Extraordinary Results in Prof. Higa`s Garden

Foto: Osamu Miyagi
EM Journal
english
Extraordinary Results
in Prof. Higa’s Garden
Public Art: Terra Preta Project in Brussels
Dr. Tanaka’s Lectures in Germany
EM-Wine from Germany
EM Helpful with Shotgun Desease
Issue No. 51
March 2015
Digital Edition
51
EM e.V. Gesellschaft zur Förderung
regenerativer Mikroorganismen
EM Association Germany (NPO)
1
Contents
4
Okinawa:
Prof. Higas “Little” Big Garden
3 Editorial
4 Prof. Higa’s ”Little” Big Garden
8 Dr. Yoshimi Tanaka Lectures
in Germany
Extraordinary Results
after 10 Years of EM
8
14
13 What is EM?
Health:
Dr. med. Tanaka Lectures
in Germany
14 Effective Microorganisms
in a German Vineyard
Answers to Questions
for Dr. Tanaka
18 Straw Bale Gardening –
Growing Vegetables on
Bales of Straw
Cultivating Wine with EM:
Effective Microorganisms
in a German Vineyard
Straight Forward and
Innovative
20
11 Questions for Dr. Tanaka in
November 2014
Brussels:
Public Art Project with
EM and Terra Preta
Welcome to the
“Factory of Black Gold”
2 | EM Journal 51 | english | March 2015
17 Wonderful Successes in
Gardening with EM
20 “Temple of the Holy Shit”:
Public Art Project in Brussels –
with EM and Terra Preta
23 Kitchen-Bokashi
Simple and Inexpensive
24 Shot Hole Disease in a
Beloved Cherry Tree
26 Imprint
Contact Details
Topics in the Next EMJournals
Useful Links
Editorial
Dear reader,
After the founding of the German non-profit
organization for the promotion of EM and
Prof. Teruo Higa’s ground-breaking ideas in
2001, the first issue of the EMJournal was
­published in the summer of 2002. This quarter­
ly has been serv­ing the German-speaking
coun­tries – including German speaking EMfriends overseas – reliably for more than twelve
years now.
With the launch of the EMJournal english this
tradition will reach a new dimension. Whereas
the German edition will continue as a printed
magazine of 15,000 – 20,000 copies, the
English version will be available only digitally,
making it worldwide and cost-free.
It is appropriate that the founder of EM and
the EM-technology graces the cover of this
issue. In this cover picture, he displays an ex­
traordinary phenomenon made possible by
EM: two blossoms on a banana stem which will
eventually produce to two bunches of bana­
nas on a single stem. This proves the ­capaci­ties of the EM-technology and demonstrates
the ­possibilities for future agriculture and hort­
culture world wide.
Naturally, most topics in this magazine concern Europe and are written for a European
audience. Still, we trust that EM-users all over
the world will be able to draw conclusions from
these examples and use them for their specific
needs.
Prof. Panfilo Tabora from the EARTH University
in Costa Rica, congratulating the EMJournal for
10 years of regular publication in 2012 wrote:
”... it is my wish that this EMJournal can reach all
corners of the world.” We are happy that with
the digital English edition of the EMJournal we
can come a step closer to reaching this goal.
We dedicate this first issue of the English
­EMJournal to the late Prof. Dr. Ravi Sangak­kara
who for so many of us was mentor, teacher,
advisor and friend. As editor of the APNAN
news for more than 25 years he provided the
(EM)world with valuable information and profound insight.
We hope that this magazine will help to spread
the news about EM and to make this world a
better place.
Yours truly
Pit Mau, editor
PS: We are looking very forward to your
remarks, comments and suggestions at
[email protected]
EM e.V. Gesellschaft zur
Förderung regenerativer
Mikroorganismen
www.emev.de
EM Association Germany
(NPO)
3
1
Author: Pit Mau,
(Quotations of Prof. Higa
from Prof. Higa’s Monthly
Messages, Courtesy of Web
Ecopure/EMRO Japan)
Photography: Osamu Miyagi
1 Strong, healthy and tasty
EM vegetables have been
growing here for 10 years.
2 Prof. Higa’s gesture is not
(only) a simple victory sign,
but refers to the fact that
this banana tree developed
two equal, trunks, each of
which formed two fruit sets.
