Bokashi Liquid Videos

If you have never seen how bokashi liquid (or tea or juice) looks like, then you should see these videos. Here are some videos on this and how you can drain the liquid off your bokashi bin.

Compost Tea from the Bokashi Indoor Kitchen Composter



Making Bokashi tea

Uses of Bokashi Liquid

How can you use the bokashi liquid?

Bokashi liquid you produce during bokashi composting process is also a nutrient. In the bokashi liquid is water produced as part of fermentation process, dissolved nutrients and dead and live microorganisms. All these are together a mix of essential nutrients for other organisms such as plants.

You can use your bokashi liquid for the following purposes:

• As a liquid fertilizer for foliar spray. Dilute the bokashi liquid with water (1 liter of bokashi liquid : 1.000 liter of water) and put into your sprayer as a liquid fertilizer for your plants.
• As a liquid fertiliser for lawn and garden beds. Dilute it with water (1:100)
• Use it undiluted to clean your septic and toilet draining systems. It will help to clean and optimize the septic and toilet decomposition systems.
• You can also just tip it down your sink for a cleaner drainage system

How much Bokashi Liquid will you produce?

This is a quite not an easy question to answer. Given that kitchen wastes vary from one home to another, the amount of bokashi liquid produced will be different from one home to another. So, there is no exact amount of bokashi liquid produced, even if you compare between two fully loaded bokashi bin which are started at the same time.

But,the amount of bokashi liquid produced for one run will largely be dependent on types and conditions of organic materials that you compost. Materials with higher initial moist contents before you put into the composting bin such as vegetables and fruits will produced more fermentation liquid than materials that have  lower or no water contents. Green materials tend to produce more liquid than dry materials because of their higher original water contents. Also, remember that different parts of one material, i.e fruit peels versus fruit meat, will have different water contents, too. So these differences in initial water contents will give you a rough estimate about how much bokashi liquid you will produce.

One of the important things for a succesfull bokashi composting is not about how much liquid you will produce but how often you drain the liquid off the bin. It is recommended that you drain off the liquid every 2 or 3 days during the composting process. Liquid accumulation will not be good for your composting process as it may change the inside bin environments to which that are not supportive to the life and work of microorganisms.

What is Bokashi Tea?

You may have heard people talking about bokashi tea, or bokashi liquid, or bokashi juice. The terms mean the same, the liquid produced during bokashi fermentation of organic waste. The liquid is light brown in color and is actually a mix of dissolved materials produced during the fermentation

If you use bokashi composting to handle all your organic wastes at home, then you will produce two products: solid and liquid. The liquid product resulted from bokashi composting is as a product of microbial fermentation during the process of bokashi composting. As bokashi fermenttaion is a closed system, nutrients presents in organic wastes placed in composting bin will all be converted into either the solid or the liquid product. So there is no nutrient leakage in bokashi composting system. The exact proportion between solid and liquid product will vary, depending on many factors including what organic wastes are you put in the composting bin and your bokashi starter composition (especially for home made starter). These also determine how much bokashi liquid you produce.

Bokashi composting bin comes with a hole underneath to drain off the bokashi liquid at a regular time. Liquid draining is an intergral part of bokashi fermentative composting system and you have to do draining for a succesfull bokashi composting. Both solid and liquid products are valuable organic fertilizers.

Where to buy bokashi in UK

For UK customers, it has been made easy for all your bokashi needs. Here is resources that you can check yourself if you need bokashi.

Wormercity

Wormercity has bokashi products available as well as other products that you need for your composting.  They offer bokashi bucket (single or two) and bokashi bran. They also have other products for worm composting and composting accesories

Check Wormercity for more details of the products they offer and how to get one or two for you.

Bokashi Direct

Bokashi Direct is the UK's Best Value Supplier of Bokashi Buckets and Bokashi Bran. We are part of Original Organics Ltd, inventors of the Wormery and the specialists in home composting. Original Organics Ltd has been providing the UK with solutions for home composting and recycling for nearly 20 years.

Bokashi Direct aims to provide the lowest cost, highest quality Bokashi Composting products in the UK. Our Bokashi Buckets are exclusive to us and our Bokashi Bran is of exceptional quality to ensure optimum success.

Bokashi Direct is based in rural Devon.

Where to buy bokashi in Australia

If you are living in Australia and want to do bokashi composting, make sure where you can buy your bokashi and related products from trusted producers. Fortunately for you that you can buy your bokashi also from online stores.

