Kit to Make Your Own Bokashi & Compost Activator

The Bokashi activator kit only requires everyday kitchen items:

• a scale;
• non-chlorinated water;
• a saucepan and a large bowl;
• a black trash bag;
• an airtight container to store your activator.

Every step is explained in the recipe included. If you lose it, send us an email and we'll send you another copy.

No, you just need to be methodical. Here's how it works: dilute the molasses and the EM-1® in lukewarm, non-chlorinated water, moisten the wheat bran evenly, then let it ferment without air in the black bag before storing it in a dry place in an airtight container.

The quantities, temperatures, and times are explained in detail in the recipe included with the Bokashi activator kit.

Depending on the version, the kit for making your own Bokashi activator lets you produce up to 8.8 or 17.6 lb (4 or 8 kg) of activator over a period of up to 2 years, which is the shelf life of the EM-1® listed on our product page.

We recommend making it in 2.2 lb (1 kg) batches: the fresher your activator (once fermentation is complete), the more potent it is. As a rule of thumb, a two-person household uses about 4.4 lb (2 kg) of activator per year.

The chlorine in tap water can slow down or kill some of the microorganisms in EM-1®, which can cause the fermentation to fail. Use filtered rainwater, spring water, or tap water that has been left standing uncovered for a few hours so the chlorine can evaporate.

Water temperature and quality also affect your results, so be sure to follow the Bokashi activator kit recipe carefully.

Yes, that's the whole point of this "Bokashi & Compost" kit. Your homemade activator can be used in a bokashi bucket every time you add food scraps, and in a backyard composter to speed up decomposition and reduce odors: use two 0.7 fl oz (20 ml) spoonfuls with each large addition.

In the composter, still keep a good share of dry materials (cardboard, dead leaves), because the activator doesn't replace them.