3 4 Beds or individual plants
are surrounded by plastic
bottles with activated EM·1
and water. They generate
an EM vibration field that
repels pests.
5 Also papayas grow very well
in the garden.
2
Prof. Higa’s “Little”
Big Garden
In his latest book entitled EM Effec­
tive Microorganisms – Our Perspective
(German translation of the Japanese
Original shin chikyu o suku daihen­
kaku, 2012), Prof. Higa gives many
examples from the little garden
which he planted on a derelict piece
of wasteland surrounded by residential build­ings. He calls it the “blue
sky ­palace for plants”. Anyone who
has read his book will have got some
idea of what the garden is like, but it
all really only becomes clear when we
see the pictures which Osamu Miyagi
(EMRO Japan) took for the EMJournal
in January on Okinawa.
4 | EM Journal 51 | english | March 2015
A Model Farm
Prof. Higa began working on this project shortly before his retirement from the University of
the Ryukyus in 2007. He saw it as a model for
EM agriculture. On an area of approximately 1,000 m2 he wanted not only to carry out
ex­periments himself, refine his methods and
observe the results precisely, he also wanted
to show what can be achieved by many years
of consistent use of EM technology combined
with exclusively natural cultivation. In addition
he wanted to demonstrate that it is possible
with­out any major technical input – for
­example for senior citizens who want to try
­farming – i.e. without ploughing and with
continuous cultivation, to achieve fantastic
yields both in terms of quality and quantity.
The first thing we notice in Prof. Higa’s garden is
the large number of plastic bottles surrounding
individual beds or plants like a fence. They not
only give the natural plot an optical structure,
but have also proved to have two practical effects. They create a kind of EM zone which repels pests, and they promote the growth of the
plants. Prof. Higa himself described this several
years ago: “EM users know that EM can create
a kind of barrier. If you hang, for example, ceramic and plastic bottles with activated EM at
the four corners of a bed, the crows stay away
and even the bulbuls [tropical bird similar to a
starling or blackbird] will rarely visit the beds.
At the same time the plants in these beds are
characterized by strong growth. It is, of course,
even more effective when beds (or fields) are
surrounded with such bottles every 4 or 5 metres.” As we can see from the pictures, the effect
seems to be improved when the bottles with
Activated EM are connected by water bottles.
The Best Way to Use EM
3
4
In 2014 Prof. Higa summarized his recommendations for the use of EM in the garden – and
by extension, of course, in agriculture.
“First, make good-quality Activated EM·1 that
is below pH 3.5, increase the amount of organ­
ic matter in the whole soil, and manage the
soil so that the microbiome is close to the type
of microflora of EM, which has predominant­ly beneficial microorganisms. And then spray
a 100-120 dilution of Activated EM·1 on foliage
every few days with a watering can or other
method. When you mix in Super Cera C [EM
ceramic powder] in a 1,000 to 2,000 dilution,
it will be even more effective.
If, however, insect pests still appear, thoroughly
spray the whole with a 3-5 part dilution of good
quality Activated EM·1. It is even more effective
if you add 1:500 parts Super Cera C. If you spray
this once every 2 to 3 days for a total of three
times, most insect pests will disappear.”
5
“As I have mentioned many times before, ­I
apply 400 liters of good quality Activated EM·1
to 1,000 m2 per month, and I always add a
1:1000 concentration of EM Super Cera C to it
[i.e. 400 g per 400 l].” This, of course, refers to
a garden in a tropical climate where the plants
grow all year round.
At the start of the development of EM·1, Prof.
Higa experimented with different types of
water for the best results with Activated EM·1.
The best effect was achieved with seawater.
(The water of the Pacific has a salt content
of around 3.45 percentage weight.) He also
uses seawater in his garden for activating EM.
5
It smells good, and the layer of yeast on the
surface tells him that it is of good quality.
6
7
8
But when he originally planted his garden his
concept was slightly different. He did not use
pure Activated EM·1, but EM-FPE (fermented
plant extract). To make it he used 1-2% rice
bran, 1% activated EM·1, 30 g EM ceramic powder, some finely chopped weeds, various herbs,
cut-off shoots and other vegetable material.
