Frequently Asked Questions

1. What kitchen wastes are not allowed to Bokashi and why?

· Short answer: Technically you can Bokashi anything (including meat bones and raw meat), you just need to add enough Bokashi Ipa, and/or molasses plus the Bokashi booster to process it.

· Long answer: there are kitchen wastes that require stronger formulations, separate handling, or longer decomposition time. The 30-day challenge is meant to guide participants in learning the proper amounts of Bokashi ipa and other fermenting agents for processing, as well as be able to troubleshoot issues as they occur. Otherwise, we have found that practitioners will tend to add too little, resulting in a “failed” bokashi; or too much, which makes the process expensive.

· we strongly recommend against adding the following for the duration of the 30-day garbage to garden challenge because these kitchen wastes require more steps and we consider these as an advance level for Bokashi.

-- HEAVILY SPOILED FOOD AND DISEASED PLANTS. These will compete with the good microbes present in our bokashi ipa.

-- EGGSHELLS. We find them more useful for stage 4, so we process them differently: https://www.bokashipinoy.com/post/day-16-collect-egg-shells-for-stage-4

-- COOKING OIL exceeding a tablespoonful is not recommended. The oil will inhibit the moisture absorption of the good microorganisms. Natural moisture from the food is important for the beneficial microorganisms to wake up from dry dormancy. Oil will also inhibit the absorption of water and nutrients from the final compost to the roots and plants. We even recommend to rinse off oily food and drain it to remove excess water.

-- DAIRY BASED FOOD, such as moldy butter, cheese, milk etc. They contribute to foul smells and the presence of non-white mold (typical in specialty cheeses) competes with the microbes we introduce for fermentation. Processing requires 3 times the amount of bran required, including molasses and/or bokashi booster.

-- EXPIRED PROCESSED FOOD – The chemical processes and preservatives involved in the creation of processed food make it difficult to Bokashi. It’s ok to add small amounts, as per usual consumption within a household, for example, a plateful of leftover spoiled spaghetti. Uncooked expired noodles may harbor unseen mold growth. For large-sized consumption, like leftovers from buffet restaurants and catering facilities, we recommend the use of stronger formulations of the fermenting agents Bokashi ipa and booster.

2. If the Bokashi does not smell sour or kimchi like or even smells foul, what is the option aside from discarding it? What are the ways of discarding a bad Bokashi waste? Can we just bury it?

· “Bad” Bokashi waste can be buried in soil to finish decomposition. You may add the Bokashi Liquid accelerator to speed up the process. Bury it separate from your existing composting pit (if you have one) and deep enough so as not to encourage being dug out by animals.

3. What are the differences in the soil of good Bokashi and bad Bokashi? Can we still use the bad Bokashi soil in our garden?

· The bokashi process creates compost – not soil. Bokashi compost is typically fluffy and black, smells earthy, and slightly acidic. When it is otherwise, meaning the process results in wet, dense, clay-like material, or has an acidic, sour smell, it means the process it not finished and that you may need to add more carbon material such as paper, dried leaves, or other such yard waste.

· Bad bokashi from tubs and buckets will take longer to decompose compared to good bokashi that has been fully fermented. A bad bokashi or any bad compost even from using other methods will have risks of containing pathogens.

· Another sign for a bad bokashi is insect infestation by housefly maggots and fruit fly maggots which can be dangerous if we let them breed. Houseflies carry diseases, fruit flies can damage the fruits of your vegetables and trees. To prevent this, wash your produce before prepping them for cooking. Always cover your segregated wastes even before processing them for stage 1. For stage 3, after topping your bokashied wastes with yard waste and soil, cover it with cardboard, fabric, or sack to prevent house flies and fruit flies from getting into the compost since they lay directly on food wastes.

4. What soil do I need to prepare for stage 3?

· If using the box method, USED soil in old pots would be the first choice. Always use what you already have, or have free access to. Yard waste includes dried and fresh leaves and twigs, spent flowers, grass clippings, weeds, etc. Collect paper material (nonglossy and not thermal paper) and begin shredding them for faster decomposition. Begin to collect used coffee grounds as well.

· If you have no access to these items and must buy, please choose the most inexpensive options. Most soil available from stores is ready to use and already contains some form of compost. You can use these as topsoil for stage 4.

5. What size box do I need to prepare for stage 3 and how do I prepare it?

· 65L size or bigger is a good size. You will need to drill holes everywhere, 12- 15 on each side including top and bottom depending on size. This will help air circulate in the box, aiding the process.