Bokashi: turning trash into treasure

You’re wasting potentially useful energy by dumping those garden scraps in an already overflowing landfill.

Instead, try reusing the compost from your veggie garden back in the garden itself.

“Imitating what nature does.”

Repurpose those weeds and garden waste into perfect amendments to enrich the soil of your home garden.

You may establish the smallest and simplest recycling loop possible without ever having to visit the recycling centre.

You may have known about composting for a while, but the idea of actually doing it still overwhelms you.

You’re excited by the prospect but hesitating to begin because you don’t have enough time, energy, or space to get things going.

Have no fear.

The Bokashi composting method has got you covered in every way!

From weeds to feed

In anticipation of the upcoming growing season, now is the ideal time to prepare your gardening beds for spring planting.

But replenishing soil after long winter months can be challenging.

Not all gardeners can afford to use traditional composting methods since they require too much time and space.

Meanwhile, commercial fertilizers aren’t always the most cost effective solution, and despite their labels, they’re rarely organic or environmentally friendly.

For these reasons, the Bokashi composting method can be a total game-changer in terms of resolving these issues.

The Japanese word Bokashi can be roughly translated as “fading away.”

Unlike other conventional composting methods, Bokashi composting is anaerobic.

It ferments organic matter rather than completely decomposing it. It is a method that uses a symphony of bacteria to digest garden waste to enhance later composting effectively.

Though Bokashi composting may require specialized tools and materials, the products are highly beneficial to plant growth and can be used as “supplements” to enhance composting processes.

Make better use of those dry leaves, annual weeds and bad crops instead of tossing them away.

After exploring the Bokashi method, you’ll realize that your garden is surrounded by treasures you didn’t even notice before!

It’s the pile of leaves after raking, the weeds and old crops after harvesting, and the freshly cut grass after mowing.

You can also find nature’s treasure in your kitchen scraps!

A little goes a long way

The Bokashi bucket and Bokashi-bran are the only two things you’ll need to get started.

Both can be purchased at low costs and are easily accessible in any retail store.

The anaerobic nature of the Bokashi system is one of its greatest benefits.

In contrast to conventional composting, Bokashi can ferment not only weeds and yard trimmings but also food scraps such as bone, fish, meat, and dairy products.

To begin making your own Bokashi compost:

• First, spread a thin layer of Bokashi bran across the bottom of the bucket, covering the filter tray entirely.
• Throw in your weeds, yard waste, leafy greens, browns, and leftovers from the kitchen. Make sure that they are thoroughly cut. The more finely cut the organic components are, the faster and more efficient the fermenting process.
• Place another layer of fresh Bokashi bran on top and push down tightly to remove all of the air. Do this process repeatedly, layer by layer, until the bucket is full.
• Once the bucket is full, it should be tightly sealed and left at room temperature for 2 weeks.

To avoid disrupting the anaerobic process, it’s best to have two buckets: one for fermenting and one for pilling waste.

Considering this is an anaerobic process, you shouldn’t open the bucket whenever you have food scraps or yard trash since it’ll introduce air into the system.

Every now and then, drain the excess liquid through the tap of the Bokashi bucket.

This dark fermented liquid is called “Bokashi tea.”  When diluted to a strength of 1:50 or 1:100, the Bokashi tea can be used immediately as liquid fertilizer.

In its pure form, the tea can also be used to prevent the buildup of sludge in plumbing fixtures like drains and septic systems.

Once the excess tea has been drained from the bucket, the fermented waste can be placed in the soil beds and thoroughly mixed.

The soil beds are then to be covered and allowed to sit for at least two weeks before sowing. When the soil is ready to use, you’ll notice most of the bokashi waste is gone when you mix it up, almost as if it “faded away.”

Once this occurs, know that your weed trimmings, old crops, lifeless leaves, and kitchen leftovers have been fully transformed into valuable soil nutrients.

This closes the recycling loop, leaving you with enriched soil for your plants.

Bokashi boosts plant immunity, enhancing germination, fruit production, and maturity.

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• Gardening in Malta
• Gardening Interview – Sharon’s Hoyas 
• Vertical Gardening