Everything is mixed well and left to ferment
for 4-5 days. Since then he has switched to fermenting chopped vegetable matter between
the rows on a strip of strong plastic sheeting.
Only the dissolved constituents flow into the
earth when the plants are watered so that
­there is no chance of over-fertilization.
“At the same time, I buried EM mud balls made
with EM Super Cera C (1:100-500 ratio) into
the soil at a depth of 30-40 cm, with a 1-1.5 m
inter­val between mud balls. … I put all organic
matter generated from my garden back into
the soil as a layer of grass and saturated it with
Activated EM after it rained, and applied a 5-10
part dilution whenever it dried out.”
As well as bananas, papayas and other fruits,
the garden also has various kinds of lettuce,
vegetables of all kinds, tomatoes and herbs.
Prof. Higa uses it to supply several families and
sometimes he brings some products from his
garden for the EMRO office workers.
Biological Border Crossings
9
This year the “blue sky palace for plants” is
ten years old. But just under two years ago
Prof. Higa was able to observe a phenomenon
which he had never experienced as professor
for ­tropical horticulture and which he had
­never even heard of. Two years ago he dis­
covered that three of his banana plants – last
year it was even ten plants – had two fruit
sets on a single trunk. As he writes himself:
“EM is used in the majority of organic
bananas grown in Latin America, and EM is
widely used in banana cultivation throughout
Asia, but up till now there has never been a
report of two bunches of bananas growing in
a single stem. However, starting last year, in
my banana ­orchard three plants have shown
this phenomenon of limit breakthrough, and
since the beginning of this year the phenomenon has been seen in about ten plants.”
6 | EM Journal 51 | english | March 2015
This is how he explains it: “Not only does
the sprayed EM rectify the electron flow of
the plant body to increase efficiency, it also
improves the microbiome of the soil and the
­rectification ­power in the soil. In part it is
critical to ­continue to use EM until results are
seen ­because continued use will improve and
stabilize the rectification power of EM.
Conversely, the various effects of an EM lifestyle are directly linked with the essential
­power of EM, in other words its rectification
force. Every bad thing – the environment becoming worse, increased health hazards, and
crops that do not grow sufficiently – is due to a
disturb­ance in electron flow, causing resistance
and a remarkable decrease in efficiency.”
This also explains why it is a good idea to
use EM continuously and generously and not
only occasionally like some other agent for a
certain purpose. As he succinctly points out
in his fundamental book An Earth Saving
Revolution, if EM is only partially used, you
will only get partial success.
10
6
7 Prof. Higa takes the
lid off a fermentation tank
with Activated EM·1. The
yeast layer on the surface
shows that the activated EM
is of good quality, made here
with sea water.
8 The banana grove in
Prof. Higa’s garden, in the
foreground we see vegetable beds, along which rods
with activated EM·1 bottles
extend the vibration field to
the third dimension.
9 The garden is surrounded
by residential buildings,
on the left the watering
tank with the EMRO logo.
10 The energy rectification
force of EM shows its full
power: two fruit sets on
one trunk indicate a genetic
border crossing.
11 Prof. Higa places pieces of
old carpet between the beds
to suppress weeds.
11
7
1
2
Dr. Yoshimi Tanaka
Lectures in Germany
Author: Pit Mau
Photography: Osamu Miyagi
(EMRO Japan)
1 Dr. Tanaka with the interpreter Dr. Monika Lubitz
2 With his clothing Dr. Tanaka
emphasizes his affinity with
the Japanese tradition.
When the German EM Association received an enquiry whether they would
be ­interested in organizing presentations by Dr. Yoshimi Tanaka in Germany,
the board did not take long to agree: yes, this would be a good opportunity to
have the chances offered by EM medicine explained to members and interested
persons by an experienced practitioner. In collaboration with the Swiss EM
Asso­ciation it was decided to organize one presentation near the Swiss border
so that the members there could also take part. This came out to be Singen/
Hohentwiel, the other venues were in Munich, Siegburg/Bonn and Hamburg.
