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Naomi Stephens | Permaculture Designer
Feb 4, 2021

Bokashi Update - How I found bokashi a useful fertiliser for apartment gardening

Updated: Apr 10, 2022

Here's an update on what I experienced after using my bokashi for a few months.


So far I've loved using it. It's really convenient, it doesn't get in the way and it's easy to use. Plus the extra fertiliser is a huge bonus.


Convenience


The system is really easy to use and extremely convenient in dealing with any kind of food waste. I've been able to throw all of my food scraps in there no matter what kind of food it is.


There aren't any tricky contraptions either, I just open the lid and throw my scraps in, then sprinkle the bokashi bran over the top.


Smell


It sits on my kitchen tabletop without emitting any smells unless it's opened. What a relief.

Bokashi bran covering food in bokashi bin
Cover thoroughly with bokashi bran after adding food.

When it's opened, it smells just like the bokashi bran and the smell disappears when the lid is closed again.


If it smells bad then rectify this by making sure to cover with a decent amount of bokashi bran every time you add scraps. Like in the picture shown.




Fertilizer


I have harvested the leachate many times, at least once a week. I've always diluted and seen benefits in the growth of my plants after using it. For example, some of my dormant seeds sprouted after the first time I used this fertilizer.

There was one time, however, I didn't dilute it enough and it almost ruined my chamomile plant. The plant was limp but then it recovered after a few days.


So please don't make the same mistake and make sure to dilute the leachate a lot! At the very least 1:20 times.





Tips:

  • Dilute leachate at the very least 1:20

  • Make sure the lid is closed tightly after using it, otherwise the food won't decompose properly.

  • Keep the bokashi bran tucked away in the cupboard, to avoid a vinegar-like smell in the kitchen.

  • Cover with a sufficient amount of bokashi bran each time.





What's next?


I'm going to mix the bokashi with garden lime and feed it to the worm bin. This way, my food scraps will turn into extremely rich worm castings.


I'm also going to attempt to create compost by digging it into some coconut coir mixed with worm castings and see if it will turn to soil.



 


Click the link to see the bokashi bin I bought on Amazon




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