HVO Bokashi Compost

Large pile of brown mulch against a blue sky

HVO Bokashi Compost

We have several types of organic compost. We only use the best ingredients for our Organic Compost.

These are the versions we use on our own Organic Farm and are happy to make it available to our Neighbors on The Big Island!

One compost. The one we use on our own farm in Mountain View.

We make a single compost now, and we make it one way: untreated hardwood sawdust and green waste, sprayed with EM1 at the start, treated throughout the process with Hawaiian Bokashi Compost Starter at 3 pounds per cubic yard, then turned, aged, and tested for a balanced N-P-K before it goes on the truck.

$297 per cubic yard. Delivered within 55 miles of Hilo. Minimum order 3 yd.³

Call Rick: 808-425-0474 (Hawaiian time zone)
Email: cev@earthtrade.com

What is in it

Component What it does
Untreated hardwood sawdust Carbon base, no chemical treatment
Green waste Nitrogen and fresh organic matter
EM1 (Effective Microorganisms) 80+ strains of lactic acid bacteria, yeasts, and photosynthetic bacteria sprayed into the pile at the start
Hawaiian Bokashi Compost Starter , 3 lb per yard Granular fermented bran inoculant with 34 naturally occurring minerals (greensand), applied throughout the process
Turning, aging, testing Finished, dark, crumbly, earthy smell, ready to use on delivery

Thermal composting vs. microbial (Bokashi) compostingv

Most compost you can buy is made by thermal composting alone. Ours is built on Bokashi microbial inoculation. Here is the difference.

  • How thermal composting works

    Pile up carbon and nitrogen, keep it moist, keep it aerated, and native bacteria go to work. The pile heats to 130 to 160°F for days or weeks. That heat is useful, it cooks weed seeds and breaks material down fast, but it comes at a cost:

    • Carbon burns off as CO2. A thermal pile can lose a third to half of its volume and a large share of its carbon.
    • Nitrogen escapes as ammonia gas. That is the sharp smell off a hot pile. It is fertilizer leaving.
    • The heat that cooks weed seeds also cooks most of the microbial life. When a thermal pile cools, what is left is a much narrower community than what started, and it is whatever happened to survive, not something you chose.
    • Rain, and we get plenty of it, leaches soluble nutrients out the bottom of an open pile.

    The result is good organic matter, but it is closer to a soil conditioner than a living amendment.

  • How microbial (Bokashi) composting works

    Bokashi is Japanese for "fermented organic matter." Instead of letting whatever microbes show up run the pile, you inoculate it with a selected community: lactic acid bacteria, yeasts, and photosynthetic bacteria (the EM1 culture), carried on fermented bran (the Compost Starter). Those organisms:

    • Ferment rather than burn. Fermentation locks carbon and nitrogen into microbial biomass and organic acids instead of releasing them as gas. More of what went into the pile ends up in the finished product.
    • Work at lower temperatures, so the pile does not sterilize itself.
    • Outcompete the putrefying bacteria that cause rotten-egg and ammonia odors. A well inoculated pile smells sour and sweet, like silage, not like a dump.
    • Produce the white mycelium you see threading through a working Bokashi pile within a day or two under good conditions. That is the inoculant taking hold.
    • Carry over into the finished compost, so what you spread on your garden is not just organic matter, it is organic matter plus a live, diverse microbial community ready to colonize your soil.

What we Actually Do

We run both. Our windrows are turned and aged like a conventional compost, so they still go through a heat phase and finish fully decomposed. The difference is that we inoculate with EM1 up front and re-treat with Compost Starter at 3 pounds per cubic yard throughout the process, so the pile is never left to whatever microbes wander in. The finished compost is aged, tested, and stable, and it carries the Bokashi microbial community into your soil.

Thermal Compost vs. HVO Bokashi Compost

Driver Thermal compost only HVO Bokashi Compost
Driver Heat from uncontrolled native bacteria Selected EM1 and Bokashi microbes, plus turning and aging
Carbon and nitrogen retention Lower, lost as CO2 and ammonia Higher, held in fermentation products and microbial biomass
Odor during processing Ammonia, sometimes sulfur Sour, sweet, silage-like
Microbial life in finished product Narrow, whatever survived the heat Diverse, inoculated, re-treated at 3 lb per yard
Minerals Only what was in feedstock Feedstock plus 34 greensand minerals from Compost Starter
Best use Bulk organic matter Organic matter plus living soil biology

Why Bokashi compost, benefits

  • More nutrition stays in the pile: Less nitrogen leaves as gas, less leaches out in Big Island rain, so more of it reaches your plants.
  • Living soil, not just organic matter: You are inoculating the ground with a diverse microbial community, the same one we use in our greenhouses and orchard rows.
  • Nutrient cycling: The microbes convert organic matter and minerals into forms roots can take up. This matters on cinder and rock ground where nutrients are often present but locked up.
  • Better structure: Microbial activity binds particles into crumb, which improves both drainage and water holding, the two things cinder soils and clay soils each need.
  • Faster establishment: Transplants and seedlings root into inoculated compost quickly.
  • Made for our climate: Fermentation-based composting holds up in wet, warm conditions where straight thermal piles go anaerobic and sour.
  • Balanced: Tested for a balanced N-P-K. Fully aged, so it will not burn plants.

