COMPOSTING
How to convert your food waste into compost.
During this period, you will notice the growth of white moss or fungi on top of the food waste and potentially on the sides of the bucket. This indicates that the microorganisms are breaking down the waste, creating beneficial microbes that enrich the soil. You’ll know that fermentation is complete when you hear a sloshing sound at the bottom of the bucket when shaken.
At this point, tap the liquid into another bucket and dilute it with water at a ratio of 1:300 before adding it to your garden. The resulting bokashi tea is highly concentrated and will provide a potent boost to your soil’s nutrients. However, if you plan to use it as a foliage spray, dilute it even further using a mix-nozzle. Remember, too much bokashi tea can damage your plants, so use it sparingly and enjoy the benefits of this sustainable composting method.
When your bokashi bucket or digester is full of food waste and layered bokashi, it’s time to turn it into nutrient-rich compost for your garden. To complete the fermentation process, leave the bucket for two weeks in a shaded area away from direct sunlight. Make sure the bucket is sealed tightly with the tap closed to prevent oxygen from getting in, which can cause the waste to turn sour instead of fermenting.
You can use several methods to process your food waste, depending on factors like:
- how much space you have
- how established your garden is
- how much you are willing to invest
Composting Methods
These are 6 different ways to easily get started with composting:
- NEAT AND TIDY IN YOUR GARDEN
- EASY TO TURN THE COMPOST
- GET FRESH COMPOST EVERY MONTH
- SIMPLE TO PROCESS BOKASHI-TREATED FOOD WASTE
Using a Compost Box for Composting
A compost box is an easy and affordable way to turn garden waste and food scraps into nutrient-rich compost. A simple wooden pallet box works well to contain your compost and keep the process organized.
What to Add to Your Compost Box:
- Grass clippings
- Raked leaves
- Plant trimmings
- Twigs and branches (best shredded for faster breakdown)
Adding Food Scraps
To compost food waste, dig a hole in the pile and bury the scraps. If using Bokashi-treated food waste, the composting process speeds up, with finished compost ready in as little as 7–10 weeks.
Maintaining Your Compost
- Turn the pile once a month to speed up decomposition.
- Keep moisture at about 60%—damp enough that a squeezed handful almost drips.
- Shred tough items like chicken bones or corn cobs if they don’t break down completely.
Composting returns valuable nutrients to your garden and reduces the need for store-bought fertilizers. A shredder or mulcher can also help reduce waste volume and speed up composting.
This compost box is made of non-toxic treated wood.
Each board has a slot cut in it to build up to the board below.
When you turn the compost box, the top boards become the bottom as you turn it and is a really neat way to manage the composting system.
- NEAT AND TIDY IN YOUR GARDEN
- SCOOP OUT READY COMPOST FROM THE BOTTOM
- GET FRESH COMPOST WHEN YOU NEED IT
- SIMPLE TO PROCESS BOKASHI-TREATED FOOD WASTE
Composting with a Bin for Small Gardens
If you have limited space or want to keep pets out of your compost, a compost bin is a great option.
How to Use a Compost Bin
- Start with a layer of soil at the bottom.
- Add garden waste like grass clippings, raked leaves, and shredded twigs.
- Layer in bokashi-fermented food waste.
- Cover with more soil and continue adding garden waste as needed.
Over time, the waste will break down into nutrient-rich compost, which you can scoop out from the bottom and use in your garden.
Black Soldier Fly Larvae – Nature’s Fastest Decomposers
Compost bins often attract black soldier fly larvae, which can break down a full bucket of food waste in just a few days. They are harmless to humans, don’t spread disease, and provide an excellent natural composting boost. If you keep chickens, dried larvae also make a great protein-rich feed. Once the larvae finish their work, scoop out the moist compost from the bottom and mix it into your garden soil. This adds valuable nutrients and improves soil health. If there’s a slight natural odor, don’t worry—just mix it in, and it will settle.
- ADD NUTRIENTS TO SOIL BEFORE PLANTING
- FEED EARTHWORMS NATURALLY
- IMPROVE WATER-HOLDING CAPACITY OF SOIL
Composting with the Trench Method
If you have space in your garden and want to improve soil health, trench composting is a simple and effective method.
How to Trench Compost
- Dig a trench about a spade deep and a meter long.
- Bury your bokashi-treated food waste and cover it completely with soil.
- Within 7 to 10 weeks, the food waste will break down, enriching the soil.
In warmer months, decomposition happens faster. After just 2 weeks, you can plant directly over the buried waste. If you need to use the soil elsewhere, mix in the partially decomposed waste after about 5 weeks to speed up the process.
Tips for Best Results
- If you have dogs, cover the area with chicken wire for a few weeks to prevent digging.