Check the following for your bokashi needs in Australia


1. Bokashi Composting Australia

Bokashi Composting Australia has taken it seriously into the business of bokashi. They produce bokashi powder called Green Frog Bokashi. They also have many different products related to bokashi for you who are in Australia. They have so many offline retailers across all the country, especially in New South Wales. It has also set up a main online store as well as other online retailers. Check Bokashi Composting Australia for further details.

2. Envirpower Australia

To empower everyday people to change the world, starting in their own space at home, work, school, farm or commercial kitchen by providing sustainable organics waste management, to educate and provide better solutions for the environment using a range of innovative organic recycling solutions.

Research shows that our environment can become sustainable by keeping valuable organic waste out of landfill. We believe that food waste can be easily transformed into a resource that instead will enhance the natural environment.

Enviropower achieves this by offering a range of products which help our customers integrate sustainability into every aspect of their daily life.

Enviropower provides tools and wisdom to help you make a difference to your environment by using Bokashi and EM known as Effective Micro-Organisms.

Check Envirpower Australia 

3. Biome Australia

Biome was founded by Tracey Bailey and is a passionate family business. After a career in corporate communications and being blessed with two children, Tracey and her partner wanted a way to be part of the solution to our planet's future.

Beginning in 2003 as an online shop, we grew into a physical store in Paddington (Brisbane) in June 2005. We opened our second store in the Brisbane CBD in September 2007. Looking after our online customers remains very important to us.

Check Biome Australia

All Seasons Bokashi Bin

Bokashi bin, or some times also called bokashi bucket or composter, is a bin designed specifically for you to do your composting with bokashy technology. The bin is supplied an airtight lid to do composting in anaerobic mechanism. Bokashi composting is a technique that is done without oxygen because, not like us, the microorganisme involved in the fermentation of wastes your put into the bin, do need the oxygen. Oxygen is even toxic to some of these creatures. It means that when there is oxygen, then they are disturbed and not live happily.

An example of composting bin that you can you use for bokashi composting in the kitchen is here. It is marketed with a name of All Seasons Indoor Composter. It comes with a beautiful tan color.

The is a unique indoor composter that will recycle your kitchen waste into an organic compost soil conditioner. This bin uses the most effective method of fermenting--anaerobic (without oxygen) fermentation. This process prepares the scraps for burial in less than half the time of conventional composting methods without any unpleasant odors. This indoor composter includes two unique features, a strainer and spigot, allowing the moisture released by the scraps of food waste to be drained out to prevent spoilage. This concentrated liquid can be used as a fertilizer or to clean your kitchen and bathroom drains once diluted. Used in conjunction with All Seasons Bokashi (sold seperately), the system provides the ideal conditions to activate anaerobic fermentation that accelerates the composting process, while eliminating odors and deterring flies.

You can get this bokashi composter bin from here.

Bokashi videos

Bokashi composting is a simple technology that you can apply yourself at home. It is also a cheap technology with very valuable product. It does not need anything else except the bokashi bran that you can purchase from local market or online and your kitchen wastes. That is all you need to compost your kitchen waste with bokashi technology.

If you have no idea at all about bokashi composting, here are some video you can start with. Watch them to get an insight how people have successfully done bokashi composting.

Bokashi FAQ - Video 1



Bokashi FAQ - Video 2



Bokashi - What you need to know

All Seasons Bokashi

When you are so busy that you have only limited time to make your own bokashi powder, then you need to buy your bokashi powder. One of the best products of this type is All Seasons Bokashi. With this, you can go and do your bokashi technology without the need to wait for you to make the bokashi from the beginning.

Grow your garden with the All Seasons Bokashi. Bokashi has traditionally been used by Japanese farmers as a soil amendment to increase the nutrient level and microbial diversity of the soil. This bokaski can be used as a compost starter, fermentation starter, soil conditioner and/or beneficial microbial inoculate. This bokashi is made by fermenting wheat bran with molasses and Probiotics. When you use bokashi to maintain high populations of beneficial and efficient microbes in the soil, they will

• Promote germination, flowering, fruiting and ripening in plants Improve physical, chemical and biological environments in the soil and help to eliminate soil-borne pathogens and pests;
• Enhance the photosynthetic capacity of plants and ensure better germination and plant establishment;
• Increase the effectiveness of organic materials as fertilizers;
• Eliminate putrefactive soil that stresses plants

