FAQ

This section will evolve in time, with the questions you will ask me. You don’t find an answer to your question?

Send me a message (through the ‘Contact’ section). I will answer you and then publish the new topic here too 🙂

What is the delivery time?

Packages are shipped with the following logistics providers: BPost if you are in Belgium and DPD if you are in France (or elsewhere in Europe).

As soon as the shipping label is printed, you will receive an email with a tracking link for your package.

Another email will notify you when your package is being delivered and will be delivered shortly.

Delivery times -which I unfortunately have no control over- are usually 2-4 days in Belgium and between 4-7 days for France. A little more for other countries. This can vary depending on whether you live further or further away from a big city…or in busy periods, for example around the holidays.

Did you miss the Postman? your parcel will be dropped off at the nearest pick-up point: don’t wait too long to pick it up…generally after 5 days it will be sent back to the sender (at the BokashiCompost warehouse). A second shipping out will then be charged to you. It would be a shame to have to pay the shipping costs a second time!

The package has arrived but is damaged? Take a picture of the package before you open it, and one of the label. Then check if the contents are damaged: if so, also take photos and send me an email so that I can open a claim with the carrier.

Why do I need 2 buckets? Starting with only one bucket is not possible?

When the first bucket is full, it should then be left to rest for at least 2 weeks (without opening it) so it can ferment completely, before it can be emptied and its contents mixed with soil.

And in the meantime, where do we put my food waste ? Well, we fill the second bucket.

And then we continue like this by rotating the two buckets 🙂 That’s why you need at least 2 buckets to complete the cycle. You can have more, if you are a large family for example.

Is it appropriate for a single person?
The technique itself is suitable for everyone as there is no minimum or maximum time limit for filling the bucket.
If you are on your own or eat few home-cooked meals or little veggies, it will take you longer to fill a bucket, probably around 1.5 to 2 months.
This is not a problem as with this system the food waste gets fermented and it will therefore not rot nor will produce any flies.
The green-grey buckets have a capacity of 16 litres. The design bucket (sold individually) is a bit smaller: it holds 10 litres…and is adapted for up to two persons or an “occasional eater”. The budget is different, as you still need two buckets 😉
What perishable waste is not allowed?
DO NOT put in: liquids, rotten food, large pits (avocado, mango,…), ashes, soil, salt, shells and large bones.
Almost anything else can be added to your bokashi bucket: raw, cooked (bread, pasta, potatoes, meat, eggs, fish, leftover cheese, citrus fruit, eggshells, banana peel, pineapple peel, garlic & onion, paper tea bags, coffee grounds, …
This is one of the great advantages of bokashi 🙂
Will my bokashi turn into soil in the bucket?

No, your foodwaste will never turn into soil in your bucket.

Your food scraps are fermented during the first step (in the bucket in the kitchen) and will look more or less the same as when you put them in. Later, when the fermented material is brought into contact with soil, it will start to turn into soil as well.

I still have no juice, why?

It may take some time to get juice the first time a brand new bokashi bucket is filled. Microorganisms need some time to ‘colonise’ the plastic.

If the smell of the contents of the bucket is sweet and sour…then all is well. Don’t worry, it will come eventually.

You can try tilting the bucket a little towards you with the tap open and the cup underneath. Sometimes there is just an air bubble in the tap that prevents the liquid from coming out.

The amount of juice also varies according to the season: our food generally contains more water in summer (salads, fruit and vegetables, etc.) than in winter.

There's nothing going on in my bokashi bucket!

No, your foodwaste will never turn into soil in your bucket.

Although it looks like nothing is changing in the bucket, there is actually a lot of activity that we can’t see. The effective microorganisms in the bokashi are converting the proteins in the leftovers into smaller units called amino acids and so are the other macro-nutrients. This makes the nutrients more accessible to your plants. This is also the reason why, in the next stage in the soil, the transformation process goes so fast: the job is already half done.

How long does it take to fill the bucket in Bokashi?

It is impossible to give an answer, as every household is different. A family of 2-3 people usually produces around 10 litres of food waste per week. Whether the bucket is filled quickly or not does not affect the bokashi process in any way. The two-week fermentation period (step #2) is counted from the time you finish filling your bucket. If you want to fit more, squeeze the contents well (the less air there is, the better, so squeezing is always useful)

How to store the Starter?

The bokashi Starter is ‘alive’.

It is advisable to transfer a weekly amount into a smaller container with a tight-fitting lid for daily use and to keep it away from light and moisture.

The large bag of Starter should be sealed tightly (e.g. with tweezers) and stored in a cool place, away from light and moisture. One should avoid ‘digging’ in the bag with one’s hands!

The Starter lasts a good year after opening, if kept in optimal conditions. If you notice that your bokashi is not fermenting as it should, try increasing the doses…or buy a bag of fresh Starter.

What is the maximum shelf life of the Starter?
The Starter can be kept for up to 2 years – or even longer – if the bag has not been opened (original packaging).
Once opened, it will last for over a year, provided it is kept closed with as little air as possible in the bag. And the bag stored in a place protected from humidity, direct heat/light and…avoiding to reach in with your hands every day 😉 See the Answer to “How to store the Starter” above).
The test? trust your ‘nose’: as long as it smells sour, all is well. And that it continues to act by starting the fermentation of your food waste.
It is possible that over time the strength of the starter will decrease (after 1 year), so you will need to use a little more than usual.
Can I put flowers in it?

It depends on where they come from. If they are flowers from your garden, YES, no problem (just avoid adding soil in the bucket)! Supermarket flowers, on the other hand, are treated with plenty of chemicals to keep them ‘fresh’ as long as possible. If you are going to use the soil produced with the bokashi made from your wilted flowers to grow food, then I would avoid putting the commercial flowers in the soil as a precaution.