Hmmm, yes that's a lovely thought Laurie.lol
And yes I am a musician, though I don't play very much. I play my flute just in church now and the people I play with there are busy building a house right now and don't have time to play.
Where is Burwash Weald?
Bokashi Part 2
South East England - Kipling Country.
You don't want to play a few solo concerts at church while you have the stage to yourself? I'll bet the congregation wishes you would.
Hi Laurie,
As GM posted, you would be best off making FPE in an airtight container. You could easily use a bokashi bucket to do this since it has both the strainer and the airtight lid already built in. The APNAN manual has directions for this. There is a link to it on the EM America site as well.
Basically, you make Activated EM1 (1 part EM1, 1 part molasses, 20 parts water) and cover the weeds in the bucket with the liquid. It is best to fill the container and not leave any air space at the top of the container. Let it ferment with the lid closed for 2-4 weeks.
The liquid will be a great foliar spray for all your plants (dilute at 1 tsp per gallon of water (1ml/1000ml)). The fermented weeds can then be buried in the ground and covered up with 6-8 inches of soil. They will break down pretty fast.
Thank you Eric - I did think of using a domestic bokashi bucket - but we do generate a lot of weed - our cultivated garden is more than 1.5 acres, bounded on 3 sides by our fields - so we have a lot of weeding - plus 1/2 acre of that area is being newly cultivated. So I do need a fairly large bucked. We have some old army water butts that have a large tight inset 'stopper' piece and then a screw on lid over that which I think would render it as air tight as the 'tupperware' style lids.
I am thinking of this as a means of disposing of the plants, (and rendering them to compost) not so much making more liquid feed. I have my domestic bins for that. We never, ever, have enough compost!! So the more I can make, the happier I am.
Hi Laurie,
Another idea is to dry out the weeds and make bokashi out of them. This way you won't have liquid.
Oooh! A new Bokashi technique! Dry pickled weeds!
Would the dry weeds be used in lieu of bran or coffee grounds or would we be layering innoculated bran/grounds with the dry weeds?
Please do tell!
Yes!!! You can use any carbon source as the media for making bokashi. The dried weeds...leaves or sawdust work too... would replace the bran in the recipe.
Eric
Eric, I note that you live in Arizona. Dry. Sun. Heat.
This is England - wet, wet, and more wet. We had more than 3" of snow a couple of weeks ago. Drying weeds is a dream we have - I wouldn't be considering bokashing them if we had a period called DRY - I'd spread them out on the lovely warm apron infront of my tool shed and leave them to cook - unfortunately they thrive there, not because of the soil, but because it is WET. No, drying is not an option. But I do appreciate the thought. Oh, to be that dry - but then I would have to think about watering - never a problem here - we never water. Our water butts rarely run dry.
I see liquid weed juice in your future Laurie. :D
Weed juice, mud, slush - we can do that. In fact, if you stand too long in one place we can do sinking.
Hi Laurie,
I think the FPE may be the best bet then. The liquid will definitely help the soil or could be used to accelerate a compost pile.
Laurie, I did try to play a service by myself once, only because the priest begged me to. Nobody else could do the music that day. I tried to explain that the congregation would not follow a flute on the hymns. Oh well, now he knows.:)
I had to laugh at your answer to Eric idea about using dry weeds. People who live in dry climates sometimes have a hard time comprehending the English climate. Never been to England, but I lived in Germany for 6 years.BTW I didn't know England had a zone 9.
My attempt at bokashi hasn't gone too well so far. Partly because I tried to cut corners and not buy the ph paper. I started with dead leaves and extended EM1. I eventually added sawdust because the leaves didn't seem to be breaking down and there was really a lot of EM that the leaves weren't using. I did finally order the ph paper and some bokashi. I'll try to do it right this time. The moral of this story is - buy the ph paper to start with. I guess I'll just use this batch for mulch or maybe just put it in the compost pile. I look forward to making bokashi the right way.
When I do get my order, I'll have plenty of dry weeds etc. to use.
Okay - FPE it is. May I fill the barrel with weeds first, and then add the liquid? But at a dilution of tsp per gallon, I do think I will have to take this liquid over to the local football pitch (that's soccer to you lot across the pond) and 'help' them out a bit with some lechate FPE spraying. I think a ninja outfit for spraying at night might be the answer.
I will download the manual, and give it a go. We have a long holiday weekend this week, so I have a bit extra time to work on this. Many thanks for input, I do appreciate it.
You all are too funny!
I am originally from Cape Cod Mass! Even though we got more precipitation than Seattle, we did have some sunny days. I have not been to England though, so I can only imagine how wet it really is.