All Seasons Bokashi is available from here

How to put your kitchen waste into bokashi bin

You purchase your bokashi bin or bucket from the store, you are generally supplied with a written instruction on how to use the bin as well as other supplies (such as bokashi powder or bokashi bran). It should tell you how to put your kitchen wastes into the bokashi bin. But as a general rule, you must remember to put only organic wastes into your kitchen bokashi composting bin. And general steps to follow are as follows:

1. Intially, place some bokashi bran on top of strainer inside the bin;
2. Cut your kitchen waste into small pieces and place that inside your bokashi bin;
3. Grab a handfull of bokashi bran and sprinkle it over the top of your waste;
4. Press the waste down with a potato masher to remove any trapped air;
5. Put another layer of kitchen waste and then your bokashi bran. Do not forget to expell any air to maintain anaerobic condition inside the bin. Do this until the bokashi bin is full. Quantity of waste you can put will depend on the bulkiness of your waste and bin volume;
6. Replace the bokashi bin lid properly;
7. Let the process of fermentation to take place for about 2 weeks;
8. During that process, drain off the excess water produced during fermentation by opening the tap at the bottom of the bokashi bin. This is the bokashi liquid or bokashi tea which itself a fertilizier, too. But, you have to dilute the liquid before use. See this article on how to use the bokashi liquid;
9. When completed you will produced a fermented material with a good smell. Your bokashi is ready for use.

Straw based Bokashi

Bokashi can be made from all organic materials. If you are living near paddy rice fields, then you must have plenty of rice straw available. This by-product in rice plantation can actually turned into bokashi, thereby increasing the value of the by-product. In fact, straw from gramineae plantation can also be used in place of rice straw.

Rice straw based bokashi is very popular in rice producing countries. This technology has helped to solve the problem of rice straw on rice fields. Straw produced after rice harvest is one of major problems faced by farmers because it needs to be removed from the field in preparation for the next planting season. Often times, the straw is simple burned by farmers which results in loss of organic matter and creates environmental problem. Using the straw in bokashi making does not only help in straw removal, but also creates a valuable product for economic and environmental benefits.

Here is how to make a straw-based bokashi.

Materials needed:

1. Rice straw (10 kg). Other straws can also be used as an alternative, including ground nut straw and field grasses. This material should be chopped into lengths of 5-10 cm.
2. Rice bran (0.5 kg) and rice husk (10 kg)
3. EM4 (10 ml or about 2 full spoons)
4. Molasses or sugar (10 ml about 2 full spoons)
5. Water as required

Procedure:

1. Make a solution containing 10 ml EM4 : 10 ml molasses or sugar : 1,000 ml water. Warm water is the best for rapid dissolution of EM4.
2. Mix the rice straw, rice bran, and rice husk on a clean concrete floor. Make sure to mix them thoroughly.
3. Pour the EM solution, slowly and with a well mix, over the organic material (mix of rice straw, rice bran, and rice husk). When you do it well, you will a get a product with a moist contents of about 30%. Test this by taking a handfull of the materials and you should get a well formed materials without excess water. On touching, however, the material will be back to crumble. That is a good sign of mixing between the EM solution and the solid materials.
4. Lay down the bokashi on a clean concrete floor with a height of 15-20 cm and cover it with a gunny bag or anyhthing that permits oxygen exchange between under the cover and the environment. Temperature under the cover should be about 40-50 degree celcius (please check this with a thermometer). If it reaches more than 50 degrees, remove the cover and do mixing on the materials. This is to disperse the heat. Put the cover back again.
5. After 4 gays, bokashi making should have been completed. Longer times may be need for temperate regions during winter.

The bokashi should be used soon after being made. That is for a maximum result. But, if you need to store it, place the bokashi on a clean concrete floor under a shade and let to dry (no direct sunlight). Prevent it from rain.

How to make an organic pesticide (EM5)

Another best application of effective microorganism (EM) technology is to make a non-chemical pesticide that completes its use in green technology. This organic pest repellant is also known as EM5 and it is non toxic. The EM application is usually in diluted concentration (1 in 500-1.000 parts) and do the job by providing a kind of barrier to plants from insect attacks.

Materials used in making EM5 may vary from one location to another, depending on the local availability and price of the materials. A standard set of materials and quantities generally used in making EM5 is given below. For more persistent insects, it is recommended to include organic materials having a strong medicinal properties such as garlic, aloe, hot peppers, neem leaves, etc. When such materials are used, it is best to chop or mash them with a mixer to increase their surface area and for a perfect mixing with other used substances.

