Tried bokashi composting last month in my Philly studio and it worked way better than I expected

I live in a small studio in Philly and always thought composting was impossible without a yard. But last month my neighbor told me about bokashi bins, so I gave it a shot. It's basically a bucket with a spigot where you layer scraps with a special bran that pickles everything instead of rotting it. The big thing is there is ZERO smell if you keep the lid sealed tight. I put in coffee grounds, eggshells, banana peels, even some old salad mix that was going bad. After 3 weeks I had this liquid that I dilute for my houseplants, and the solids went into a bag to finish breaking down. Has anyone else tried bokashi in a tiny apartment?

2 comments

2 Comments

holly_green825d ago

Wait, are you saying the liquid from the bucket actually helps your plants? I've heard of bokashi but never tried it since I'm in a tiny spot in South Philly myself. That part about zero smell is what really caught my attention, because my biggest fear was my whole apartment reeking like rotten food. How often do you actually have to drain that liquid out, and does it get funky if you forget to do it for a day or two?

finleycooper1d ago

You really think forgetting to drain it for a day or two is gonna ruin everything? I've left mine for like three days before and it was fine, just a little more liquid built up. The real secret is keeping the lid on tight, that's what stops the smell, not the draining schedule. People get way too worked up about the timing on this stuff, it's not like baking a souffle where missing a minute kills it.