Bokashi Lids and storage

Bokashi composting is an anaerobic process that converts food wastes into an amazing soil amendment.
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Trixi Agrios
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Hi All: with all I’ve read and watched I still have questions about Bokashi. I am just starting it this week and have two sets of 5 gal. Buckets. Top bucket has holes in the bottom, just like we learned in the course. Bucket set 1 has a gamma lid and the airscape. The second bucket set is the same but just has a regular lid. So my questions are:
1 - because i have an airscape can i open and dump stuff into the bin daily, or even more than that until it is full?
2 - once it is full can I take it out and dump into my second bucket set, plunge it down and screw on a regular lid?. This would allow me to just buy one gamma lid instead of one for all subsequent buckets. If that is not okay I’ll buy more.
3 - I am assuming that we’ll fill up a bucket in two weeks by which time the first full one should be “cooked”. Is that so? If no I’ll get a third bucket set. Btw we are vegetarian so no meat or fish will be added.
4- I am not planning to add the finished bokashi pale to my compost. We don’t want more rodents. Instead I am planning to get a blue large bin, like in Andrew’s video, or a big wheelie garbage can and layer compost and bokashi. Is that a good solution? My idea is that after an appropriate time I’d dump out the can and have amazing compost. Yes? No? Maybe?
5- I understand now that the leachate gets drained regularly and can be used diluted as a compost spray.

Side note: I can’t have a stinky bin in or near my house. I’m sure you all agree on that so I’ll have to make sure I follow your advice and know how to avoid that.
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Andrew
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1) Yes! This is the primary benefit of the airscape, it forces the oxygen out so you your bucket will continue to operate anaerobically even when you add frequently.

2) Yes absolutely. For our storage buckets when storing through the winter we use regular bucket lids, or we transfer to a larger 30 or 50 gallon drums.

3) I would recommend giving your bucket an extra couple of weeks after its finished to ensure complete fermentation. For example when I finish one bucket, I will then seal it and leave it indoors for 2 or more weeks before using or putting into longer term storage.

4) No. Properly hot composted bokashi will not attract rodents because it is highly acidic in nature and the sugars that attract rodents are gone. Its not a 100% guarantee but in our experience when integrated properly into a hot compost pile it rapdily disintegrates within just a few days. You should either bury your finished bokashi in your raised beds in a shallow trench (and then cover), or you should hot compost it. Both of these methods will convert the bokashi into plant available nutrients.

5) I do not recommend spraying bokashi leachate on plants, its best used as a soil drench. I recommend diluting it down 1 part bokashi leachate to 100 parts water (or more if needed -- the rule is, dilute until no smell and any strong colour is very light).

The bin should not stink. It should have a pickled smell when opened, but when sealed it should produce no odour.
Trixi Agrios
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Thank you Andrew for the explicit answers, it is just what I needed. I’ll bury the finished bokashi in my garden, or compost. Thanks again.
TomF
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@Andrew When storing bokashi in larger buckets, you say to wait until it has fermented. Do you try to keep it covered still when you have a partial storage bucket to maintain anaerobic conditions? I have been transferring into another 5 gallon bucket can closing it so I am not using another two bucket system as I had 4 two pail bokashi bins on the go.

I was thinking it I was just going to transfer to a large storage bin of 30 gallon drum I could try to make or get a large, water tight sift vessel, like a really durable garbage bag os similar and partially fill it with water so you could lift it out when adding more, pack it down and place the water filled bag over to act as a airspace in the large vessel of varied diameter.

OR just skip that complexity and risk and give it fermentation time and add to large vessel without worry of aerobic conditions?
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