Here is how to make organic pesticide (EM5)

Materials needed:

1. Water (600 ml). Use well water as tap water is usually chlorinated
2. Molasses (100 ml)
3. Vinegar (100 ml). 
4. Distilled spirit (100 ml). You can use whiskey or ethyl alcohol as an alternative
5. EM1 (100 ml)

Procedure:

1. Blend the molasses with water, make sure that it is completely dissolved. Use warm water for quick dilution of molasses.
2. Add vinegar and distilled spirit, followed by EM1.
3. Pour the mixed solution into a plastic container which can be shut tightly (A glass container should not be used, as gas production will be monitored from changes of the container). Remove excess air in the container to maintain anaerobic conditions.
4. Store it in a warm place (20-35 °C), away from direct sunlight.
5. When container is expanded by the fermented gas, loosen the cap of the container to release gas. Shut it tightly again.

EM5 making is complete when no more gas is produced and the smell of the solution has produced a sweet smell. The EM should be used within 3 months after produced. Storage is in cool dry place with a homogen temperature. Do not expose it to direct sunlight nor place it in a refrigerator.

How to make bokashi in a open environment (aerobic)

Bokashi making is a quite simple technology to apply.  You can have a choice whether to make it using a closed system (anaerobic) or an open system (aerobic). In an aerobic system, you make the bokashi without oxygen involvement, while on the other hand, you need the oxygen in aerobically processed bokashi.

Here is how to make bokashi in an aerobic environment.

Materials needed:

1. Rice bran (100 litres)
2. Oil cakes (25 litres)
3. Fish meal (25 litres)
4. EM1 (150 ml)
5. Molasses (150 ml)
6. Water (15 litres)

If you do not have molasses around or you have to buy it from somewhere with lots of cost, then you can replace the molasses with any type of sugar. Some other materials you can use include raw cane sugar, juice of any fruits and waste water of alcohol industrie. The principle here is to provide the microorganisms in EM with readily available energy source for the to initate their tasks.

Water quantity indicated above is for guide only. You may need less or more water, but please provide it in unlimited quantity meaning that there is always water available when needed. Guideline here is to produce a bokashi with a moist content of about 30-40 persen (moist enough, but no water excess).

Preparation:

1. Mix rice bran, oil cake and fish meal thoroughly;
2. Dissolve molasses in water (1:100). Use warm water to help the process.
3. Add EM into the molasses solution
4. Pour the EM mixture onto the already mixed organic materials. Please do this gradually to make sure a good mixing between the solution and the organic materials. Please check the mositure contents that there is drainage of excess water. The moisture level of the materials is about 30-40% and you can check this practically by squeezing a handful. Once sequeezed, it should remain as a single unit without crumbling, but the materials should scrumble when touched. That is the best condition you are after.
5. Place the mixed material on a clean concrete floor and cover it with a gunny bag, straw mat, or similar material. Be careful not be wet by rain.

Time required to complete the fermentation is dependent on local climate. In summer of temperate region or in tropical regions, it requires more than 3-4 days. In winter, more than 7-8 days are required for a complete fermentation.

The best result of bokashi application is soon after being made. If you want to store it for later use, spread the bokashi on clean concrete floor under a shade as a way to dry it and then placed in a vinyl bag.

How to make bokashi with no oxygen (anaerobic)

Bokashi making technology has developed around the word and creativity has been with it in which different materials have been tested and used in bokashi making. The best about this technology is that it can be developed using organic materials available locally, so it is applicable in all situations and localities. As long as there are organic materials available, then there you can make bokashi.

Principally, bokashi can be made either without oxygen (anaerbic) or with oxygen (aerobic). The following a recipe on how to make the bokashi using the anaerobic system.

Materials needed:

1. Rice bran (100 litres)
2. Oil cakes (25 litres)
3. Fish meal (25 litres)
4. EM1 (150 ml)
5. Molasses (150 ml)
6. Water (15 litres)

If you do not have molasses around or you have to buy it from somewhere with lots of cost, then you can replace the molasses with any type of sugar. Some other materials you can use include raw cane sugar, juice of any fruits and waste water of alcohol industrie. The principle here is to provide the microorganisms in EM with readily available energy source for the to initate their tasks.

