EM Bokashi

[Dig For Victory]

Hi there,
Does anyone have any experience of using Bokashi microbes in their garden or in other ways? I am looking to use the stuff in my compost makng, but have been slightly put off by suggestions that the microbes involved are not "natural".
Does anyone know where there things come from and if they have any adverse effects upon soils?
Thanks,
Dig

[Dig For Victory]

[SpeedyMango]

Hello.

The Feb issue of the Kitchen Garden Magazine had an article on EM - that you might find useful. Unfortunately I haven't got around to reading it myself yet, just spotted it when browsing!

[gavin]

Interesting stuff  - I'd never heard of it;  sounds like some sort of natural yeast?  Or a specific variety of yeast?  Haven't a clue :)!

All best - Gavin

[Dig For Victory]

It is a combination of yeasts, phototrophic bacteria and lactic acid producing bacteria.
I am not sure if it really as great as it sounds, but the claims made about it are quite grand.
I am trying it out on my compost anyway. It should make my plants grow better and prevent any anaerobic activity in the heap I am told.

Dig.

[growmore]

WHAT a lot of big words .This gardening caper is getting complexer by the minute

I thought horse muck ,sheep muck ,cow muck ,hen muck ,ktchen waste ,and grass cuttings. with a sprinkling of lime occasionally Then I had a good compost heap..

Now I have got to prevent anaerobic activity in the heap   ...Sounds to me  like the muck heap does sit ups while we are sleep.
I can just imagine asking  one of old boys on lotties .."How's your phototropic bacteria going on Fred?"..

Seriously it's all good stuff  I think ..Bring on the men wth white coats ,,,,.

signed ,Befuddled from  Yorks.....





   

[Dig For Victory]

Apologies.
Yes, I am now an "outed white coat wearer".
Seriously though, anaerobic fermentation in the heap is not a good thing. It might smell bad for us, but when your heap starts to produce methane as it does in anaerobic conditions (without air) this is bad news for the environment.
Methane is about 21 times (I think - from memory) worse than carbon dioxide at causing global warming. Bad news for all of us.
In fact, the methane emissions (i.e. farts and burps) from cattle are a serious concern and produce a significant minority of global methane emmisions.

Dig.