Food recycling - bokashi bins

Ladyhawk

Hi -

Has anyone got any experience of bokashi bins? I was given two for my birhday (i had asked for them!)... but with first use they stank my flat out... was I doing something wrong?

Thanks

Azmataz

What sort of smell did it have? Bokashi buckets do have a distinctive smell, but it shouldn't be overly disgusting! The correct smell is a tangy, fermented one. However, you should only notice it on opening the bin. The bin works by fermenting, not decomposing the food waste.

Make sure the following Main Rules of Bokashi are followed and you should be bokashi-ing sucessfully in no time!

*Collect waste over 2-4 days if you can, to avoid opening the bin too much and letting air in. Grab an old 2kg margerine tub or similar to keep in the fridge. Add scraps to this daily. When it's full (it won't stink, as it's been refrigerated), add the contents to the bokashi bin.
*Add a very generous/heaped scoop of bokashi bran on top of the newly added scraps.
*Compress the contents to remove as much air as possible - oxygen interferes with the fermentation process.
*Make sure the bin is completely shut and air tight as much as possible.
*Drain the bucket of any bokashi 'juice' :eek: every time you add material.

If you're already doing all that, it's possible that you've got a dodgy bin. I originally bought a pair of bokashi buckets, but I was so disgusted with the build quality (and £40 price tag!) that I returned them! I then made my own bokashi buckets using old catering tubs, wine making taps and a drill. :T

Let us know how you get on!

meg72

I have been using mine for about a month now and have been very pleased with it. Have noticed a smellwhen I open it but its not at all unpleasant, rather like wine wheni ts brewing.

I have been very impressed with the amount of juice it produces as at a ratio of 1 to 100 parts of water I reckon I wont have to buy plant food next year.

Ladyhawk

Thanks - it was just a rotting smell... like I hadn't taken the bins out. Bleugh!

Mine didn't come with instructions, so your have been very helpful - though intuitively I had done the right thing. I have stuck the first one outside and will have a go with the second one.

I am just wondering if a I live on my own I don't produce enough waste to make them worthwhile?

meg72

Dont think so,I live on my own too.

Azmataz

They are worthwhile in that you cut down on your household refuse, get some free liquid plant food/drain cleaner and free compost. You don't even need a compost bin: after a 2-3 week period of being completely sealed in a warmish place (no peeping!) just dig a whole, empty the bin and cover over to enrich the soil. You don't need a huge amount of kitchen waste to bokashi successfully.

bizzy195

Hi all,
I'm new to this and have been looking to buy a wormery, are these the same as the bokashi bins? and is the one ive been looking at a good price?
Im looking at woodsncrafts on google,sorry cant post a link. Can any give me some advice. I do like the look at the bench one as its multi purpose but is any good?:D

taxsaver

Strikes me as expensive for what it is.

Ladyhawk

bizzy195 wrote: »

Hi all,
I'm new to this and have been looking to buy a wormery, are these the same as the bokashi bins? and is the one ive been looking at a good price?
Im looking at woodsncrafts on google,sorry cant post a link. Can any give me some advice. I do like the look at the bench one as its multi purpose but is any good?:D

Hi - all I can say is that wormeries and bokashi bins are different. i was interested in the bokashi because it meant that I didn't have to take the kitchen scraps outside everyday and it can make meat, bones, cooked food. I think they work a little quicker than wormeries etc.... though don't quote me on that!

meg72

No its not the same as a wormery.

bizzy195

Thanks for your replies,
ive done a bit of reading up about them, and as i only have a small kitchen i think im going to opt for the bench wormery, it can sit in my garden. By the way on reading up on wormerys you can put almost everything in there(including cooked food) which then turns it all into compost for your garden. Im even read about a dog poop one :eek: