Bokashi Composting System BUCKET ONLY

No, this is not the same as thermal composting. This is a type of anaerobic composting where ratios of browns to greens is not relevant.

To use the composting system, you need to follow the below steps:
1. Add food to the bucket.
2. Every few inches of food scraps add 1 -2 tablespoons of Kashi Blend to the bucket.
3. Once the bucket is full allow the bucket to sit for 7 - 10 days unopened.
4. After this, bury the bucket outside or in a large fabric pot. Compost will be ready in 4-5 weeks.

To learn more, watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78dluhigOqE

Bokashi is what accelerates the composting process. Since it is a living biologic product, the microorganisms within it ferment the food scraps you place in your bucket. Without the bokashi, your food waste would take much longer to break down and likely invite harmful bacteria into your compost, which could ruin the entire bucket.

The microorganisms in bokashi need anaerobic conditions (without air) to properly pickle and ferment the food scraps in the bucket. If there is air getting into the bucket, then the microorganisms cannot do their job and harmful pathogens may begin to form.

No, as long as you added bokashi every few inches of food waste, you do not need to let the bucket sit longer than two weeks.

Yes, you can use the liquid that drains from the bucket. This liquid is known as leachate and can be used as a fertilizer in the garden or to clear clogged drains in the home. If you use it in the garden, please note that it must be diluted 1:100 with water or it will burn the plants due to the acidity of the leachate.

If you do not have somewhere at your residence to bury the contents of the bucket, you can use a large container, such as a 30-gallon pot, to bury it, or find a community plot to bury it in.

You can add all of your food waste to the bokashi composting bucket. However, you should try to avoid oily, greasy or liquidy foods, as this will suffocate the microorganisms.

It is safe to keep your composting bin around children and pets.

Your children should not be able to open the bucket and if they do, the fermenting smell will likely scare them away. However, if they do consume any fermented food scraps or leachate (liquid from the spout), we recommend washing their mouth out thoroughly and keeping an eye out for vomiting or diarrhea due to the acidic contents of the bucket. See a medical professional if this occurs.

If your pets get into it, you may notice bad gas and an urgency to use the bathroom. This is the probiotics pushing everything out of their digestive tract in full force.

If the contents are ingested, beware that gas, vomiting or diarrhea may occur. The contents are not poisonous, however the microorganisms during the fermentation process are highly active and can cause digestive problems. If you experience extreme uncomfortability, we recommend contacting a healthcare professional.

This white "mold" that's forming atop your food scraps is a sign that the microbes are at work fermenting the contents of the bucket. There is no need to panic! When the microbes are hard at work, this is their byproduct, a layer of pseudo-mycelium.