Bokashi Bran Composting...

[citizentwiglet]

Does anyone have experience of these?

We currently have a standard black plastic 'cold composter' which, despite being turned regularly, is doing nothing at all - we've had it 3 years, followed all the instructions, but to no avail. To be honest, we're wondering about getting shot of it, as we found a New Zealand flatworm in the garden last year (saying that, I've dug all my soil a few times over since and found plenty of earthworms and no more flatworms so I'm hoping I murdered it in cold blood fast enough), but if we DO have flatworm, it will have got into the compost bin and will be merrily laying its eggs in it - we've done temperature checks and our bin gets nowhere near the 50-60 degrees required to kill off harmful pests (and could possibly explain why we're not getting any compost either).

I'm pretty good at 'raw' waste anyway, to be honest - most of my food waste is cooked food that the kids have left, and can't be saved safely; so I'm looking for an option that allows me to compost both, quickly. Having something in the kitchen would certainly free up some space in the garden - at the moment the composter is stuck in the sunniest corner, and I think my poly-house would do better there! Anything from the bins can, I understand, go straight into the garden - I'm hoping that a surplus could be given to our community garden and neighbours, or through Freeconomy.......

So, are they all they are cracked up to be? Thanks in advance for your responses....

[DeneciePie]

I have no personal experience with it but just read an article at the Dave's Garden website about it. ( davesgarden.com) It sounds like much more of a sure thing than the way we have been trying in the garden.
We are in California so don't get flatworm but I think we have grown enough giant garden roaches to alarm the whole neighborhood!

DeneciePie

[george]

I have a friend who has been using it for years.

I used it last year and I found it very easy to use. It doesn't smell even when you put meat in it. Depending on what you compost you might get a liquid which you can water onto the garden (after dilution). The stuff can easily be dug into the garden although it doesn't break down in the bucket so it looks a bit funny when you put it in the garden and if you don't want bits of food all over the garden you need to dig it in fairly deep. So it is very easy to use.

After digging in my bokashi compost though I moved house so I don't know what effect it has had on the soil.

I liked it over any other composting system because you can put meat scraps in it.

[Green Aura]

I have two bokashi bins, which was what was recommended - one maturing while the other's being filled. Dead easy, only two main rules - always remember to chuck a handful of bran on and always remember to keep the lid on tightly. Other than that there's not much can go wrong. They don't advise putting coffee grounds or teabags in but anything else goes.

We then either chuck its contents into the compost bin or directly into trenches in the garden, quick rinse and back into the kitchen. There is a smell but it's a really pleasant "fizzy" smell - sort of citrusy but not really. The liquid is highly concentrated and can be used for just about everything from watering your plants (highly diluted - it's strong stuff*) to cleaning your drains. The EMs digest all the gunk in the pipes - so no more noxious drain cleaners .

We've been using it on and off for a few years now and I think it's brilliant. The stuff in the compost bin seems to rot more quickly after each bucketload too, although I could just be imagining that

*I keep the liquid in a 2 litre pop bottle and use a teaspoonful in my small houseplant watering can. My mother poured about a quarter of the bottle in and nearly killed my aspidistra. I didn't know you could kill them

[citizentwiglet]

Brilliant, thank you for your responses - very helpful indeed! Definitely something to go on my birthday present list, then!

[Greenbeast]

We've been using it on and off for a few years now and I think it's brilliant. The stuff in the compost bin seems to rot more quickly after each bucketload too, although I could just be imagining that

I too have noticed this, so i don't think you are imagining it.

There are several great things about doing bokashi, one big one is no more smelly kitchen bin!
As soon as you stop putting food in the bin not only do you obviously fill it less frequently but it doesn't stink the place up.

Green aura is right, the smell is not unpleasant at all. and even then you only smell it while you've got it open.

[citizentwiglet]

Nothing could ever smell as foul as the nappy-bucket, anyway.....

Thanks again for the help on this - sod my birthday, that's not until October. I'm going to see how much money I can squirrel away right now. Stay tuned to see how long it takes me to save up for one!

[pelmetman]

Hope you soon get your Bokashi Composting Bin.

[citizentwiglet]

My parents are going to murder the planet by driving up to see us (from Wales) next month for beastling number 1's 4th birthday; she was asking me lots of questions about said bins, and she hasn't quite forgiven me for spending the money they sent me for my birthday on a Mai-Tei baby sling for Beastling number 2 (but that money was for YOU, not for them!!! Spoil yourself, etc etc etc), so I am rather hoping that she may be bringing a kit with her.......though, sadly, I doubt it.

I think she really wants me to be the daughter she can buy Chanel number 5 and beauty products for (like my sister); whereas my idea of spoiling myself is buying composting bins.....

I don't think you are imagining that your compost heap goes down quicker - when looking online, that seemed to be one of the big selling points of these composters, that the material breaks down cold-composted materials more quickly.

I wannnit, I wannit, I wannit!

[Greenbeast]

I think she really wants me to be the daughter she can buy Chanel number 5 and beauty products for (like my sister); whereas my idea of spoiling myself is buying composting bins.....

i know who i think has the right idea....

It's been a long time since i was a consumerist like that. My birthday money this year went on books (can never have enough), clothes from ebay and some hobby electronics to make my hot water production more efficient/less wasteful.

I was well pleased with all of that!