Pun Pun Farm: 6. EM2 - Effective Microorganisms for Growing Plants

This is the second post on effective microorganism (EM) cultivation. See the first post on EM for some history.

Today we made four batches of EM using three different plants (pumpkin, grass and bamboo) and one made from chicken dung, rice husks and fish.

The ratio for making EM is 3:1:10 - three parts plant matter, one part sugar, and ten parts water. Once the ingredients are collected and mixed, they are put in a shady spot for 15 days. Then they are ready for use as an additive to the soil.

The first thing we did was gather plants. Once they were gathered, we weighed them into three kilogram lots and put them into buckets. Next, we added one kilogram of unrefined molasses to the plants, and then added ten litres of water to the bucket, placed a lid on the top loosely to allow air in, and set them aside. The whole process took about 2 hours.

How to Make EM

Pi Jo prepares a pumpkin

Weigh pumpkin to yield 3 kg

Slice into small pieces

Measure out 1 kg sugar (molasses in this case)

Pour 1 kg of sugar into the bucket with pumpkin

Add 10 litres of water

Put lid on loosely and put into a shady place for 15 days

Grass EM

Cutting grass for EM

Have fun collecting grass!

Weighing grass

Pouring molasses in grass

Water is added and now ready for the lid and put in a shady place

Bamboo EM

Preparing bamboo for EM

Cutting bamboo into small pieces

All done! Pumpkin, grass and bamboo fermenting

I'll be checking the progress of the fermentation every few days or so to see how it changes.

Four Days Later

All three buckets have a pleasant vinegary aroma. Inside microorganisms are doing their work, creating a whitish film as they eat the sugar and the plant matter:

Pumpkin

Bamboo

Grass

The grass looks like it might need more water to cover it, but the EM process is working.

Eight days later

Eight days and the microorganisms (and not so micro-organisms!) are really eating up the sugar and plant matter. The aroma is much stronger, but not unpleasant. Recall: as long as air gets into the buckets, the type of microorganisms contained won't produce strong sulfury-stinky smells. If you notice a bad odour at the very early stages of fermentation, you can try to salvage the mix by adding more sugar and ensuring air gets into the buckets.

All buckets show a more dense, thick growth on the surface. The pumpkin bucket has white maggots thriving on the stuff. Again, not to worry. They help decompose the plant matter. Here are some photos at day 8:

Pumpkin. Note the white maggots!

Bamboo. Fewer maggots.

Grass. Still looks like it needs more water, but decomposition is happening.

Fifteen Days Later

A thick covering over the pumpkin and the bamboo makes it hard to see any of the vegetables. The grass decomposing well but still can see it. The EM is now ready for use.