During the fermentation, the materials go through multiple reactions mainly through the numerous metabolites produced by the microbes. By the time fermentation is complete, the sawdust would be a stable material that would be good to add to soil, especially for the organic matter it provides. Since there are microbes on the bokashi, it will act as a food for earthworms, which will leave their castings in the area.
Nitrogen (N) is needed by fungi, and other microbes, to break down the lignin and cellulose. There should be enough N in the soil and being fixed by microbes in the soil. The microbes in the EM will help with preparing the sawdust for digestion by fungi and also help with the nitrogen fixing. Sawdust is a great option for making bokashi since bokashi is focused on fermenting carbon materials and carbon to nitrogen rations are not important in order to ferment the materials.
After fermentation, the fermented materials will not rob the soil of nitrogen, unless you put several tons per acre. A common application is gardens is a third cup of bokashi every other week throughout the growing season. If there aren't many other inputs being added to the soil, it would be beneficial to amend the soil with some more nutrients with some food scraps or even some raw manure.
I think I got them all covered. Let me know if I missed anything and if you have any more questions or comments.
Is molasses or sugars always important to add with the EM-1 when making bokashi? I'm thinking in the context of treating manure piles and our septic system.
Yes. Blackstrap molasses is always recommended when making bokashi because the bran doesn't have any food for the microbes to feed on. Blackstap is recommended because it also contains minerals. After it is fermented, it is called bokashi.
Manure and septic systems don't need the added molasses because they both contain nutrients for the microbes. However, molasses is used in making activated EM-1. And you would apply activated EM-1 to the manure or septic system.
Hello, I've been making bokashi bran with sawdust and coffee grounds. It is working quite well. Sawdust has an incredibly high carbon to nitrogen ratio. What about adding bokashi sawdust to soil? How is the sawdust changed? Would it still rob the soil of nitrogen? Will it breakdown significantly faster than untreated sawdust? I am so curious! Thanks!
Hi Cathy,
Thank you for the comment.
During the fermentation, the materials go through multiple reactions mainly through the numerous metabolites produced by the microbes. By the time fermentation is complete, the sawdust would be a stable material that would be good to add to soil, especially for the organic matter it provides. Since there are microbes on the bokashi, it will act as a food for earthworms, which will leave their castings in the area.
Nitrogen (N) is needed by fungi, and other microbes, to break down the lignin and cellulose. There should be enough N in the soil and being fixed by microbes in the soil. The microbes in the EM will help with preparing the sawdust for digestion by fungi and also help with the nitrogen fixing. Sawdust is a great option for making bokashi since bokashi is focused on fermenting carbon materials and carbon to nitrogen rations are not important in order to ferment the materials.
After fermentation, the fermented materials will not rob the soil of nitrogen, unless you put several tons per acre. A common application is gardens is a third cup of bokashi every other week throughout the growing season. If there aren't many other inputs being added to the soil, it would be beneficial to amend the soil with some more nutrients with some food scraps or even some raw manure.
I think I got them all covered. Let me know if I missed anything and if you have any more questions or comments.
Eric
Thanks for the question!
Is molasses or sugars always important to add with the EM-1 when making bokashi? I'm thinking in the context of treating manure piles and our septic system.
Hi Randy,
Yes. Blackstrap molasses is always recommended when making bokashi because the bran doesn't have any food for the microbes to feed on. Blackstap is recommended because it also contains minerals. After it is fermented, it is called bokashi.
Manure and septic systems don't need the added molasses because they both contain nutrients for the microbes. However, molasses is used in making activated EM-1. And you would apply activated EM-1 to the manure or septic system.
Hello, I've been making bokashi bran with sawdust and coffee grounds. It is working quite well. Sawdust has an incredibly high carbon to nitrogen ratio. What about adding bokashi sawdust to soil? How is the sawdust changed? Would it still rob the soil of nitrogen? Will it breakdown significantly faster than untreated sawdust? I am so curious! Thanks!