# Bokashi vs compost What makes bokashi and not compost is that it is fermented anaerobically. It also has an inoculant (we're introducing beneficial live microorganisms to the cultivation. It takes about 2-3 weeks to ferment, and the temperature is a bit lower, \~40-50 °C. It has an acidic pH 3.5-4.5, and the end state is fermented, not decomposed, so it smells sweet-sour (like silage). If it smells like sulfur or ammonia, the batch has failed. The ratio for substrate is high, high carbon carrier (rice hulls, coffee husks, bagasse) + nittrogen source (manure, fish) + molasses (microbial food) + water to \~50% #### Table A. for bokashi vs compost | Trait | Bokashi | Compost (thermophilic) | | --------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Process** | Anaerobic fermentation (sealed/covered) | Aerobic decomposition (turned/aerated) | | **Time to finish** | 2–3 weeks | 3–6 months | | **Temperature** | Mesophilic, 40–50 °C | Thermophilic peak, 55–70 °C | | **Microbiology** | Lactic acid bacteria, yeasts, phototrophs (EM or MM) | Diverse bacterial → fungal → actinomycete succession | | **Inoculant required?** | Yes — defining feature | No — wild microbes colonize naturally | | **End-state pH** | Acidic, 3.5–4.5 | Near-neutral, 6.5–7.5 | | **Smell when right** | Sweet-sour, like silage or pickles | Earthy, like forest floor | | **Smell when wrong** | Ammonia or sulfur = failed batch | Ammonia = too wet/too much N; rotten = anaerobic pockets | | **Volume change** | Minimal — looks like its inputs | \~50% reduction — original material unrecognizable | | **Nutrient retention** | High — N stays in microbial biomass, low volatilization | Moderate — N losses to volatilization and leaching | | **Pathogen/seed kill** | Poor — temperatures too low | Good — sustained thermophilic phase kills weed seeds and pathogens | | **Direct soil application** | Needs 1–2 weeks curing in soil before planting (acidity, residual fermentation) | Apply anytime, including direct seedling contact | | **Best for** | Fast nutrient cycling, microbe inoculation, acid-soil systems, biochar charging | Bulk soil-building, sanitization, slow-release fertility, weed-free outputs | | **Inputs (typical)** | Rice hulls/husks + manure + molasses + inoculant + water | Mixed green + brown organics + water + air | | **Labor profile** | Front-loaded (mix once, seal, wait) | Distributed (turn every 1–3 weeks) | | **Scale** | Works well at small/farm scale, harder at industrial scale | Scales from backyard to municipal | | **Climate fit** | Tropical, humid — fermentation easy | Anywhere, but slows in cold/dry climates | --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://sexytrees.savimbo.com/practice-guide/bokashi/bokashi-vs-compost.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.