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Activated EM (multiplying mother EM)

Activated EM (multiplying mother EM)

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Microbial inoculant from commercial EM-1

Inoculants Bio-input
commercialized
Fermentation

Fermentation

Biological transformation of the plant material by microorganisms (yeasts, bacteria) in total or partial absence of oxygen, releasing and transforming active compounds over a longer period than the other techniques (days to weeks).

Process summary

1) Chop the plant material and submerge it in water, in a wide, non-airtight container (to let gases escape). 2) Stir daily during fermentation. 3) Let ferment from several days to several weeks, depending on ambient temperature, until it stops foaming. 4) Strain and dilute before use — the undiluted product can be very concentrated.

See all preparation methods

🟠 Not prohibited

Liquid inoculant that brings a large population of fermenting microorganisms to the soil and organic matter.

Application

Application description: To the soil, diluted in irrigation water or with a watering can; also to activate compost, bocashi and growing beds.

Dose: Indicative (manufacturer): 190 to 375 litres of activated EM per hectare per year, in 4 to 8 applications, diluted in irrigation water.

Tips

Mother EM cannot be made at home: it is a commercial culture whose strains are not published; here it is only multiplied. For a fully home-made inoculant, see Mountain microorganisms or Indigenous microorganisms (IMO). Keep to the proportions: other doses give poorer results. Do not re-multiply from activated EM (it degrades). Ideally use within 35 days, at the latest within 65; store cool and shaded, never frozen. If it smells rotten or the pH rises above 4.5, discard it. Do not mix with chlorine, copper or fungicides.

Preparation process

1) If using tap water, leave it uncovered for 24 hours so the chlorine evaporates. 2) Dissolve the molasses in part of the warm water. 3) Pour into a clean 20-litre drum, add the rest of the water and then the mother EM; shake. 4) Fill the drum almost to the top (little air) and close it. 5) Keep it in the shade at 17 °C or more; open the cap every 1–2 days to release gas. 6) It is ready around day 7: pleasant sweet-sour smell, colour turned from dark brown to orange-brown, pH between 3.2 and 3.8.

Ingredients

  • Water ⓘ
  • Molasses ⓘ
  • Effective microorganisms (EM) ⓘ
  • For 20 litres: 1 litre of mother EM (EM-1, a commercial culture of effective microorganisms: lactic acid bacteria, yeasts and photosynthetic bacteria). 1 litre of pure cane molasses. 18 litres of clean, unchlorinated, lukewarm water.

Tools and equipment

  • 20-litre drum with cap. Funnel. Measuring jug. pH strips or meter.

Preparation time

7 days of fermentation (longer in cold weather).

Product obtained

Orange-brown liquid with a sweet-sour smell.

Source / Reference

TeraGanix and EM Research Organization (EMRO): “EM-1 Activation Instructions” (standard activation protocol: 5 % EM-1, 5 % molasses, 90 % water; 7 days; pH 3.2–3.8). Recipe written in our own words.

Recipe written in our own words by biopreparados.es. Copyright and sources

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Contact person

Grégory Prybys
Tel: +33 7 75 76 37 70 — WhatsApp: +54 9 11 2157 0868
Country: Argentina

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Regulatory status

🟠 Not prohibited (made on the farm for own use)

No European text names activated EM. Multiplying it on one’s own farm for one’s own use falls under no authorisation regime: Regulation (EU) 2019/1009 only covers fertilisers placed on the market. In organic farming, Regulation (EU) 2018/848 (Annex II, Part I, point 1.9.6) generally allows preparations of micro-organisms to improve soil condition or nutrient availability: the certification body will decide. Check that the mother EM you buy is authorised for sale in your country.

Official texts

Official sources automatically checked on 20/10/2026.

What the icons mean: ✅ Authorised ⚠️ Tolerated 🟠 Not prohibited ⛔ Not authorised EU 🔎 Status being verified Full details →

Documentary information, checked on 20/10/2026. Not a substitute for legal advice; regulations may vary from country to country. See the regulations · Substances authorised in Europe

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