Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Fig. 7.8:
Simply dig a hole, add the pre-compost, and cover.
Applying the bokashi pre-compost in individual holes allows you to put the fertilizer directly
where it is needed. And unlike traditional soil amendments that are applied dry, the bokashi pre-
compost is incorporated wet, so you won't be stealing water from the nearby soil. In addition you
will be adding to the long-term water-holding capacity of the soil as the scraps are converted to hu-
mus.
Ifyoudon'thaveaccesstoanylandthatyoucantrenchordigholesin,youcanstillusebokashi
to turn your food scraps into a usable soil amendment. The answer is to turn the bokashi pre-com-
post into a soil product that can be used for container gardening or stored for later use. Home com-
posters that live in an area where the ground freezes could also apply this strategy in the winter
months and incorporate the finished bokashi soil into their garden when the ground thaws, or use it
in their seed-starting mix.
Making bokashi soil is very simple and only involves a few steps. You will need a bucket or
similar container that has drainage holes in the bottom, some garden soil or potting soil, and your
bokashi pre-compost. It is important to drain away any of the bokashi tea that has accumulated in
the bottom of your bucket because, at this stage, excess moisture could cause the bokashi soil mix
to go putrid, thereby ruining the process. Don't worry too much because it takes a lot of excess li-
quid to screw things up. By removing the excess liquid, we are erring on the cautious side because
the scraps themselves will still be very high in moisture at this stage.
First, fill the empty bucket one-third deep using the soil you have collected. Next, add the
bokashipre-composttothebucketuntilitisabouttwo-thirdsfullandmixthoroughly.Thenaddthe
remainder of the soil so the bucket is completely full. Press the soil down firmly; you don't have to
compact it, just apply enough pressure to remove any large air gaps from the mixture. Then cover
