My bokashi experiment

I wondered if bokashi and EM was as wonderful as people said, so I bought a bottle of EM and tried it. I wasn't a good scientist as far a writing down the details, but here are the results. The two pepper plants were planted from the same six pack about two weeks ago. I put a pine cone in front of each plant to help you distinguish them from the other random seedlings I need to move or weed. The one on the left was planted on top of fermented scraps. The one on the right was planted in regular clay soil. I was amazed at how the one on the left had wider, greener leaves and looked healthier/bigger than the other plant that looked identical to it only two weeks ago when I planted them.

I would invite others to try it out and post pictures of with and without EM.
Tabitha

Good idea- that does look like a noticeable difference.

I've just started bokashi-ing & have my first batch buried now. It's good to see that my efforts will pay off. Your results are amazing!! I think I will try the same experiment with some annuals. When I get the results, I'll post them here.
Jo-Ann

Tabitha, great illustration! Did you bury the bokashi and then plant the pepper on top the same day or did you wait a bit before planting? How deep did you bury the bokashi?

I took out a shovel full of dirt, dumped in a Folger's can of kitchen scraps (onion peels, fruit peels, maybe some potatoes) and then sprinkled some of the bran/bokashi or poured AME on top. I don't remember exactly what I used. I pushed the dirt back on top & put a tomatoe cage over the spot so I would remember where it was. A few weeks later I dug a hole for the pepper. I could see some very fat earthworms and some scraps that weren't totally decomposed, but I planted the pepper on top anyway.

With Spring in the air and dirt between my feet, it is hard to stop and take notes on exactly what I did. I have made some Bokashi batches in little jars (I don't recommend glass), but haven't gotten around to getting a 5 gallon bucket yet. I thought I would try EM Eric's method of dig a hole/trench, put scraps in, spray AEM, and wait a few weeks. (Sorry if I didn't get the method exactly, it has been a few months since I read all the Bokashi threads). The scraps weren't fermented before I dumped them in the dirt, but I figured it was ok since it was only plant scraps and no meat or dairy.

What I am learning about the Bokashi method is that there is a lot of leeway in the process: you can spray with AEM, sprinkle with Bokashi-bran, keep your scraps in a 5-gallon bucket or bury them in the ground. It's amazing how forgiving those microbes are, with their helpmates, the earthworms.

There are many ways to use this stuff. Even fermented buckets that go bad (usually because they weren't airtight) can be recovered by burying them and letting the worms chow down. The plants sure love the stuff. Now if I could just remember to bring the camera along when I dispatch a bucket of scraps to the soil.

No side by side trial photos, but here is a photo of the 8 lb cauliflower that I harvested on Wednesday. This was grown with bokashi in the soil. We eat the green leaves as well as the flower head, cooking the greens like collards. You can see how healthy both parts are. They are delicious too.

The problem I have with trying to do a side by side trial showing seedlings with and without Bokashi is that I feel sorry for any plant not getting its Bokashi ration. I've also been adding it to my soil for some time. I can tell where I've missed adding bokashi because the plants don't look as vigorous. Then I have to nurture them with extra Bokashi juice.

madrid, any updates on your pepper plants?

I am about to try planting new asparagus roots over a trench of bokashied kitchen waste!!!......

Wish me luck...they are expensive!!!!

I love my bokashi buckets of 'stuff' and love the system!!!

I do find that if I cover the bokashi scraps with coffee grinds...my dog isn't interested in digging them up!!!!

This message was edited Apr 4, 2009 8:32 AM

Lucky you! My Ridgeback gets into the coffee grounds whenever she has a chance...

Years ago I began making high quality compost aerobic tea. This filled the soil building bill with outstanding results. Just last year I read Eric's BM words of wisdom. Bingo that was the rest of the story. I did not need Paul Harvy to tell me the facts. After adding BM to the aerobic tea I feel I had the best of both worlds. Because of the generally excellent soil I enjoyed adding the BM did not produce additional bragging rights but I feel absolutely certain it supported my goals of soil building because it inhances the rotting process.

High quality aerobic tea and BM work together as has been natures way since time began. Technology methods, improved knowlege and equipment have made either process within the reach of any serious organic back yard gardener.