Rates and coverage

Use Amount
New garden bed, 100 sq ft, 3 in layer 1 yard
Topdressing an existing bed, 100 sq ft, 1 in layer 1/3 yard
Raised bed, 4 ft x 8 ft, 3 in layer 1/3 yard
Large garden, 1,000 sq ft, 3 in layer 10 yards
Fruit tree planting hole 1 to 2 wheelbarrow loads mixed with backfill
Orchard topdress, per mature tree 1 to 2 inches over the drip line

1 cubic yard covers about 100 square feet at 3 inches deep. Call for a free calculation: 808-425-0474 (Hawaiian time zone)

How to Use it

  • Topdressing

    Topdressing

    For established gardens, lawns, and orchards, spread 1 to 2 inches on the surface. Rain and irrigation carry nutrients and microbes down to the root zone. Best done once or twice a year.

  • Incorporating into the Soil

    Incorporating Into The Soil

    For new beds and annual plantings, mix 3 to 4 inches into the top 6 to 12 inches of soil. On cinder or rocky ground, this is the fastest way to build a real root zone.

  • Potting Mix

    Potting Mix

    Blend one part compost to two parts potting soil for containers. For heavy feeders, go up to one to one.

  • Planting Holes

    Planting Holes

    For trees, shrubs, taro, banana, and vegetable starts, mix compost into the backfill so roots grow out into inoculated soil, not just a pocket of it.

  • As a Mulch

    As A Mulch

    Apply 2 to 3 inches around plants. It holds moisture, feeds the soil as it breaks down, and keeps the microbial community active at the surface.

  • For Seed Starting

    For Seed Starting

    Sift it fine and blend with coco coir or cinder for drainage. Use fully aged compost only, which is what we ship.

Remember, the quality of HVO’s Organic Compost is important. Fully decomposed, nutrient-rich compost will provide the most benefits for your plants. Also, be mindful not to over-apply compost, as too much can be just as detrimental as too little. Generally, a few inches of compost mixed into the soil or used as a top dressing annually is sufficient for most gardens.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS HVO BOKASHI COMPOST

Do you still sell different compost versions?

No. We make one compost now, HVO Bokashi Compost. It replaced our earlier versions and it is the same compost we use on the farm.

How much Compost Starter is in it?

3 pounds of Hawaiian Bokashi Compost Starter per cubic yard, applied throughout the process, plus EM1 sprayed at the start.

Is it finished and ready to use?

Yes. Turned, aged, tested for balanced N-P-K, dark and crumbly, earthy smell. No hot-compost issues. Apply it the day it arrives.

Is it organic?

All inputs are natural and untreated: untreated hardwood sawdust, green waste, EM1, and Hawaiian Bokashi Compost Starter. No synthetic additives. Hawaiian Volcanic Organic is not a certified organic operation; if you farm under a certifier, check the input list with them before use.

What does it cost?

$297 per cubic yard delivered within 55 miles of Hilo. Minimum order 3 yd.³ Bulk orders of 10 yards or more, call for pricing.

How is it delivered?

Kodiak flatbed dump truck, 3 to 5 yards per load, placed where you need it. Pickup at the Mountain View farm is also available, no minimum, bring a truck or trailer and we load you.

Can I buy the Compost Starter separately?

Yes. Hawaiian Bokashi Compost Starter, 2 lb bag. Use it in your own compost pile at 3 lb per yard, or in garden beds at 1 lb per yard of soil.

How do I order?

Call 808-425-0474 (Hawaiian time zone), Mon to Sat, 8 AM to 4 PM. Email cev@earthtrade.com with quantity, blend, and location. Or visit the farm in Mountain View, call ahead. Cash, check, and credit cards accepted.

Can you create custom compost blends?

Yes! We can custom blend:

  • Organic compost (any version)
  • Indigenous volcanic soil
  • Black lava cinder
  • Organic fertilizer blend
  • Red Wigglers

Tell us your specific needs and we'll create the perfect blend for your soil type
and crops. Email: cev@earthtrade.com or call: 808-425-0474 (Hawaiian Time Zone)