- Digging small trenches between existing plants allows you to compost without disturbing your garden.
- Burying food waste about 15 cm deep attracts earthworms, which further improve soil quality.
This method creates rich, healthy soil while naturally recycling nutrients back into your garden.
Composting with a Compost Tumbler
A compost tumbler is one of the fastest and easiest ways to turn food waste into compost. It keeps the process contained, making it a great option for small spaces or if you have pets that like to dig in compost.
How to Use a Compost Tumbler
- Mix 1 part bokashi-treated food waste with 4 parts shredded garden waste (leaves, grass clippings, twigs).
- Place the mixture in the tumbler.
- Turn the handle regularly for 2 weeks to aerate and speed up decomposition.
- Empty the tumbler and leave the compost outside for another 2 weeks to finish breaking down.
- Strain through a sieve for finer compost and use it in your garden.
This method produces ready-to-use compost in just 4 weeks, making it a fast and efficient composting solution.
WORM FARM
- SMALLEST AMOUNT OF SPACE NEEDED
- FUN TO WATCH THE WORMS EAT
- BENEFITS OF THE WORM WEE AND CASTINGS
Composting with a Worm Farm
A worm farm is a great way to break down food waste while producing nutrient-rich compost. If using bokashi-treated food waste, follow these steps to help worms adjust to the higher acidity.
How to Feed Worms Bokashi Food Waste
- Ferment food waste for 2 weeks before adding it to the worm farm.
- Start small—gradually introduce bokashi waste by adding small spoonfuls in one corner of the worm bin.
- Allow 4 to 6 weeks for the worms to adjust to the new pH level.
- Worms will eat all bokashi waste, including meat, citrus, and cooked food.
Encouraging Worms in Your Garden
While worm bins work well, having worms directly in your garden is even better. Worms improve soil health by:
- Recycling organic waste into nutrient-rich compost.
- Aerating and fertilizing the soil.
- Breaking down waste into plant-available nutrients while suppressing harmful bacteria.
For a natural worm-friendly composting method, bury bokashi-treated food waste in the soil. This will attract earthworms, speeding up decomposition and enriching the soil.
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- FOR LARGE GARDENS WITH LOTS OF GARDEN WASTE
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- EASY TO MANAGE THE COMPOSTING PROCESS
- IDEAL FOR UP TO 2 TONNES OF FOOD WASTE IN SMALL COMMERCIAL KITCHENS
Composting with Mini Windrows
Mini windrows are an efficient way to compost large amounts of garden and food waste. This method involves setting up 8 open piles (or bins) and turning them weekly to speed up decomposition.
Step 1: Collecting Garden Waste
- Green waste: Leaves, grass, and old plants should be watered immediately to start the composting process.
- Branches & twigs: Collect separately and shred when enough has accumulated.
Step 2: Setting Up the Compost Heaps
- Create 8 windrows (small compost piles) to process waste in stages.
- Each pile should contain green waste and bokashi-treated food waste.
- Turn the piles weekly, either by moving them forward to the next bin or aerating them in place with a fork.
Step 3: The 8-Week Composting Cycle
- Week 1: Add fresh green waste and food waste to the first bin. If adding food waste multiple times in the week, layer it properly.
- Week 2: Move pile 1 to bin 2 and start a new pile in bin 1.
- Continue this process, moving each pile weekly.
- By week 8, the compost is fully matured and ready to use.
Alternatively, you can leave the piles in place and simply turn them weekly.
Maintaining the Compost Piles
- Moisture: Keep bins 1-6 at 60% moisture. Bins 7 & 8 should dry out before use.
- Aeration: Oxygen is essential; turning the pile speeds up decomposition.
- Sunlight: A sunny spot helps heat the pile, killing weeds and pathogens.
- Carbon & Nitrogen Balance: Brown garden waste provides carbon, and food waste provides nitrogen. Bokashi microbes enhance decomposition.
Final Steps
- Sieving: Screen the compost for a finer texture. Large pieces (bones, avocado pits, corn cobs) can be shredded and re-added to the first bin.
- Avoid covering: Do not use tarps, as they create ideal conditions for rats. Instead, cover food waste with garden waste to prevent flies.
This structured approach ensures a steady supply of compost while keeping the process clean and efficient!
Environmental Stewardship
Food waste is one of the largest contributing factors to global warming. Are you disposing of your food waste in a responsible, eco-friendly manner?
Reduce Food Waste
By separating food waste, it brings the focus on where unnecessary wastage is occurring. This translates into cost saving.
Zero Food Waste To Landfill
Reduces your landfill waste by up to 40%
Reduce Waste Collection Costs
Food waste only needs to be collected once a month if it is treated with authentic Bokashi Bran® and the lid is kept sealed.