The Lectures
Initial Experience with EM-X
Nobody had expected it: Dr. Tanaka had
decided to hold his lectures in traditional
Japanese costume. This was unusual but one
soon became accustomed to the elegance of
this mode of dress. He moves a lot and often
mimics body postures for the purpose of
illustration, resulting in a lively and humorous
presentation.
Dr. Tanaka’s presentation was divided into two
parts: In the first he gave some case examples
in which EM-X or EM-X Gold had achieved
healing. In the second part he talked about
modes of behaviour that can prevent illness.
A slight handicap to understanding were the
breaks for the translation. Dr. Monika Lubitz,
who has travelled for years as an interpreter
with the well-known water researcher Masuru
Emoto, was recruited for this task, and did an excellent job. Nonetheless, it would have been nice
to hear the presentations in a continuous flow.
8 | EM Journal 51 | english | March 2015
Without any long introductions, Dr. Tanaka­
began to present his first case, which had
opened his own eyes to the potency of EM
medicine. At the time he was treating a patient
who was suffering from a serious lung infection
and, on top of that, was infected with multiresistant germs. Even doses of 100-% oxygen
were ­barely reaching the lungs. The doctors
knew from experience that there was no
remedy, and informed the family accordingly.
As no more could be done therapeutically, the
family asked ­Dr. Tanaka to give the patient
EM-X. Although he was not familiar with it, he
had no objections, and administered 10 ml 3
times ­daily with a tube directly into the stomach.
On the first evening already the patient began
to perspire heavily, developed a fever, however
his breathing gradually stabilized. It was then
possible to reduce the oxygen concentration
step by step. After 4 days X-ray pictures verified
that the infection had almost passed. For Dr.
Tanaka this was such an impressive result that
he – a convinced and experienced practitioner
of conventional medicine, as he emphasized
several times in his presentation – began to
engage with alternative healing methods, and
began using EM-X and, soon afterwards, the
effect-enhanced EM-X Gold in therapy.
Case Examples
He then described individual case examples
from various areas. On the subject of Parkinson’s
disease he was able to cite a test series at the
hospital where he used to work. In this case
­sev­e­ral patients were given daily doses of
60 ml EM-X Gold. In at least 45 % of the cases
it was possible to stop the disease or at least
alleviate the symtoms.
He gave an illustrative description of another
impressive individual case concerning an old
woman with Parkinson’s. She suffered from
all of the distressing, typical symptoms of the
disease that make normal life impossible. Dr.
­Tanaka prescribed the daily administration of
EM·1 and 60 ml EM-X Gold. In the following
months the symptoms dimimished to the
extent that the medication could be reduced,
and she was again able to dress and generally
take care of herself. She was so happy that she
could laugh and jump again, but, unfortunately,
she fell over in the process and injured herself.
Skin Diseases
He described in detail the case of a 27-yearold patient with atopic dermatitis who had
already considered suicide due to her severe
skin rash, but then discovered EM. She had
to bear a worsening of the symptoms when
she first stopped using the steroid lotion.
Instead she started taking 60 ml of EM-X Gold
daily, applied zinc lotion with 5% EM-X Gold,
bathed in water with EM and changed her
eating habits, in particular by switching to
natural products. After two years, according
to Dr. Tanaka, she was hardly recognizable as
she was completely symptom-free and happy.
3
3 Sattva Valk, President of
the Dutch EM Association,
hands gifts to Dr. Tanaka
after the event in Siegburg.
4 Dr. Tanaka during his
presentation in Siegburg
Cancer
5 Dr. Tanaka in Hamburg
He also presented several cases of successful
treatments of cancer patients with EM-X Gold,
including cases regarded as incurable. In all of
these acute, life-threatening cases, the daily
doses of EM-X Gold were 150-500 ml. Dr. Tanaka
described an interesting observation. Surgeons
operating on patients who had taken EM-X
Gold before the operation came across largely
encapsulated tumours which, of course, could
be removed much more easily and safely. In
­general he would say that in around 80% of
4
5
9
the cases in which anti-cancer agents are used
in combination with EM-X Gold, there are no
or only mild side effects. The patients are so
­improved up that they can eat normally and
even leave the house.
Unlike Dr. Shigeru Tanaka (no relation) who
wrote several books about EM-X and EM-salt,
Dr. Yoshimi Tanaka is not the director of a
clinic and thus did not have much opportunity
to carry out serial investigations.