Laurie, you'll want to cover the weeds with liquid. Get an idea of how many liters and then use a ratio of 1:1:20 (EM1, molasses, water) to figure out how much EM1 and how much molasses you'll need to make this work. A 208L (55 gal) drum will need 2.5 gallons (10 liters) EM1 and 2.5 gallons molasses. Follow the activation instructions here: http://www.emamerica.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=126&Itemid=208
Eric
Eric:
Regarding use of the fermented plant residual (and I will have A LOT!!!):
I'm assuming this can be spread out in an unplanted area that will be sheet composted, but curious as to how long I would need to wait prior to planting into it? I'm thinking of doing this over the next few months, with the intent of having an area ready by Fall. Comments?
I have some questions about something I just read on the EM website. It said to use fertilizer with EM, but I thought Eric said he didn't have to use anything else. Also it said to use kelp with EM in cool weather and use it with fish emulsion in fall and spring. Well here fall and winter are the cool weather times. So does that mean I can either one? And what do I use in the summer? I've been using liquid seaweed for a long time. I don't remember the difference between seaweed, kelp and fish emulsion. And can I mix the fertilizer, whatever it may be, with the EM?
Sorry for firing so many questions at the same time.
I think the EM is a fcilitaor. It makes the microorganisms that allow the plant to utilize the fertilizer. It does not replace fertilizer. I missed the seasonal stuff. Here I use fish and/or seaweed when ever I can get them. Same for manure.
katiebear
Soils can develop an excess (or build up) of fertilizers, even organic ones, when there is not enough microbial activity to make the nutrients available to the plants. You may be able to reduce the amount of your NPK type fertilizers after regular EM and Bokashi usage because the nutrients in the soil will actually be available to your plants.
I have just completed my first week of "bokashing".LOL And I extracted some tea also. WOW. This really works well. I diluted the tea with lots of water and put it in my fish tank. No more smell.!! I just started my second bucket with scraps. I love this. Can hardly wait to put bucket no1 into my garden. :-)
Soils improve over time. It is awesome when you really watch the changes! Keep it up.
I am off for a brief trip. I should be able to get back online this weekend.
Eric
Eric, when are you going to be in Tempe? Or, have you already been there.
Edited to remove my request for where to buy EM1. I did not realize I should not be asking that question.
This message was edited May 7, 2008 7:05 AM
Does my Bokashi-amended compost bin need to be tossed? I've got three compost bins: only one has received five buckets of fermented food scraps over the last four months, layered with chopped oak leaves and a small amount of alfalfa meal. My other two bins consist simply of leaves and alfalfa meal. Today I went out to water and toss all the bins' contents, and I found the Bokashi-bin to be crawling (lol) with earthworms and already full of rather heavy, moist, dark brown compost. The other two bins were much less decomposed. My question is: should I just leave the worms to do their business and not bother with tossing a Bokashi-compost bin? The worms looked rather disturbed by my intrusion? Maybe Bokashi-compost doesn't need aerating and watering?
Also, despite being so well-rotted, the Bokashi-bin compost was cool to the touch. Should I also just quit adding the greens/nitrogen or anymore alfalfa meal so as to avoid heating up the pile and "cooking" my lovely worms?
Thanks in advance. I am so proud of my worms I have to resist taking shovels-full of them around the neighborhood to show off!
Sounds like the bokashi bin is doing fine as is. I'd let well enough alone.
You could take a picture of your worms and post it here. We would all "ooohhh" and "aaahhh."
kb
I'm hoping Eric comes back soon. I started my bokashi bucket about a week ago too. I haven't looked for "juice" yet. But I need to know if I can mix the kelp or whatever I use with the "juice". Probably so, but just the same, I'm asking to be sure.
Also, somewhere I read that somebody bought an attachment for their sprayer that's really designed to be used with some kind of sprayable cement or adobe stuff or something. It sprays a more coarse mist and that is supposed to be less stressful to the microbes because they don't have to be squeezed through those tiny holes. Did anybody else read this? I wish I could remember where I read that.
Hi Miss CapeCod...(I will be there in June. My mother broker her hip and I will be heading up there to take her home, etc.)...
Your materials are doing great. Bokashi doesn't heat up as much as compost because it is preserving the nitrogen (converting it to amino acids), not "burning" it off in the form of ammonia and N2. Adding enough greens to cause heat will chase away the worms. Let the worms do their work as castings is a much more desirable end product than compost.
Silver....
I too read that post. It confused me. The microbes survive pretty well as around 10psi and as much (that I know of) as 15psi. The average microbe is greater than 3 microns. The average fogging unit sprays out at 60 microbes. So, unless this unit is spraying out a mist that is finer than 3 microns and is pushing out 30psi or higher, I wouldn't worry. I can tell you that no unit you buy at a hardware store and run through a regular garden hose will come close to those restrictions.
You can mix your kelp in too, but is may be over-kill as the juice is pretty potent.
Keep in mind that you don't always produce lots of juice. It depends on your diet and what actually ends up in the buckets.
