People have been burying their organic waste for centuries, and for good reason, it is an extremely effective form of composting. When waste breaks down under the soil all of the nutrients and carbon are returned to the soil and no greenhouse gasses are released.
There can be some challenges with this form of composting, however using the bokashi composting system overcomes many of these issues. Here is a brief look at some of the many benefits of in-ground composing with the bokashi method.
1. Contains odours
You probably don’t want to dig a hole and bury waste every day; waste collected in an open container will immediately start to rot and become smelly, unsightly and attract fruit flies and other insects. The bokashi bucket has an airtight lid so there are no smells and it won’t attract any insects. Adding the bokashi microbe mix to the waste ensures that it ferments rather than rots. Waste can be collected in this way for weeks and is available to bury at a time that’s convenient for you. Once buried in the garden the smell of fermented waste is not as attractive to rodents and dogs as fresh waste would be, meaning it will stay in the ground.
2. Quick & Easy
Some forms of composing require long and complicated processes, involving the right mix of brown and green waste, aerating and moisture. Inground composting with bokashi on the other hand is very simple - waste is added to the bokashi bucket, bokashi mix is sprinkled on top and then once fermented the contents of the bucket are buried in the garden. From the moment the bokashi waste is buried the soil and plants are reaping the many benefits of the abundant nutrients and microbes that are produced, whereas with above ground composting it can take many months until the compost is ready to add to the garden.
3. Improves the soil
Unless your soil is extremely healthy, full of microbes and earth worms, waste buried on it’s own may take many months to break down, especially if the soil is clay-based. When bokashi waste is buried, along with the carbon and nutrients produced by the fermentation process you are also adding Bokashi mix which is full of millions of beneficial micro-organisms. These microbes significantly accelerate the breakdown of the waste. This method improves soil structure, increasing the soils ability to retain water and vital nutrients, stabilises pH levels, surpresses plant disease, promotes earthworms and can even help break up clay-based soils.
4. Handles larger quantities
Inground composting requires empty space in your garden so holes or trenches can be dug to bury the waste. This can be challenging with inner city homes or even large gardens that are very full. By fermenting your waste with Bokashi before burying it the volume of the waste is significantly reduced. As waste ferments in the bokashi bucket, the water content of the waste drains through a grate into a catchment at the bottom of the bucket and the waste can be compacted down. This process can reduce the volume of the waste by more than 50%.
5. Saves money
Using bokashi in your garden reduces the need to purchase fertiliser and pesticides, significantly reducing your gardening expenses.
Inground composting with bokashi provides a fantastic way to deal with your organic waste (both food scraps and pet waste) and anyone can do it. For more information about composting, talk to the experts at Bokashi Composting Australia.