Starting your first bokashi bin step by step: layers, bran dose, pressing down, and resting

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Has your bokashi bin just arrived along with your bag of activator? Good news: the method is simple and takes just a few steps, always the same ones. You do need to do them in the right order, though, because successful bokashi mostly comes down to three things: minimal air, minimal liquid, and enough bran.

Here's how your first cycle works from start to finish, from the very first peel to the bin left to rest, along with the most common mistakes so you can avoid them right from the start.

The equipment you need

• An airtight bokashi bin, with a grate at the bottom to separate the liquid and a spigot or plug to drain it. Store-bought models, such as the Comfort Bokashi Composter or the Skaza Organko 2 Bokashi Composter, come with a food scrap presser.
• A bokashi activator, in other words bran fermented with microorganisms, such as our Bokashi EM Compost Activator.
• A measuring scoop: the spoon that comes with your bin, or our 20 ml Measuring Spoon.
• Something to press down with: the bin's presser, a potato masher, a small plate, or even your hand covered with a bag.
• A small kitchen trash can with a lid, to collect the day's food scraps before adding them to the bokashi bin.
• Ideally, a second bin, which takes over while the first one ferments. We cover this in our guide Why use two bokashi bins.

Keep the bin in a room at a moderate temperature, ideally 64–77 °F (18–25 °C), out of direct sunlight: under the sink, in a pantry, or in a laundry room. Position it so you can slip a glass under the spigot.

Preparing the food scraps: chop them small

The smaller the pieces, the faster the fermentation and the more effectively you can press them down. Aim for pieces between the size of a walnut and a golf ball, so 1.2–1.6 in (3–4 cm) at most. Cut lemon halves, cabbage cores, and melon rinds into quarters, break up bread crusts, and chop thick stems.

Drain wet leftovers well and leave out liquids: soup, milk, juice, oil. Anything liquid hinders fermentation. For details on what can and can't go in the bin, see our guide What food scraps to put in a bokashi bin.

The first layer

1. Sprinkle a dose of activator over the bottom of the bin, on the grate: about 4 teaspoons (20 ml).
2. Add a layer of food scraps 1.2–2 in (3–5 cm) thick.
3. Sprinkle another dose of activator, enough to cover the surface without burying it in bran: one 20 ml scoop, which is roughly one heaping tablespoon or a small handful.
4. Press down firmly to push out the air, without crushing it with all your might. With the Organko 2 presser, take it out, lay it flat on the scraps, press gently, and leave it in place.
5. Close the lid tightly.

Instructions and guides don't all recommend the same dose: anywhere from one 20 ml scoop to two tablespoons per addition. We recommend starting with 3–4 teaspoons (15–20 ml) per 1.2–2 in (3–5 cm) layer, and adding more for meat, fish, cheese, very wet scraps, and when the weather is cool. Our guide Bokashi bran: its role, dosage, and storage explains these adjustments in detail.

Emy's tip

If your bin doesn't have a presser, lay a flat plate or a plastic bag directly on top of the last layer, under the lid. It keeps air from circulating over the surface, and you can also use it to press down the next layer.

The right rhythm: group your additions

Bokashi likes peace and darkness. Every time you open the bin, air gets in, which encourages unwanted mold. So collect your food scraps in the small kitchen trash can and empty it into the bokashi bin once a day, or every other day. Open it once or twice a day, no more.

With each addition, repeat the same steps: a layer of scraps, a dose of bran, press down, close. Never stir the contents: bokashi works without air, and stirring lets oxygen in. Just press down, that's all.

After a few days, liquid starts to drip below the grate. Drain it every two or three days, then close the spigot tightly. This liquid is very acidic: never use it undiluted on plants, only diluted to at least 1:100 (about 2 teaspoons per quart, or 10 ml per liter of water), poured at the base of the plant, not on the leaves. All the routine care is explained in our guide Caring for your bokashi. In the diagram: the grate and the drain spigot (1), the layers of scraps sprinkled with bran (2), and the plate pressing down (3).

Did you know?

Don't worry if your first bin produces hardly any liquid in the first few days, or if a fine white fuzz appears on the surface. The amount of liquid depends mainly on your scraps, with fruits and vegetables producing far more than bread or cooked leftovers, and the white film is a sign that fermentation is off to a good start.

Full bin: the final layer and sealing

When the scraps come to within a few inches of the lid, the bin is full. Press down one last time, then sprinkle a double dose of activator over the entire surface. Put the plate or bag back, close tightly, and write the date on a piece of masking tape.

Ideally, a bin should take about two weeks to fill. If it fills in two days, it's too small for your household; if it takes more than a month, it's a bit too big, and the surface stays exposed to air for longer.

The two weeks of rest and the second bin

Once the final layer is in, leave the bin closed for at least two weeks at room temperature. Don't open it again, except to drain the liquid through the spigot. Allow an extra one to two weeks in winter if the room is cool. In the meantime, start filling the second bin.

When you open it, successful bokashi smells sour, like pickles or cider, sometimes with a white film. The scraps will have kept their shape: that's normal, since they're fermented rather than decomposed. To learn how to tell when a bin is ready, read our guide How long does fermentation take.

This pre-compost then needs to go back into the soil: buried 8–12 in (20–30 cm) deep, well mixed with the soil and away from roots, with a wait of at least two weeks before planting. Then rinse the bin with hot water, without bleach, and it's ready for a new cycle.

Key takeaways

The five steps of bokashi: chop small, sprinkle, press down, close, drain. Then two weeks of rest with the lid closed, before returning it all to the soil.

Beginner mistakes to avoid

• Opening the bin for every peel: collect scraps in a small kitchen trash can first.
• Stirring the contents: press down, never mix.
• Skimping on bran: when in doubt, add a little more, especially on meat or fish leftovers.
• Adding liquids or soggy leftovers: drain them, and leave out soups and sauces.
• Forgetting to drain: liquid sitting under the grate quickly makes the bin smell bad.
• Leaving the spigot slightly open or the lid not fully clipped shut: air gets in and the fermentation goes bad.
• Adding food that's already rotten: it brings in putrefying microbes.
• Emptying the bin too soon or spreading its contents on the surface as mulch: it's acidic and must be buried.
• Panicking at the sight of white: white fuzz is a good sign. Green, blue, or black patches, on the other hand, point to a problem: see our guide Mold in bokashi.

In summary

To start bokashi, all you need is an airtight bin, an activator, and a little method. Chop your food scraps into small pieces, add them in 1.2–2 in (3–5 cm) layers, sprinkle each layer with about 4 teaspoons (20 ml) of bran, press down, close, and group your additions so you open the bin as rarely as possible. Drain the liquid every two or three days. Once the bin is full, finish with a double dose of bran and leave it closed for at least two weeks while you fill the second one. Then all that's left is to return this pre-compost to the soil.

Related products

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Bokashi Composter Confort

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Skaza Essential Bokashi Composter

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Bokashi Composter Skaza Organko 2

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Bokashi EM compost activator | 1 kg bag

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Other topics in the guide

Vermicomposting30 fact sheets →Composting25 fact sheets →EM microorganisms26 fact sheets →