Question
I am using my first Bokashi One bucket, which I bought very recently from your website. I have been adding kitchen scraps – mainly veggie and fruit and bread scraps, and hardly any meat or fish at all. It is now about three-quarters full, and I’ve just got the first batch of juice from it. The juice was very pungent – verging on unpleasant. Is that normal? I have been keeping the bucket in the kitchen, but each time I take the lid off to add more food scraps it gives off quite a strong smell that is not very pleasant in the kitchen. It’s not rancid, just a strong decomposing food smell. Is that normal? I live alone, so I don’t generate a lot of food waste. Given that, does it matter how long it takes to fill the bucket before I pass on the contents to my friend to use in her large compost bin? I don’t have space to bury it in my three courtyards. I am using the juice in my little courtyard and pot plants to help them thrive in small spaces. Is it okay to keep the bin in the garden instead of in the kitchen?
Answer
Pungent smells are not a good sign. What does the waste look like inside the bucket? Is there any mould? If so, what colour is the mould? If you have white mould growing in your Bokashi One bucket, this is actually a fungi and is a good sign. More of this white fungi is produced when conditions are warm. White fungi is a sign that the waste is fermenting rather than putrefying, which is what is supposed to happen in the Bokashi One composting system.
If you see green/blue/black/grey mould, this is actually a sign of putrefaction, which is not what should be happening. As long as you are keeping the lid on tight, the drain is correctly in place so the food and liquid separates and you are sprinkling Bokashi One Mix on top, then you are doing everything correct.
If your waste is putrefying rather than fermenting, then the problem will most likely be with your Bokashi One Mix. Let us know if that is the case and we will replace it for you. Bokashi One Mix is full of beneficial microorganisms. The mix inside the bags has been dried, which makes the microbes dormant. Once they are exposed to air, heat or moisture, they will activate again.
If a bag of mix has been incorrectly stored or exposed to extreme temperatures, it is possible for these microbes to be destroyed, meaning the mix would be ineffective. This is not a common occurrence, but it could occur if, say, the mix was left in a hot courier van over the weekend on route to its destination.
Strong smells can also be due to high temperatures, which is something that is obviously quite hard to control in very hot weather. But there are a few things you can do to minimise the smell. Drain your Bokashi juice more often – twice weekly should suffice. But remember that more juice will be produced in warm weather, so if there is juice present in your Bokashi One bucket, try to drain it every day.
Food waste should be added to the bin immediately, but if that is not possible, some people collect their waste in another container and then add it weekly. If food waste sits on a bench exposed to the open air, it will starts to decompose immediately. This increases its number of bad microbes, meaning the good microbes in the Bokashi One Mix have to fight harder when added to the bucket to rebalance the bad microbes. If you are unable to add food waste as soon as it is produced, then it is recommended that you put it in the fridge, rather than leave it on the bench, until it can be added to your Bokashi One bucket.
When the Bokashi One is functioning as it should, the juice it produces will smell fruity, or like vinegar, and will have white fungal threads floating on it or have a thin white skin coating. Foul smelling juice should not be used to fertilise plants; it’s best to just dispose of such juice by pouring it down a drain.
And to answer your question about keeping your Bokashi One bucket outside, this shouldn’t be a problem, so long as you ensure that it is kept in the shade and away from direct sunlight. It does not matter how long you store your waste in the bucket – it’s actually a case of the longer the better. However, if the waste is producing an unpleasant smell, it is recommended that you fully empty the bucket within a couple of months. When you do so, be sure to clean the bucket out well. And if you can leave the bucket out in the sun, for a day, this will help to get rid of any remaining odour.
Do you have concerns about the odour your Bokashi One bucket is producing? Share your comments below. If you’re interested in composting your food or pet waste and have questions about how to get started, then leave those questions below and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
