A Way to Speed Up Composting Process
2022-12-13
LRC
TXT
大字
小字
滚动
全页
1From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report.
2The key to healthy plants is healthy soil.
3And the best way to improve soil is by using compost.
4Compost is decayed, or broken down, organic matter used as fertilizer.
5It helps heavy clay soil drain water.
6And it helps loose sandy soil keep water.
7Compost gives off nutrients and microbes to feed plants and increase their energy.
8It also decreases the need for traditional fertilizer.
9But homemade compost takes time and effort.
10You must turn it around often to give it oxygen.
11And you must keep it wet -- but not too wet.
12Also, compost can take up to a year to make.
13Now there is an easier and faster way to compost.
14Bokashi is a composting method that uses microorganisms to break down organic matter.
15Made in Japan in the 1980s, bokashi replaces the oxygen-fueled decay process with fermentation.
16In other words, an enzyme breaks down the organic matter.
17With this method, you can have compost ready to use in as little as 10 days.
18Plus, the process creates a product that has more nutrients than traditional compost.
19Traditional composting is usually done outdoors.
20But Bokashi composting can be done in a small, indoor space.
21The only equipment needed is a 19-liter container with a spout and tight-fitting top.
22To start the fermentation process, you need a bag of inoculant or microbes.
23Bokashi inoculants usually contain wheat bran, wheat germ, or sawdust.
24To get started, you can buy a kit with supplies or research how to do it yourself.
25Add kitchen waste, such as vegetables skins and eggshells, to the container in five-centimeter layers.
26Put a small handful of inoculant over each layer as you go.
27Put the lid on tightly between additions.
28You might cover the layers with a plate or plastic wrap before closing the container to reduce oxygen.
29When the container is full, take the liquid from the spout every couple of days.
30Put about five milliliters of that "compost tea" into about one liter of water.
31Then put the highly nutritious liquid on garden or houseplant soil.
32Be sure to not put it directly on leaves or flowers.
33And use the liquid within a day or so of collecting it.
34Meat and dairy food leftovers are not put into traditional compost.
35It does not get hot enough to kill harmful bacteria and parasites.
36However, these types of food waste can be added to the bokashi container.
37The microorganisms in the bokashi container will destroy any germs in the animal products.
38Ingredients should be added and the top put back on quickly.
39You want to avoid too much oxygen getting into the container.
40The tightly closed container should not give off any smells into the room.
41But you may notice a sweet-and-sour smell when the lid is opened. This is normal.
42A bad smell, however, means that something has gone wrong.
43If you smell a rotting-egg odor or if dark-colored mold is seen within the container, try adding more inoculant.
44If the situation is not better within a couple of days, throw away the material.
45Clean the container well and start over.
46When the fermentation process is complete - in as little as 10 days - the resulting organic matter will still look like the original material.
47But it will decompose quickly.
48It can be buried in holes in a new garden bed at least two weeks before planting.
49Be sure to cover the compost completely with soil.
50You can also add the material to the center of a traditional or worm composting bin or pile.
51Mix well with the contents and everything will break down more.
52The idea of creating "pre-compost" only to add it to a traditional compost pile might seem strange.
53However, consider this: adding bokashi-decomposed ingredients will save you many months.
54It offers you a fast track to finished compost.
55If you do not have a traditional compost pile, you can finish your bokashi compost by digging a hole and burying the material in one place in your garden.
56After two weeks, you can dig up what you need and use it as you would regular compost.
57But be careful that the bokashi material is safely away from plants.
58Take care to avoid direct contact with roots.
59The fermented product is very acidic and will burn the plants.
60For the same reason, this fermented compost should not be used as mulch unless it has been additionally composted using traditional methods.
61And that's the Health & Lifestyle report.
62I'm Anna Matteo. And I'm Dan Friedell.