Health Systems in
Japan and Germany
As mentioned at the beginning, Dr. Tanaka
has been interested in alternative medicine
for some years now. He is currently receiving
additional training as a homeopath. Several
times in the course of his presentation he complained about flaws in the Japanese healthcare system, which is based strictly and exclusively on conventional medicine, and complimented Germany for our diverse alternative therapy options. In all health problems,
according to the doctor, treatment with EM
alone leads to an improvement in the patient’s
condition and alliviates the symptoms. But
patients who also change their lifestyle are
more likely to experience improvements and
be spared a worsening of their condition.
Preventive Medicine
In the second part of his presentation he
ex­plained how to live so as to ­avoid illness.
EM users with a conscious lifestyle among
the listeners found a lot of things here that
they already know and are certainly also
practising. He said that it is important to
listen to the body’s voice. Symptoms of illness
6 Listeners in rapt attention at
Dr. Tanaka‘s first presentation in Singen, which was
also attended by many
members of the Swiss EM
Association.
6
10 | EM Journal 51 | english | March 2015
are such voices. They indicate a weak­en­ed
immune system. Illness is the result. This is
why the self-healing properties have to be
reinforced. He identifies four essential areas:
healthy food and sensible eating, a healthy
bowel and active bowel activity, musculature
(exercise) and a happy, thankful soul. If the
soul is liberated, he sums up, the illness will
dis­solve. EM, in particular EM-X Gold, brings
about improvements in all of these areas.
Questions for Dr. Tanaka
At the end of this report you will find a summary of the answers to questions which Dr.
Tanaka was asked in writing by visitors at the
various presentations. Obviously, the questions
of 150 or 200 visitors could not all be dealt with
at the event. Dr. Tanaka was happy to answer
some questions from the audience, however,
and the listeners found that he dealt with each
ques­tion with seriousness, insight and care.
Summary
There is still no recapitulative representation
of all the experience with EM medicine (Be it
in Japan or in other parts of the world). This
is why anybody interested in this area has
to try and gain an overview himself. The last
­three EMJournals have featured articles by
Dr. Tanaka, several books by the recently
­deceased Dr. Shigeru Tanaka are available in
­German, and, of course books by Prof. Higa,
which contain examples and recommen­dat­i­ons, but in partic­u­lar descriptions
explaining the EM medicine system. Anyone
to whom it was not already clear was aware
after Dr. Tanaka’s presentations: we are all
called upon to accept responsibility for our
own health. EM is a very helpful tool for this.
Questions for Dr. Tanaka
in November 2014
At the four presentations by Dr. Yoshimi Tanaka the visitors had
the opportunity to write down their questions for Dr. Tanaka and
many of them took advantage of this. A whole series of questions
refers to the production of EM-X Gold and the difference to the
predecessor product EM-X and to EM·1. Members of the audience
also wanted suggestions for dosing and information about how
EM-X Gold works. As many readers are also interest­ed in this
information, we would like to try and answer this complex of
questions in the following. Notwithstanding this, we will also
contact those whose questions are not answered here.
How Is EM-X Gold Produced?
EM-X Gold is Prof. Teruo Higa’s further
­dev­el­opment of the predecessor product
EM-X, which is no longer produced. There
were already ­several stages of improvement
for the old EM-X, hence the term “EM-X of the
1st generation” used by Dr. Tanaka.
While EM-X was derived from the fermentation of EM·1 with organic materials such
as rice bran, papaya and seaweed, for EM-X
Gold Prof. Higa chose other ingredients for
the fermentation in order to achieve a
considerably enhanced effect.
EM-X Gold is the result of the careful fermentation of various materials with EM·1. These
materials are: water, sugar cane molasses,
yeast extract, coral calcium (Sango coral) and
magnesium sulphate (nigari). When fermentation is concluded, the metabolic products of
the microbes are filtered off to leave a liquid
which no longer contains any cells. It is so fine
that it is absorbed by the mucous membranes
before it even reaches the colon.
How Is EM-X Gold Taken?
