Whether you’re a bustling family of four with a veggie-packed diet or a couple who enjoys dining out, managing kitchen waste efficiently and sustainably can be a challenge. The reason that we are so enthusiastic about Bokashi is that it can deal with your food waste regardless of your household size or lifestyle.
The Bokashi Kit Explained
The Bokashi Kit is a compact, anaerobic composting system that uses effective microorganisms (EM) in the form of LIVE Bokashi Bran to ferment organic waste, including meat and dairy products which are typically not recommended for traditional composting systems. This process is odour-free and can be done right in your kitchen, - although most people site the kit in a porch, balcony, or conservatory, or even outside and use a caddy in the kitchen.
Volume and Efficiency
For a family of four that eat a large quantity of vegetables, the Bokashi Kit is a game-changer. Capable of handling several kilos of kitchen waste each week, the system includes two buckets that allow for continuous usage. While one bucket ferments for two weeks once full, you can start filling the second one, ensuring a non-stop cycle of waste fermentation without any interruptions.
For couples who often eat out and produce less kitchen waste, the Bokashi Kit remains a perfect fit. The flexibility of the system means that even smaller amounts of occasional waste can be fermented efficiently, without the drawbacks of traditional composting systems, such as pests or smells. This makes it ideal for people who might otherwise feel that composting is too cumbersome or unnecessary given their lifestyle.
Using Wiggly Wigglers LIVE Bokashi Bran
The key to the Bokashi Kit’s effectiveness is the LIVE Bokashi Bran – made here on Lower Blakemere Farm. This Bran is a mixture teeming with beneficial microbes that accelerate the fermentation process. This Bokashi Bran not only ensures rapid breakdown of waste but also produces a nutrient-rich juice that can be used as a natural fertiliser or a drain cleaner.
Using the Finished Product
Once your waste is fermented in the Bokashi Kit, it becomes a powerhouse of nutrients that can be used in several ways, offering flexibility depending on your gardening or composting setup:
- Directly into the Soil: Dig the fermented waste directly into your garden or raised beds. Within just a couple of weeks, the waste breaks down completely, enriching the soil with nutrients and improving its structure and moisture-holding capacity.
- Hotbin or Green Johanna Composter: If you have a hot composting system like a Hotbin or a Green Johanna, you can add your Bokashi compost to it. These systems will further break down the waste at higher temperatures, speeding up the composting process and enabling you to make a really high-quality compost quicker than traditional methods.
- Creating a Soil Factory: For those without a garden, making a soil factory is a viable option. This involves layering Bokashi compost with soil in a large container or bin, allowing it to further decompose over time. This method can produce rich, usable compost right on your balcony or for houseplants.
Benefits of the Bokashi Kit
- Speed and Efficiency: Composting with a Bokashi Kit is faster than traditional composting methods, allowing you to see results in weeks instead of months.
- Versatility: From meat and bones to fruit peels and vegetable scraps, the Bokashi system can handle all types of organic kitchen waste.
- Odour and Pest Free: Thanks to the anaerobic process and the effectiveness of the EM in the Bokashi Bran, there is no foul odour and no attraction for pests. (When you empty the kit there is a pickly/vinegary smell)
- Nutrient-Rich Compost: The result of Bokashi composting is highly nutritious, providing excellent food for your plants and improving soil health.
Here at Wigglys we have been composting for 34 years and we use all methods – Worm Composting, Hotbin and so on and they all have their place. However, the real game changer in our view is Bokashi. A Wiggly Wigglers Bokashi Kit is not just a composting system; it’s a versatile, efficient, and sustainable solution to food waste management that can fit into any lifestyle, from the busy family to the minimalist couple. By choosing the Bokashi Kit, you’re not only managing your waste effectively but also contributing to a healthier environment.