Fairbrook Retirement Village
Bokashi Community Composting
What is the Bokashi Composting System?
The Bokashi composting system is a method of waste management that ferments organic waste in an airtight container using a special bran with beneficial microorganisms. Originating from Japan, the term 'Bokashi' means "fermented organic matter" and represents a sustainable approach to recycling kitchen scraps into nutrient-rich soil amendments.
Items required for the Bokashi Composting System;
· Fruits and vegetables (break up large items)
· Cooked foods (no bones or liquids)
· Meat and dairy (no bones or liquids)
· Coffee grounds and tea leaves (no tea bags or staples)
· Eggshells (crushed)
· Bread and grains
Benefits:
· Increases the soil's nutrient content, improving moisture retention, and encouraging the presence of beneficial microorganisms.
· Fast (4 – 6 weeks), easy to use, with no bad odours.
· Composts food waste and reduces, greenhouse gases compared to traditional composting.
Store all food scraps in a 2l – 5l container (ice cream tub or container of your choice)
Days to drop-off: Fridays (8 to 9 a.m) at Unit 42
Contact: Dean Weiss; Cell: 0658796637 Website: wiseowllifestyle.com
Day 1: Friday 24th May 2024
Used a 5l bucket to collect all food peels, off cuts and unwanted leftovers.
Today, I received the Bokashi composting kit. After setting it up, I added approximately 6 liters of kitchen food waste to it.
Video showcasing the purchased Bokashi Composting Kit.
The bucket comes with a strainer, a secure lid, and a tap that must be fitted for the dispensation of bokashi tea.
Around six liters of fruit and vegetable peels and trimmings were added to the bucket, along with two scoops of Earth Bokashi bran, totaling approximately 120 milliliters.
Day 7: Thursday 30th May 2024
I addressed the 'Fairbrook' community at the clubhouse regarding their participation in the composting initiative for the complex.
Day 8: Friday 31st May 2024
Little change seen from 1 week ago, added 60ml of bran to the bucket.
Added our weeks collection of kitchen scraps, compressed the contents of the bucket with a plastic container with a flat surface and added 120ml of bokashi earth/bran.
Day 11: Monday 3rd June 2024
Received an unexpected delivery of kitchen waste from a resident. I opened the bin to add more scraps and added 200 ml of bran/soil.
Day 14: Friday 7th June 2024
Two residents delivered about one litre of kitchen waste which was added to 4 litre's of our own kitchen waste. Placed it in the bin along with 180ml of bokashi bran. The mulch has developed an odor, likely from the meat that was incorporated on Monday.
Day 15: Saturday 8th June 2024
We've collected our first batch of bokashi tea, which has a distinctive purple hue, likely from the beetroot scraps in the bin. We gathered approximately 400ml.
Bokashi Tea Instructions for Use:
Storage
Ensure that you store it in an airtight container and place this container in a dark, cool area. It's also crucial to fill the container as much as possible to minimize the amount of excess air.
Usage
It can be used as a fertilizer on your indoor plants, lawns, veggies and flowers. This can be added to areas of your garden where it would be difficult to add bokashi pre-compost, such as on you lawn or in heavily planted areas. Bokashi tea is quite acidic and therefore we recommend a dilution rate of around 1:100 (1 tsp to 500ml) for lawns and vegetables, 1:300 for gardens and pot plants (1tsp to 1,5l) to 1: 1000 (1tsp : 5l) for any sensitive plants. Monitor your plants to determine the most effective ratio. It's advisable to trial the dilution rate on plants that are more delicate The diluted bokashi tea fertilizer must be applied directly to the soil, as the foliage is more sensitive It is recommended to use the bokashi tea promptly to ensure that your plants receive its full benefits. If not used within a week, it can still serve as an effective treatment for clearing blocked drains.
Mixed 1ml of Bokashi tea with 100ml of water and applied it to our Bonsai pot plant. The mixture may be somewhat concentrated, so we will monitor the plant's response before its next feeding.
Day 17: Monday 10th June 2024
Began composting in Bin 2 with peelings from the clubhouse kitchen and a resident's kitchen waste. Added 180ml of bran. Used a flat bowl to compress the waste, making the contents denser and removing air pockets between the vegetable scraps.
Obtained a further 120ml of Bokashi tea from Bin 1..
Day 21: Friday 14th June 2024
Filled up bucket 2 with our kitchen waste (6l) and that of 3 other residents (6 1/2l). added 180ml of bran.
Received a further 7 1/2 l of vegetable waste from the club house kitchen and started Bucket 3. Added 180ml of bran in layers.
Day 24: Monday 17th June 2024
It seems that the lifespan of Bokashi tea is more accurately around two weeks, contrary to the one-month duration suggested by some sources. It seems that even with the early signs of white mold, the Bokashi tea will continue to fulfill its purpose.
Day 28: Friday 21st June 2024
Thus far, Bokashi tea has been distributed to four residents, with each receiving 100ml. I eagerly anticipate their feedback. Bucket was filled today. To guarantee the availability of bucket one for next Friday, all the mulch must be cleared out and applied to the gardens beforehand. Presently, four residents along with the clubhouse kitchen contribute vegetable peels, fruit scraps, and tea leaves to our composting efforts.
Day 31: Monday 24th June 2024
The gardeners took Bucket 1 of mulch for use around the clubhouse gardens. Additionally, they received 450ml of bokashi tea. The bokashi tea from Bucket 1 exhibits a pronounced beetroot odour and appearance.
Day 35: Friday 28th June 2024
Six residents contributed approximately 20.5 liters of kitchen waste, in addition to the clubhouse kitchen's offerings. Both the kitchen staff and the residents have been instructed to chop the waste into the smallest pieces possible to aid the mulching process. Hard cabbage cores will break down more easily if cut into smaller sections. Avocado pits and corn cobs should be excluded from the kitchen waste, while citrus peels should be diced into finer pieces.
Day 35: Tuesday 2nd July 2024
The gardeners took the second bucket of mulch for use in the clubhouse gardens. Additionally, they received 450ml of bokashi tea. The bokashi tea from bucket two emits a distinctive potato odour. At this point we are using approximately 480ml of bran per bucket.
Day 42: Friday 5th July 2024
The cold weather and rain led to reduced support from residents for our program today, resulting in bucket 2 not being filled. A total of 16 liters of kitchen waste was collected.
Day 45: Monday 8th July 2024
Bucket 3 of mulch was taken for use by the gardeners around the clubhouse. 1,1l of bokashi tea was also handed over for their use. Bucket 3's bokashi tea has a strong onion smell. The photo of the bucket illustrates the decrease in mulch level over the past two weeks, while the container was sealed.
8 June 8 July
The bonsai has exhibited growth between June 8th and July 8th. It was watered with bokashi tea five times over the past 30 days.
Day 49: Friday 12th July 2024
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