EM-X Gold can be taken cold, hot or warm,
pure or in drinks. It is recommended to
heat EM-X Gold before taking it to around
85° C. In practice this can be done by adding
the ­respective dose to hot tea, coffee or
­water. It only needs to be heated up once.
The ­improved effect is retained even when
it cools down.
When food is heated there is always a
sacrifice in terms of the vitality of the food as a
giver of life. As, however, EM-X Gold contains
no living cells, heating it up causes no damage.
On the contrary, the forces in EM-X Gold
in­crease their effect by a factor of 6.
After the lectures
Dr. Tanaka was always
happy to answer questions
from the audience.
When Is EM-X Gold Taken?
The selected doses should be distributed over
the day. If it suits your daily routine, three
times a day, in the morning, midday and
evening. If it is more convenient, however,
then one dose in the morning and one in the
evening is sufficient. Dr. Tanaka recommends
taking it before meals.
Which Doses Are Recommended?
Overdosing?
For the maintenance of good health and
for prevention purposes the manufacturer
recommends 10-30 ml per day. Dr. Tanaka was
asked this several times. He gave the non-bind­ing recommendation to take up to 30 ml of
EM-X Gold daily for prevention purposes, and
to increase the daily dosage to 60 ml if one is
ill or under heavy strain, and up to 150-500 ml
daily in the case of serious illness. Needless to
say, this should always be discussed with and,
as necessary, overseen by a doctor or healing
practitioner.
11
It is advisable to start with a small amount­
(e.g. 1 teaspoon) and then gradually increase
this to the desired dosage. Just as with homeopathic or natural healing agents, there may be
an initial reaction. This has been mentioned in
various experience reports. In such cases the
dosage should be reduced or briefly suspended
and then increased to the desired dosage when
the reaction has eased.
In Dr. Tanaka’s experience, EM-X Gold cannot
be overdosed.
What Is The Difference between
EM·1 and EM-X Gold?
EM·1 is the basic product for the whole EM-technology. It is a mixture of living microorganisms
developed by Prof. Higa. EM·1 itself can be
multiplied (= fermented) to EMa (= Activated
EM·1) with water and sugar molasses. EM-X
Gold is the concentrated form of the metabolic
pro­d­ucts of EM·1. It contains no microorganisms.
EM-X Gold does not work symptomatically
like, for example, a drug. EM-X Gold is
not a drug! It helps to improve the overall
condition of the body and can thus have an
influence on the symptoms of illness. It has a
strong antioxidant effect, surplus free radicals
are rendered harmless, many elementary
functions of the body are revitalized. In this
way it reinforces the immune forces and
activates the body’s self-healing mechanisms.
In his book “EM-X” (Jap. edition 1998/2002) Dr.
Shigeru Tanaka notes that chemicals clearly
work better when EM-X is taken in parallel.
This observation, like most of the other
observations of the effects of EM-X Gold, has
not yet been scientifically researched.
Interactions with other medications have not
been observed. As EM-X Gold works on a
different level than chemical agents, one would
not expect this.
How Does EM-X Gold Work?
What Is the Difference between
EM-X Gold and Manju?
EM-X Gold contains enzymatically active antioxidants. This means that the full anti-oxidation potential only develops its full effect on
the basis of enzymatic chain reactions in the
body cells. For this reason we can only measure
a fraction of the anti-oxidant effect of EM-X
Gold. In particular the energetic quality
(resonances) of the ingredients, their interactions with the effective microorganisms
as well as the resulting metabolic products
determine the efficacy of EM-X Gold.
The factory in which the first EM-X developed
by Prof. Higa was produced began around 20
years ago to sell a beverage based on the same
production technology in a different market
sector. They called it “Manju”. This has also
been available in Europe for some years now.
Neither the manufacturer nor the European
distributor claims that this is EM-X. Because,
however, it comes from the same factories in
which EM-X used to be produced, some people
believe it is.
EM-X Gold is a very valuable
tool for maintaining the
health of young as well as
old people.
12 | EM Journal 51 | english | March 2015
What is EM?