1From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report. 2The key to healthy plants is healthy soil. And the best way to improve soil is by using compost. 3Compost is decayed, or broken down, organic matter used as fertilizer. It helps heavy clay soil drain water. And it helps loose sandy soil keep water. Compost gives off nutrients and microbes to feed plants and increase their energy. It also decreases the need for traditional fertilizer. 4But homemade compost takes time and effort. You must turn it around often to give it oxygen. And you must keep it wet -- but not too wet. Also, compost can take up to a year to make. 5Now there is an easier and faster way to compost. 6Bokashi is a composting method that uses microorganisms to break down organic matter. Made in Japan in the 1980s, bokashi replaces the oxygen-fueled decay process with fermentation. In other words, an enzyme breaks down the organic matter. 7With this method, you can have compost ready to use in as little as 10 days. Plus, the process creates a product that has more nutrients than traditional compost. 8Traditional composting is usually done outdoors. But Bokashi composting can be done in a small, indoor space. 9The only equipment needed is a 19-liter container with a spout and tight-fitting top. To start the fermentation process, you need a bag of inoculant or microbes. Bokashi inoculants usually contain wheat bran, wheat germ, or sawdust. To get started, you can buy a kit with supplies or research how to do it yourself. 10Add kitchen waste, such as vegetables skins and eggshells, to the container in five-centimeter layers. Put a small handful of inoculant over each layer as you go. Put the lid on tightly between additions. You might cover the layers with a plate or plastic wrap before closing the container to reduce oxygen. 11When the container is full, take the liquid from the spout every couple of days. Put about five milliliters of that "compost tea" into about one liter of water. 12Then put the highly nutritious liquid on garden or houseplant soil. Be sure to not put it directly on leaves or flowers. And use the liquid within a day or so of collecting it. 13Meat and dairy food leftovers are not put into traditional compost. It does not get hot enough to kill harmful bacteria and parasites. However, these types of food waste can be added to the bokashi container. The microorganisms in the bokashi container will destroy any germs in the animal products. 14Ingredients should be added and the top put back on quickly. You want to avoid too much oxygen getting into the container. 15The tightly closed container should not give off any smells into the room. But you may notice a sweet-and-sour smell when the lid is opened. This is normal. 16A bad smell, however, means that something has gone wrong. 17If you smell a rotting-egg odor or if dark-colored mold is seen within the container, try adding more inoculant. If the situation is not better within a couple of days, throw away the material. Clean the container well and start over. 18When the fermentation process is complete - in as little as 10 days - the resulting organic matter will still look like the original material. But it will decompose quickly. It can be buried in holes in a new garden bed at least two weeks before planting. Be sure to cover the compost completely with soil. 19You can also add the material to the center of a traditional or worm composting bin or pile. Mix well with the contents and everything will break down more. 20The idea of creating "pre-compost" only to add it to a traditional compost pile might seem strange. However, consider this: adding bokashi-decomposed ingredients will save you many months. It offers you a fast track to finished compost. 21If you do not have a traditional compost pile, you can finish your bokashi compost by digging a hole and burying the material in one place in your garden. After two weeks, you can dig up what you need and use it as you would regular compost. 22But be careful that the bokashi material is safely away from plants. Take care to avoid direct contact with roots. The fermented product is very acidic and will burn the plants. 23For the same reason, this fermented compost should not be used as mulch unless it has been additionally composted using traditional methods. 24And that's the Health & Lifestyle report. 25I'm Anna Matteo. And I'm Dan Friedell. 26Jessica Damiano writes regular gardening columns for The Associated Press. Anna Matteo adapted this story for the VOA Learning English. 27________________________________________________________________________ 28Words in This Story 29compost - n. a mixture that consists largely of decayed organic matter and is used for fertilizing and conditioning land 30decay - v. to go through or cause to go through decomposition 31fermentation - n. chemical breaking down of a substance (as in the souring of milk or the formation of alcohol from sugar) produced by an enzyme and often accompanied by the formation of a gas 32enzyme - n. any of various complex proteins produced by living cells that bring about or speed up reactions (as in the digestion of food) without being permanently altered 33spout - n. a projecting tube or lip from which a liquid (such as water) issues 34inoculant - n. material used for inoculation 35kit - n. a set of tools 36bin - n. a box, frame, crib, or enclosed place used for storage 37fast track - n. a course leading to rapid advancement or success 38mulch - n. a covering (as of straw or sawdust) spread over the ground to protect the roots of plants from heat, cold, or evaporation, prevent soil loss, control weeds, enrich the soil, or keep fruit (as strawberries) clean 39__________________________________________________________________ 40We want to hear from you. Do you have a similar expressions in your language? In the Comments section, you can also practice using any of the expressions from the story. 41We have a new comment system. Here is how it works: 42Write your comment in the box. 43Under the box, you can see four images for social media accounts. They are for Disqus, Facebook, Twitter, and Google. 44Click on one image and a box appears. Enter the login for your social media account. Or you may create one on the Disqus system. It is the blue circle with "D" on it. It is free. 45Each time you return to comment on the Learning English site, you can use your account and see your comments and replies to them. Our comment policy is here.