1. How to compost organic waste(For households)
Takakura Composting
method
Prepared by,
R. M. Asanka Dilini
Green Practices Committee

2. Making fermenting liquid Use compost container of organic waste
Three Major steps
Takakura composting Method
Making fermenting liquid
Making fermenting bed
Use compost container of organic waste

3. Making fermenting liquid
If fermented foods are available,
Fermented foods + Sugared water
Ingredients A
Brown sugar 50 g
Tap water 15 liters
Ingredients B
Fermented foods
Curd/yoghurt ( 5 table spoons),
Dry yeast (12g)
Mix together
Cover the mouth of the container and mix it well. Place the container for 3 to 5 days with lid closed properly.

4. Sugared water
Add fermented foods - Curd

5. Vegetables/Fruits + Salt water
If fermented foods are not available,
Vegetables/Fruits + Salt water
Ingredients A
Salt(120g)
Water(15 liters)
Ingredients B
Leaf vegetables, fruit and vegetable peels
Orange, Apple, Papaya, Water melon, Banana, Tomato, Cucumber, lettuce, Pumpkin etc.(200g per each)
Mix together
Cover the mouth of the container and mix it well. Place the container for 3 to 5 days with lid closed properly.
Be sure to add fruit peels to intensify the fermentation
Don’t use root vegetables

6. Use vegetables and fruits to replace fermented foods

7. Make sure to add vegetable and fruit peels

8. Add sugar
Add vegetable and fruit peels
Fermenting liquid

9. Fermenting liquid after 3 days
Vegetables/Fruits + Salt water
Fermented Foods + Sugared water
Fermenting liquid after 3 days

10. Making fermenting bed Base Materials
Rice husks ( 50 cm3 )
Rice bran ( 50 cm3 )
Straws/fallen leaves may be added
Rice husks : Rice bran = 1 : 1
Add the fermenting liquid to the base materials, and mix well. If necessary, add water to maintain an appropriate level of liquid.
Add leaf mold if available. If not available, add an additional quantity of fallen leaves
Mix well
Adjust moisture level to 40-60% by adding the fermenting solution and water

11. Rice husks : Rice brains = 1: 1(Base materials)
Adding fermenting liquid to base materials

12. Fermenting liquid + base materials
Mix it well
Cover the fermenting bed from a newspaper

13. If the moisture content is right, mixture becomes a lump with out oozing of water when squeezed lightly with a hand

14. Now cover the fermenting bed with breathable fabric to ensure that insects do not get in. The cover can be made from newspaper or fabric.
The compost is ready when white bacteria have proliferated across its surface. This takes between three days and a week.
When the entire surface become covered with white mould, it indicates the completion of fermentation.
Then let it dry afterward

15. Surface become covered with white mould

16. Use compost container of organic waste(for household waste)
A Container
Use a breathable container. A shopping basket, bamboo basket, or cardboard box
If the container has large holes in it, it should be lined with carpet, fabric, cardboard etc., in order to prevent entering the container.
Fill the container 60% full with fermenting bed. Cover the bed with newspaper.
Chop the organic waste finely, place it in the container and mix well.
Squeezing water out of the waste before it is added will also avoid the compost becoming too wet.
Mix the compost once per day, to allow air to reach the bacteria.
Keep the container covered properly to avoid entering of insects.

17. Place a cardboard box inner side of the container
Chop up organic waste, put it into the container & mix well
Keep the container covered properly
Cover the organic waste with seed compost

18. Be sure to stir the entire content once a day
The smaller the waste is chopped, the quicker it will ferment
Be careful not to let the moisture content become too high. Otherwise the fermentation will be inhibited.
Be sure to stir the entire content once a day

19. Removing the compost
If the breakdown of organic waste has taken place as expected, it should take around 3 months for the container to become full.
Once the container is full, part of the compost should be removed.
At this point, take care not to remove all the compost from the container.
The remaining compost will continue to act as the fermenting bed.
It takes 3 – 6 months for the container to become full with 500g of organic waste input everyday

20. Mature the compost
The compost that has been removed cannot be used as fertilizer immediately.
Remove the compost, and place it in a breathable cardboard box.
Keep the water content at the same rate as the compost (40-60%) and store for 2 weeks.
Finally organic waste will be changed to compost.

21. How to compost organic waste Composting centers
Seed Compost
prepared by
Takakura method : Organic waste
1 : 1
Pile up the mixture in a trapezoidal shape with a height of roughly m
Mix and shred
Repeat once a day stirring for about 7 days
Maintain the temperature at approximately over 600C.

22. Your final compost product is succeeded if,
Approximately moisture content around 40-60% and maintains the temperature at approximately 30 0C even after stirring.
Organic waste has lost shape almost completely.
It smells like a soil.
Extend fermentation period if fermentation is not yet completed.

23. When the fermentation is completed, dry the compost by spreading and ship it
No need to make new seed compost every time since the dried compost can be substituted for it
Fermentation performance is enhanced by replenishing new seed compost by little by little continuously