EM is the abbreviation for Effective
Microorganisms, a term coined by
its discoverer, the Japanese agricultural scientist and university
professor, Prof. Dr. Teruo Higa. EM
technology has been in use around
the globe since 1982. EM·1® is a
multimicrobial mixture primarily
consist­ing of lactic acid and phototrophic bacteria, yeast and fermentactive fungi, most of which are
used to manufacture foodstuffs or
as ingredients. When this mixture
of natur­ally occurring and nongenetically manipulated microorganisms ­comes into contact
with organic materials, the microorganisms produce an abun­dance of
natural substances such as vitamins,
organic acids, min­eral chelate compounds and various antioxidants.
The perfect symbiosis of microorganisms in EM generates powerful regenerative forces, which
develop astonishing potentials in
the various milieus. These potentials
are put to use in the EM Technology.
Originally viewed as an alternative
to using chemical agents in agriculture, today EM is used around
the world also in the fields of
environment, industry and health.
When used in agriculture, EM promotes the rapid reproduction of
beneficial microorganisms, a prerequisite for the generation of
healthy soil, thus rendering optimal
growth conditions for every type of
plant. It is therefore possible to reach
high crop yields of high-quality
plants and fruits. EM creates an
excellent microbial balance which
contributes to suppressing pathogenic organisms and supporting
beneficial organisms.
The Main Groups of
Microorganisms in EM·1®
In the field of animal husbandry,
a healthy environment can be
creat­ed with the use of EM, in
particular owing to the reduced
usage of antibiotics and chemicals.
In addition, EM-fermented organic
materials used as a feed supplement contribute to animal health.
When treated with EM, instead
of putrefying, organic wastes can
be transformed into recyclable
resourc­es through the fermentation
process. This takes effect not only
on animal waste, but on domestic
waste, compost and sewage as
well. Unpleasant and hazardous
odors are minimized, if not com­pletely avoid­ed.
Lactic acid bacteria ferment organic matter and
produce organic acids that inhibit pathogens.
In the environmental field, EM can
be used to promote the biodiver­sity
in various ecosystems, including
water systems. EM expedites the
breakdown of sediments, thus also
improving the water quality.
In the household, EM can be used
like a home remedy for a multitude
of areas: from improving room
climate to cleaning to treating
organic waste.
Yeasts ferment organic matter and contain
vitamins and amino acids.
In addition, EM is being put to use
successfully as a base for other
products such as special cleansers,
as a supplement for clays and
construction materials, paints and
varnishes.
In general, it can be said, that EM
has a regenerative effect every­
where used. It strengthens life
force and health and prevents degenerative, pathogenic processes.
Phototropic bacteria (Photosynthetic bacteria)
work as key component in EM. They help maintain
balance with the other beneficial microorganisms,
allowing them to coexist and work together.
1
2
Effective Microorganisms in a
German Vineyard
Autor: Stefan Jesser
1 Roses at the start of the row
not only look good, they also
catch mildew earlier than
the vines and thus serve as
an early warning system.
2 The soil structure can be
checked with a spade sam­
ple: here we have good,
loose, humus-rich soil that
smells of fungus.
The Jesser Vineyard in Güglingen
We, Stefan and Britta Jesser, run a small vine­
yard which we took over from my parents in
1999, 20 km west of Heilbronn in the beautiful
Zabergäu region. My EM-enthusiast father still
helps out in the vineyard. We grow Trollinger,
Merlot, Burgundy and Lemberger grapes.
In 2009 we switched over to organic winegrowing and were granted Naturland certification. In the same year I attended a one-day
EM seminar given by Rolf Zimmermann (EM
Tech­no­logy Centre Baden-Württemberg) in
Lautenbach. We had our first experience with
EM on laurel trees which were wintering in
the garage. After spraying with a 10 % solution
of Activated EM·1, one tree even began to
blossom.
14 | EM Journal 51 | english | March 2015
EM Technology in the Vineyard
Every year in autumn, since 2010, we make a
bokashi compost of horse dung, wood chips and
grape marc with a 20% activated EM solution.
The material is loaded in regular proportions
on a slurry spreader and vaccinated with EM
when being spread. Then it is pressed with
the front-loader and tractor and covered with
a sheet for the winter. Temperatures during
the winter and the spring are mild enough
to ­ferment the material, so that after the soil
dries, the sweet-smelling bokashi can be spread
along the rows with a vineyard spreader.
