Green @ Home Project: The Bokashi Composter, update

After one week, our Bokashi's a third of the way full. We're surprised and pleased to discover it hasn't started to stink nor are we inundated with a colony of fruit flies. We've been keeping a bowl in our refrigerator to collect scraps so that we don't have to open the composter more than once a day to keep unneeded air at a minimum. And, even though we knew what to expect, we were interested to discover that none of our scraps have rotted or deteriorated...

We found this chart comparing Bokashi composting (fermenting) to regular composting on the website Great Day Bokashi, run by Al Pasternak, a great resource for Canadians near Vancouver who are interested in getting started with Bokashi.

We've found that the easiest way to empty the liquid in the composter is to swing it up onto our kitchen's countertop, open up the spigot and let the contents swirl down into the drain. The composter's light enough, even one-third packed, for our 90 pound weakling self to handle with ease. Opening our Bokashi, the only thing we smell is the aroma of oranges from the skins we added.
This week we'll look into finding a few nice pots and some good quality potting soil in order to layer our compost outdoors.

Comments (10)

I am so intrigued with this! Thank you for posting on the progress. This seems like a great thing for folks who don't need a ton of nutrient material.

posted by vjm on July 11th 2008 at 11:30am
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Please keep updating on this product. I'd love to know what you think after a month or so. Verrrrry cool!

posted by darcidoodle on July 11th 2008 at 12:23pm
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This method is new to me. It sounds a lot less complicated and expensive than an electric composter. And I guess the point is that it may even be better than a composter as it is a fermenter.

What does the matter look like after it has fully fermemented?

posted by art on July 11th 2008 at 1:08pm
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I was just curious about the liquid you pour off, I know with methods like vermiculture that liquid is precious, so why with fermentation is it poured down the drain?

posted by karaalexis on July 11th 2008 at 1:14pm
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art,

apparently it looks just the same as when it went in. it doesn't break down until it gets buried in soil where it breaks down completely and becomes fully integrated. i actually haven't added anything new for a week, i'm just letting it sit, then i'm going to bury it and, well...we'll see! finger's crossed. stay tuned for the results!

abby

posted by abby on July 11th 2008 at 1:17pm
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If you eco people want to do this it's fine with me but my reaction to your picture was: ICK!
Couldn't you put a bow on it to make it a little more attractive?

I won't be doing anything like this in my lifetime.

(I don't litter and I do recycle cans and bottles though.)

posted by Mr. Dangerous on July 11th 2008 at 1:24pm
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I've looked into this but it just freaks me out that it doesn't look like compost! I'm curious to know how it would work in a container soil mix, which would be my only application.

I've heard it often has a vinegarish smell, as it's sort of pickled (which is a part of the fermenting).

I wonder how it can be leachate free if you're draining the liquid off. The reason it is poured down the drain is because it is supposed to help keep your drains free with the little bokashi organisms. You can put it on plants, too, though.

Keep us posted as to how it turns out... I am definitely interested.

posted by whytephoenix on July 11th 2008 at 1:25pm
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@karaalexis,

I just did some quick reading on this and there is a formula for diluting the tapped-off liquid with water to use as house-plant food as well as a biological treatment for your drains as whytephoenix pointed out.

posted by art on July 11th 2008 at 1:29pm
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Uh, dog doo, elephant dung, and an open compost bin......all on the front page of AT.

Yum-O!

posted by ohjodi on July 11th 2008 at 7:46pm
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I have been using one of these composters for about a year along with vermicomposting. It works very well and produces nice compost quickly.

posted by Pennyk on July 12th 2008 at 9:39am
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