Yes, I thought about that as I was adding stuff to the bucket because a lot of the space in my bucket is corn cobs and shucks. Didn't think about til a couple of days later, but I guess it'll take the corn cobs a long time to compost. On top of the corn stuff is scraps from dinner that day and then weeds from the yard. I have some frozen veges that have freezer burn. I could add those still. There's room now I think.
I forgot to mention that I tried something a little different. I couldn't find a rigid support for a filter or screen or anything, so I a 13 gallon trash bag, poked holes in the bottom with a fork and put that in a 5 gallon bucket and started adding stuff. I just opened it and there's lots of white fuzzy moldy stuff, but not green. Do I need to add molasses? I started with a layer of bokashi and then veges and bokashi, etc.
Instead of adding kelp with the juice, maybe I should spray it separately?
White is what you want. No need to add anything.
Good idea about the bag. It will also help to exclude air.
katiebear
Note for anyone using the search feature on EM America's website:
Enter in the keyword and click your enter key on your keyboard.
I have a bucket of bokashi that's been sitting around for two weeks now and I have been craining off a lot of tea. Not much white mold in it though :-( Does the stuff in the bucket have to be covered in white or not? No green or black mold, thank the gods. :-) Any idea? should I keep it fermenting or could I put it in the ground as is?
thanx for ur help. ~~~~~~~~~~~
WooHoo got my EM1 in Phoenix today. So is this correct? I can put the proper amount of EM1 straight from the bottle with the proper amount of water and start spraying. Or, I can activate the EM1 first then put it with the proper amount of water thus making the bottle of EM1 go farther.
you got it.
kb
Hi Muggles,
The white mold does not always appear and the amount of liquid varies upon the type of food wastes that go into the bucket.
If you have been fermenting the stuff for a minimum of two weeks, you can bury it in the ground and move on to a new round of filling and fermenting.
Sounds like you did a great job!
Eric
Hi Eric,
thanks for your encouraging words. :-) I am now fermenting bucket no 2 and I buried no 1 yesterday in my garden out front. So now I am stocking up stuff in bucket no 1 which is actually my no 3 LOL. This is so much fun. I also ordered three (2lbs each) boxes of bokashi meal so I can keep on going. If I dilute the tea could I put it in a spray bottle and spray my plants outside, like bushes and peranuals?
Thanks again all,
eve~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hi Muggles,
Yes, you can use the "tea" or "juice" ,as we call it, on all plants. You dilute it out 1 teaspoon per gallon. This is 1000:1 dilution. Things like grass and soils can take stronger doses, but the teaspoon per gallon is a great rule of thumb.
Keep up the good work....Also, EM1 is available at Whole Foods in your area so you can grab some and start making your own bokashi at home. I think the first forum on Bokashi has the recipe.
I am off for a week to LA on business!
Keep fermenting!!!
Eric
When I started my bokashi bucket the first thing I put in after the bokashi was corn cobs and shucks. After that I filled it with freshly pulled weeds, and some kitchen scraps. It's been more than 2 weeks and it looks and smells right, but I haven't gotten much juice. The bottom of the bucket is barely wet. I'm wondering if it's because the shucks and cobs have soaked up the juice. Should I keep adding weeds and bokashi and wait for juice? Or should I bury this near my plants and start another bokashi bucket? And if I bury the cobs and shucks how far do they need to be from plants? Or maybe just take out the cobs and shucks and add more weeds to make some juice?
I'm just guessing here, silver, but I suspect that shucks and corncobs carry very little available liquid in them (most would have been in the delicious kernals!). I think I would first, chop up the cobs to help release any residual water, and then add in wetter kitchen waste (melon rinds, tomato trimmings, celery trimmings, teabags, coffee grounds, and definately any old cucumber you find lurking in the frig). The way I think about it is, if it goes slimey in the frig - it will make more liquid. And then press it all down tight to squeeze out the juice!
Let's check with GM and Eric first, but I am also wondering if tossing in the dregs of the teapot/coffee pot (that last half cup that on one wants) is acceptible.
And don't forget to add in that vase of flowers that is definately past its best display - those stems can carry a lot of liquid!
I add all those kind of things. It's just like making compost, except with this you CAN add the meat, and dairy. I always add a bit of water to rinse out my scraps tub and add that too, so I get good juice from the bucket. LOL And the stuff is righteous!!! Excellent, I'm so pleased with the results.
OK, here's another question sparked by the interesting discussion above of "drier" Bokashi--resulting in less "juice"-- versus a wet mixture that produces lots of juice. I have had experience with both types--pails that produce 1/2 cup of juice per day when I drain them from the little spigot, and pails that only produce 1 TBS a day. In the latter case, the juice looks darker, leading me to wonder if this is more concentrated with microbes than the former. And in this case, should the 1 tsp. per gallon standard dilution be changed to 1/2 teaspoon per gallon, so as not to burn the plants' roots? Or does it matter?
oops, definately gone beyond anything I'm willing to guess on. We need one of the experts!
Doccat - I thought dairy wasn't included in the bokashi mix - I must have that wrong.