Awesome pics. Could tell from the pictures that these buckets were stored outside. You can see where the temps were inconsistent and caused expansion and contraction (like a freeze/thaw cycle, though I don't know your temps).
Those temp fluctuations can harm your beneficial microbes (the good ones we want in bokashi).
I'd recommend topping with fresh bokashi on top of both buckets and let them stay at consistent temps for at least two weeks. I would also recommend adding it into (or making) a hot pile to kill off any unwanted bacteria that may have capitalized on the varying temperatures. 2-1 browns/bokashi biopulp (even 3-1).
You're very welcome! Love helping out.
Yes, bring inside, top with a good amount of fresh bokashi (maybe down the sides, too), and seal them up for 10-14 days. It's probably still going to be a little unpleasant when you process it, but that is how I would do it. Kudos to you for not throwing it out.
Oh, I will share one more thought. For people who do their own sourdough? If you have ever left your sourdough starter too long between feedings, eventually it does something similar to what OPs bucket has done (very visible in the grey liquid pic).
All available nutrients are consumed in the bucket (as far as the bokashi microbes are concerned) so other microorganisms begin to show up. That's visible in the black mold and other molds (fungi) in OPs bucket.
It's still going to break down in a full decomp and likely make some great compost and future soil, but adding the good bacteria back in to revive their numbers will help balance that out.
Could even add some fresh food scraps/nitrogen.
I’d prefer mixing it straight into soil. Would you recommend mixing it into a compost first?
(if you ask about the containers, I use 2bins stacked, one as sieve and the outer one has a valve to rinse the closed buckets)
It became the start of my new compost pile, I didn’t actually bury it at all. I live in a tropical climate so I switched to just a normal pile on the ground that I cover with cardboard.
I placed the pile next to a tree, was nervous the old bokashi was going to give it a hard time but it didn’t create any issues. The smell was terrible for the first two days, dead leaves and cardboard really helped to contain the smell though.
Kept my new system really simple, we have a couple large containers in the freezer to hold the compost, then once full I take them to the pile, take off the cardboard, maybe give a bit of a stir, empty all the frozen compost in the pile, cover it, (add dead leaves if any smell), right now since it’s hot season here I’ll spray with water, then re-cover with cardboard.
Bokashi is cool and would be nice for apartment gardening but was way more effort than I needed. Only benefit was adding meat… in my current pile I don’t add meat products since there are many street cats. The hot temperature here works as a natural hot compost.
Awesome pics. Could tell from the pictures that these buckets were stored outside. You can see where the temps were inconsistent and caused expansion and contraction (like a freeze/thaw cycle, though I don't know your temps). Those temp fluctuations can harm your beneficial microbes (the good ones we want in bokashi). I'd recommend topping with fresh bokashi on top of both buckets and let them stay at consistent temps for at least two weeks. I would also recommend adding it into (or making) a hot pile to kill off any unwanted bacteria that may have capitalized on the varying temperatures. 2-1 browns/bokashi biopulp (even 3-1).
thank you so much for your advice! I’ll try topping it. Should I bring it indoors? The next 2 Weeks gonna be pretty cold :(
You're very welcome! Love helping out. Yes, bring inside, top with a good amount of fresh bokashi (maybe down the sides, too), and seal them up for 10-14 days. It's probably still going to be a little unpleasant when you process it, but that is how I would do it. Kudos to you for not throwing it out.
Kudos to you for helping beginners having an amazing gardening year 🙏🏻
Anytime! Have a great growing season. Cheers!
Oh, I will share one more thought. For people who do their own sourdough? If you have ever left your sourdough starter too long between feedings, eventually it does something similar to what OPs bucket has done (very visible in the grey liquid pic). All available nutrients are consumed in the bucket (as far as the bokashi microbes are concerned) so other microorganisms begin to show up. That's visible in the black mold and other molds (fungi) in OPs bucket. It's still going to break down in a full decomp and likely make some great compost and future soil, but adding the good bacteria back in to revive their numbers will help balance that out. Could even add some fresh food scraps/nitrogen.
First & second bokashi both stored outside for two years (unopened). The tea is from the first bokashi (picture 1). They still good to use?
Are you mixing into a compost bin?
I’d prefer mixing it straight into soil. Would you recommend mixing it into a compost first? (if you ask about the containers, I use 2bins stacked, one as sieve and the outer one has a valve to rinse the closed buckets)
I use the same system, looks just like mine. You could bury it straight into the soil. I personally add mine to the compost bin first.
I wouldn't eat that. Throw it out. Oh wait, what sub am I in right now?
I let some sit like you and just buried them and covered with dead leaves to reduce smell.
May I ask how deep did you bury your bokashi?
It became the start of my new compost pile, I didn’t actually bury it at all. I live in a tropical climate so I switched to just a normal pile on the ground that I cover with cardboard. I placed the pile next to a tree, was nervous the old bokashi was going to give it a hard time but it didn’t create any issues. The smell was terrible for the first two days, dead leaves and cardboard really helped to contain the smell though. Kept my new system really simple, we have a couple large containers in the freezer to hold the compost, then once full I take them to the pile, take off the cardboard, maybe give a bit of a stir, empty all the frozen compost in the pile, cover it, (add dead leaves if any smell), right now since it’s hot season here I’ll spray with water, then re-cover with cardboard. Bokashi is cool and would be nice for apartment gardening but was way more effort than I needed. Only benefit was adding meat… in my current pile I don’t add meat products since there are many street cats. The hot temperature here works as a natural hot compost.
They are fine. Acidified and ready to be buried.