There is no doubt in my mind what so ever that both of these products produce better soil for anyone who uses them. That then evolves to the fact that your grown produce and flowers will be as good as they can be from any perspective or evaluation. More exciting is the absolute fact that continued use of either or both will keep on building better soil each year you continue the practice. Keep up the good work using BM. Look into using the web site of North Country Organics to learn about aerobic tea as produced by their Bobolator Aerobic Tea systems. Don't stop there....keep on researching and learn as much as you can.

BM?

Bokashi Method maybe?

UPDATE: I haven't had as much time to take pictures, but the "bokashi" pepper has its first bloom and the rest don't have any blooms. Maybe the decompostion underneith it makes it a little warmer. Maybe it is just a little healthier. Whatever it is, the results are simply amazing.

Sorry my BM was not explained. Yes it was Bokashi Method not bowel movements. LOL If any of you wish to experiment as madrid2000 is experimenting be sure to leave about three feet between treated soil and untreated soil. BM is so good it expands itself even more efficently in soils that have ample organic content. Ample organic content us anything over three percent. In time you can build in a proven 10 % or better using organic principles. The same is true of aerobic teas and even good compost. Living biology will expand dramaticaly when the conditions are right. Now will someone tell me how a bag of 10 -10- 10 will do that when it is known that it is a biocide. LOL

Biocide = any chemical that alters or harms natural biological development.

I laughed about the BM. I had just read another thread about P T (pee tea).
Made me think twice!

Yesterday I took the 'juice' from the bucket of Bokashi (I had about 3qts), added some EM and some Molassas and some Fish Fertilizer and about another qt. of water. I added about 1 cup of this mix to a gal of water and poured it along my existing asparagus rows and on top of the rows where I plan to plant new aspragus roots this next week. I also watered my vegetable bed with it...especially the Swiss Chard. We have a lot of rain here....especially recently...and we try to fertilize every 10" of rain....I am hoping that i won't have to do as much withgood worm action!!!!

I can confirm that even in soil about 2ft. away from where i have buried composted bokashi garbage, the worm activity is HIGH.... I haven't done any side by side comparisons....but I am really really happy with the growth and the quality of my vegies!!!

I have to than Garden Mermaid for her enthusiasm ... it got me started on EM a while back....and I have introduced it to the Master Gardeners here...everyone is using it!!!

Carol

What is EM?

It stands for Effective(Efficient) Microrganisms. You might try going to www.emamerica.com or SEARCH for Bokashi and EM on this forum. This is where I learned about it.

Ah, thanks! I am looking into getting a Bokashi kitchen composter and am trying to get familiar with the lingo. Thanks again, Jennifer

While a snazzy kitchen composter would be great...I use 2 5gallon plastic buckets with tightfitting lid. I fit one (I drill holes in the bottom of that one) into the other and the 'juice' drains down into the outer bucket... A cheaper and just as effective solution. I walk by those buckets 10 times a day and never smell anything!!! I get the buckets at a local supermarket (they receive fillings for the bakery and sauces in them) and while they are sometimes not 5 gallons but 4 or 3, they have seals in the lids AND only cost about 3$ each!!!

You are quite welcome Aloha! Fermentation and composting is a lot more fun in the company of like-minded friends. Some folks just don't understand the excitement that comes with happy worms and plants. :)

It has been interesting and very helpful to hear about others experiences with EM and Bokashi. Who knew?

Well, I learned don't plant anything on bokashi that hasn't had time to "break down". It may have been the heat during the cooler spring that gave the pepper the initial "boost", but now it is the smallest plant I have. It is about half as high as the rest of them I think the lesson I learned was to wait before planting right over it, and maybe to take better "notes" so I'll remember what not to do next time.

Interesting course of events, madrid2000. Can you post a photo of the same spot as your first photo?

Well...the bokashi'd kitchen waste may still have to break down...and if you plant right into it, it is using N to breakdown and the plants aren't going to get anything... you think?

Watch that spot recover and catch up by the middle of July. Your soil biology does not really get going good in soil temperatures below sixty degrees. If there is a whole lot under those plants it may take longer to get to the point where conversions make useable plant food. If you are having a slow warm up this year that spot will have to come into being in it's own time.

I bury the full kitchen waste bucken into another bottomless bucket in the vegetable garden. we are planting corn every 2 weeks in 10 small hills...so I move the bucket everytime I have new waste to dump in. The 'older' places are so full of worms it is incredible!!! Nothing I have found works better. The 'tea' I add a bit of molassas to and dump on my asparagus beds. Next it goes on all of the fruit trees....

Great Stuff!