more for meat, fish, very moist scraps, and in cooler weather. Too little bran is a common cause of failure; a slight excess, on the other hand, does not hinder fermentation, it is simply wasted. When in doubt, add a little more. Adjustments are explained in Bokashi bran: role, dosage, and storage.

Can you do without an activator, or make your own?

Without an activator, lactic fermentation can start on its own, but the result is much less predictable, and the bucket is more likely to rot. The whole point of the activator is to establish the right bacteria quickly. You can use our Bokashi EM compost activator, made on the farm, or prepare your own with wheat bran, EM-1, and molasses (beet or cane), following Making your own bokashi activator.

How long does fermentation take?

Allow at least two weeks, with the bucket full and closed, in a room at 64–77 °F (18–25 °C), and one to two weeks longer in cooler weather. This period starts when you close the bucket, not when you first add scraps. The scraps keep their appearance, so you judge by the sour smell and the softening. Guidelines are in How long does fermentation take?.

What should you do in winter and during vacations?

Cold slows fermentation down without undoing the work already done: keep the bucket indoors, in a moderately warm room, and add a little more bran. Before you leave, drain the juice, cover the last layer with bran, and close the lid tightly: a closed bucket can wait several weeks. Once fermentation is complete, bokashi can even freeze without harm and be buried when the weather warms up. It is all in Bokashi in winter, in summer, and during vacations.

The juice

My bucket produces no juice: is that normal?

Yes, very often. The amount depends on what you put in: lots of juice with fruits and vegetables, very little with bread and cooked leftovers, and less in winter. A new bucket may also take one to two weeks before it starts to drain. As long as the smell stays sour, all is well. See Looking after your bokashi.

How do you dilute the juice to water your plants?

At least 1.3 fl oz of juice per gallon of water (1 cl per liter, or 1:100) for established plants, and ¾ to 1½ teaspoons per gallon (1–2 ml per liter, or 1:1000 to 1:500) for seedlings and young plants. Pour it at the base of the plant, on soil that is already moist, never undiluted and never on the leaves. Watering once a week, or every two weeks, is enough. Details in Bokashi juice: dilution, uses, and limits.

How long does the juice keep, and what should you do with any extra?

Use it within 24 to 48 hours: it is a living liquid that changes quickly. If you have some left over, pour it down the sink or the toilet, followed by a little water, rather than throwing it away. Don't expect it to unclog drains or maintain a septic tank, though: no study has shown this.

After fermentation

Can you put bokashi right around your plants?

No. Fermented bokashi is acidic and rich in ammonium, so it can damage roots it comes into contact with. Bury it 8–12 in (20–30 cm) deep, mixed with two or three times its volume of soil, about 12 in (30 cm) away from roots, and never spread it on the surface. The full method is in Burying your bokashi in the garden.

How long should you wait before planting?

At least two weeks in warm soil, preferably three or four, and longer in cold soil or in pots. A good rule of thumb: once the sour smell has gone from the soil, the area is ready. For seedlings or delicate plants, wait a little longer.

Can you feed bokashi to your worms?

Yes, in small amounts. Bokashi is acidic: place about a small bowlful, well drained and preferably mostly plant-based, in one corner of the worm bin, on a layer of dry bedding, so the worms can move away from it while it mellows. Crushed eggshells help correct the acidity. See Bokashi and worm composters.

Can you put it in a composter, even a shared one?

Yes. Treat it as a green material, acidic and moist: spread it in the center of the pile, mix it with active compost, and cover it with at least as much brown material. For a shared composter, ask the person in charge for permission first: not all of them accept it. See Bokashi and garden compost.

Does bokashi attract rats?

Well-fermented, properly buried bokashi is less attractive than leftovers left out in the open, but it is not a repellent, and no study has settled the question. Where rodents are around, bury it at least 12 in (30 cm) deep and lay fine wire mesh over the area for the first few weeks. See Problems after burying.

Problems

White, green, or black mold: what should you do?

A white film is a good sign: fermentation is going well. A few green, blue, or black spots point to air or too much moisture: remove them, add bran, press down, and drain. If colored mold takes over the bucket and the smell turns putrid, fermentation has failed: bury the contents away from your crops, or put them out for food scrap collection, then start over. It is all explained in Mold in bokashi.

Rotten smell, fruit flies, or maggots: how should you react?

A putrid smell almost always comes from too little bran, too much moisture, or a poorly sealed bucket: add bran, press down, drain every day, and check the seal. Fruit flies mainly come from the small kitchen trash can and a lid that does not close properly. Maggots, on the other hand, come from flies that laid eggs when the bucket was open or through a gap: remove the few larvae, add bran, and close the bucket carefully; if there are many, bury all the contents deep and start over. The full diagnosis is in Bad smells, too much juice, fruit flies.

Going further

Is bokashi safe for your health?

Analyses of household buckets show a microflora dominated by lactic acid bacteria, with potentially pathogenic microorganisms in very small amounts. That said, bokashi is not a sanitizing process: it does not heat up. Hence a few simple rules: never any animal waste, gloves for emptying and burying the bucket, and hand washing afterward. See Bokashi and EM: what the science really says.

Are bokashi mulch and pond balls the same thing?

No. They are different products that share the principle of fermentation: a ready-to-spread mulch for the soil, clay balls for ponds, or fermented agricultural fertilizers. Only store-bought mulch is designed to be spread; the contents of your bucket, on the other hand, must always be buried. See Other kinds of bokashi.