I’ve heard people raving about bokashi for some time and after reading Intemperate Edibles post and seeing how cheap and easy it could be, I decided to give it a red-hot go.

Here’s my incredibly cheap setup:

Supplies all came from my local hardware store for two bokashi bins (so I can use one while the other ferments).
Bucket with airtight lid x 2 = $20
Taps x 2 = $2
Irrigation fittings x 2 = $4 (screwed onto the inside of the tap to hold tightly against the bucket wall)
Clear pot drip trays x 4 = $4 (for inside to create a water well around the tap in the bottom)
A bit of silicon around the tap = $1?

* Drill holes in buckets
* Screw in taps & irrigation fittings to hold the tap tight
* Drill some holes in a couple of drip trays and place upside down in the bottom of the bucket (creating a well for the liquid to collect)

Total for 2 buckets – $30
Buying 2 authentic bokashi buckets – $170 (from bokashi.com.au)

Basically, you just throw your food scraps in, adding a bit of bokashi mix each time. When its full, let it stew for a couple of weeks, then throw it in a trench, cover with soil and within a couple of months all that will remain is rich, black, worm-filled soil. For instructions on how to make bokashi mix, see Flo’s instructions or you can buy it from bokashi.com.au.

I’ve started adding to my new bin already, so I’ll post some photos and dates with the results from the first batch.