Something I learned about Bokashi Soil

Nutrient-rich bokashi soil retains more moisture than “regular” soil. Regular is in quotes because there is nothing regular about regular soil. Soil is supposed to be nutrient-rich, but we’ve become so accustomed to the stripped down version, which requires synthetic fertilizing, so that anything different is considered an anomaly.

Container Garden

Last year when I created my container garden, I created self-watering containers. The goal was to provide a steady source of water so the soil and plants wouldn’t dry out. Towards the end of the season, however, I noticed signs of root rot. I figured that I added too much water to the self-watering containers.

This year, as I created another container for planting, I decided to skip the self-watering contraption. I drilled holes in the bottom of the container for excess water to escape and filled it with the bokashi soil I had accumulated over the winter. I topped it off with topsoil (the bokashi soil had a distinctive smell so I covered it with top soil to contain the smell).

Let the Leaking Begin

Once the container was set up, I noticed there was a constant leaking of liquid. The soil was so moist that the water/liquid continued to flow for about a week. Add to that we had a spell of rain so the container continually drained.

After witnessing this phenomenon, I realized I wasted my time in creating a self-watering container for containers filled with bokashi soil. Bokashi soil is very moist and full of nutrients. It requires a fraction of the water that “normal” soil requires. As such, I’ve drilled holes at the bottom of my self-watering containers to allow the excess accumulated water to escape.

Lessons Learned

Bokashi and its soil operate more efficiently than “regular” soil. It requires less watering and no fertilizing. The only maintenance I perform on my container garden is to spray it with bokashi tea (when available) and the occasional dose of diatomaceous earth to take care of unwanted pests. Hopefully, when my beneficial nematodes arrive, they’ll take care of the unwanted pests for me. What an efficient system!