Bokashi confusion

[hamster]

I've just bought a bokashi bin and am a wee bit confused - I've read lots of things about what you can put in it and they all seem to have different opinions! The leaflet that came with it said you can't put meat bones in, the website of a council that was giving out subsidised bokashi bins says you can. Some people say you can put bread in it, some say you can't.

I only bought it because I wanted to be able to dispose of biodegradable waste that can't go in the composter (e.g. veg and bones from making stock, small amounts of leftovers and stale bread, meat and fish scraps, egg shells atm because there is a rat living under next door's shed) so I'll be a bit annoyed if they still have to go to landfill after all. Does anyone have one, and if so what do you and don't you put in it?

Thanks!

[shae]

I found this on our NZ site:

You can use all food waste - drained foods are best, including
Fresh fruit and vegetables
Prepared foods
Cooked and uncooked meats, and fish
Other foods: cheese and eggs, bread, coffee grinds, tea bags
Wilted flowers

Do not use
Liquids such as milk and orange juice and oils
Paper and plastic wrap, and meat bones

I've just ordered one so I'm patiently waiting for it to arrive.

[frozenthunderbolt]

Anarobic fermentation/digestion. Interesting. The complete opposite to your typical composting ay? I just did a quick google as i had no idea what it was, anyone want to give a quick overview?

Incidentaly we have a wood burning fireplace and in the winter we simply burn bones, shells and meat scraps - given that we only use wood, not even paper to start, we have no nasty chemicals in the ashes so they all go in the compost heap or on the garden plants which love potash.

[multiveg]

My bokashi bucket leaflet said only a maximum of 5 tea bags.

[johnhcrf]

The bokashi bin will take all the food waste you daren't put in the compost bin. Fish/meat scraps, bone, fat, dairy produce, bread, cooked veg etc. It is amazing how clean the bin bag becomes.

[ssherlock]

I still don't understand this no tea bags argument I keep hearing. I've making Bokashi for a year and a half and tea bags are a staple feature (as are banan skins).

The finished product then goes in the worm bin or compost bin and I have great compost.

[johnhcrf]

I put teabags in the composter. The bokashi is for food waste minus teabags according to the leaflet.

[ssherlock]

I put teabags in the composter. The bokashi is for food waste minus teabags according to the leaflet.

You can put it all in the composter, but Bokashi makes it easier as you don't have to go outside when it's raining.

I've still to hear of a reason for not adding tea bags - I've been adding them for over 12 months with no weird effects.

[multiveg]

Someone elsewhere said that tea is an antibiotic and therefore might interfere with the effective micro-organisms....

[Martin]

I've looked at Bokashi bins, and can readily appreciate the advantages, but I'm afraid it's also got the cynic in me saying "expensive, particularly the ongoing costs" (good business, one placcy bucket for £30 - £50 - sounds about as economical as those dreadfully overpriced plastic henhouses) - a quick squint at the theory behind them suggests that it should be possible to save some "culture" and reuse (like yoghourt) - or am I missing something?

[MKG]

No, I don't think you are, Martin ... that culture has to be available without the Bokashi price tag, surely?

[johnhcrf]

Good point. The biochemists among the ishers should investigate. I for one would rather buy it from an isher, provided it was proven to work. Cost is not my first concern but removing food waste from bins is a massive step forward. Don't put people off starting using the Bokashi, please.