Water quantity indicated above is for guide only. You may need less or more water, but please provide it in unlimited quantity meaning that there is always water available when needed. Guideline here is to produce a bokashi with a moist content of about 30-40 persen (moist enough, but no water excess).

Preparation:

1. Mix rice bran, oil cake and fish meal thoroughly;
2. Dissolve molasses in water (1:100). Use warm water to help the process.
3. Add EM into the molasses solution
4. Pour the EM mixture onto the already mixed organic materials. Please do this gradually to make sure a good mixing between the solution and the organic materials. Please check the mositure contents that there is drainage of excess water. The moisture level of the materials is about 30-40% and you can check this practically by squeezing a handful. Once sequeezed, it should remain as a single unit without crumbling, but the materials should scrumble when touched. That is the best condition you are after.
5. Place the mixture into an airtight bag (such polyethylene bag) and then place this into another bag to make sure an aerobic condition achieved during the process. Close the bag tightly and place it in a dark room, away from sunlight.

Time required to complete the fermentation is dependent on local climate. In summer of temperate region or in tropical regions, it requires about 3-4 days. In winter, 7-8 days are required for a complete fermentation.

At the end of the day open the bag and inspect the smell of the bokashi. It should be with a sweet smell. If it is sour and rotten in smell, you are not successful. Anaerobically prepared bokashi should be used soon after preparation. If you want to store it for later use, spread the bokashi on clean concrete floor under a shade as a way to dry it and then placed in a vinyl bag.

History of Effective Micoorganisms (EM) Technology

The effective microorganisms (EM) technology is found and developed by Teruo Higa, an agricultural professor at the University Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan. During the years of 1970s and 1980s, carried out and led a series of research on EM technology which then directed to its furthur development into commercial field. EM is a natural, probiotic technology developed for many yeras around the world. It is based on beneficial and effective microorganisms ("EM"). The microbes in EM are non-harmful, non-pathogenic, not-genetically-engineered or modified (non-GMO), and not chemically-synthesized. The basic microorganisms in the EM are lactic acid bacteria (generally found in yoghurt and cheese), yeast (used in bread and beer making), and phototrophic bacteria.

In the first time of its development, EM was intended for use in crop farming as an answer to chemically based agricultural system in which extensive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides has been inevitable in the system.  While EM is beneficial to increase the soil fertility, but the EM is able to do more than that and has different way of increasing soil fertility compared to conventional chemical fertilizer. EM is able to increase the number of beneficial soil microorganisms by creating beneficial microbial consortium in the soil. This improves the soil's microbial health and promotes a healthy environment for plants, recognising the principle that microbial diversity and organic material combine to produce healthy soils, and therefore healthy plants.

EM can also be used as a processing tool to manufacture organic fertilisers. From crop farming, its application flowed naturally into livestock. Outside the U.S., EM is actively used in livestock operations, including hog, cattle/dairy, and poultry. From livestock, the positive effects on the livestock waste and effluent into lagoons and rivers led to the use of EM for environmental purposes: from land/soil remediation to water purification. EM environmental applications throughout the world have included cleaning polluted waterways, lakes and lagoons, in septic systems, municipal wastewater treatment plants, and landfills/dump sites. As EM became used extensively in livestock, research began into its use as a functional food supplement for human health. It was discovered that EM exhibits very beneficial effects as an antioxidant and probiotic on the the animal digestive system.

How to make EM1 stock solution

The original effective microorganism (EM1) solution contains microorganisms which are inactive (dormant) and thus have to be activated before used. This can be done by adding nutrients into the solution for microorganisms to use and active. Please remember that the original EM solution has a yellow-brown color with a pleasant odor and sweet sour odor. It should have a pH below 3.5. If you find an EM1 solution which has a bad odor and with a pH of more than 4.0, that indicates that the solution has deteriorated. Make sure about this as soon as possible and you may get replacement from where you bought it.

To make an EM1 stock solution, you just need to well mix the original EM1 liquid (1 ml) with 1.000 ml of water and 1 ml of molasses (or 1 g of sugar). Leave this solution for 24 hours before use for your plants. You can use your EM1 stock solution to water your soil planted with plants (by watering cans, sprinkles, or irrigation system) or you can also apply it as a foliar spray both for garden plants or potted ones.You may need to do a little experiment on the go which of these fertilizing techniques work best for you. Defferent people may have different experience because of different soil condition, plant types, watering tools, etc. One thing important to remember with the EM1 stock solution that you are using a liquid fertlizer for your plants.