Then the bokashi is worked lightly into the
soil with a cultivator. After around 14 days we
sow seeds between the rows. For many years
we have been using the “Wolff mixture” put
together with the help of an organic wine­
growing consultant. It consists of annual and
perennial plants with varying root depths,
and thus promotes the fertility of the soil. It is
also characterized by a high degree of plant
diversity and a high legume proportion. The
rich yield of herbs and blossoms provides
living space and food for insects and other
beneficials the whole year round.
In the Growth Phase
In the spring we apply 80 litres of activated
EM·1 to our vineyard soil, if possible shortly before a shower of rain. As an organic
ope­ra­tion we protect our plants, of course,
using only the approved substances:
liquid glass, sulphur, baking powder,
horsetail and small quantities of copper
(3kg/ha). Occasionally, in the late evening
we apply a spray of activated EM·1 and
powdered rock to which a small quantity of
EM ceramic powder is added.
In 2014 we tried out charcoal inoculated with
EM, which we received from Rolf Zimmermann as “Amino Terra”. In the Merlot vineyard
some of the soil is fairly low in humus. From
the ex­perience with tomatoes in our domestic
garden – i.e. that the roots “feel” where they
can find good nutrition and then grow in that
­direction – we applied the same principle to the
soil in the vineyard.
With the aid of a special spading machine
we dug holes between the vines. Each hole
was filled with a mixture of Amino Terra and
powdered rock, and then covered over with
soil. The result was not as obvious as with
the heavily consuming tomatoes, but it was
clearly notice­able that the growth of the
Merlot vine was improved. We are confident
that the work will pay off in the long term
because we are thus ­increasing the proportion of permanent humus. It is really nice to
observe how the vineyards are benefitting
from EM. The soil structure has clearly improved. The macro­organisms, in particular the
earthworms, have increased dramatically. The
vines have become more resistant to extreme
influences and the water-holding capacity has
improved. The ­vines profit from the immune
system of the soil. Our vineyards are generally
quite healthy. In 2014 we had prob­lems in the
region with the Asian vinegar fly (Drosophila
suzukii). We have had very positive experiences
with spraying a mixture of Activated EM·1 plus
powdered rock and EM ceramic powder.
3
4
5
6
3 Horse dung, wood chips and
grape marc are piled up for
the bokashi mixture.
4 The material is mixed in
the slurry spreader and
sprayed with activated EM
while being unloaded.
5 Then the mixture is placed
in a heap and compressed.
6 Under an air-tight cover,
the material ferments over
the winter.
15
7
7 In Jessers’ vineyard: You can
clearly see the alternately
sown rows, one row of grass,
then the “Wolff mixture”, a
spezial green manure.
Wine Production
Shared Experience
After harvesting, the grapes are brought to the
winegrowers’ cooperative two km away. The
“Weingärtner Cleebronn-Güglingen” have made
a good name for themselves over recent years
with their conventionally produced wine. But
customers were increasingly enquiring about
organic wine. In response to this, in the meantime three winegrowers have switched to organic cultivation, two of them working with EM.
The experiences with EM in the garden, in the
vineyard and in the household are being shared
in various seminars in the farm store with
integrated EM shop founded in 2011. My wife
Britta is always there to talk to people during
the opening hours.
The cellar master of the cooperative treats the
organically grown grapes with the same care
that he gives to the conventionally produced
grapes. This practice bore fruit in 2014. All
three organic wines took top prizes at an international organic wine-tasting event.
8 Amino Terra – substrate
fermented with nutrients
and EM for the production
of Terra Preta was dug in
between the vines.
8
9 Spring onions grow through
the grass bokashi, alongside this diverse vegetation
between the rows.
16 | EM Journal 51 | english | March 2015
The handling and use of EM in winegrowing
and other areas is a constant fascination for us,
so that a lot of this experience can be passed
on to the EM customers in the farm store. In
turn the customers report on their experience
with our tiniest cohabitants, providing the
ideal complement to our work so that
everybody benefits.
9
Diseased Cucumbers
I would like to report on two experiences from
the last gardening year: The cucumbers in the
green house last year were a complete flop. A
type of aphid, unknown to me and amazingly
prolific, had spread massively. I sprayed our
usual organic agent against aphids twice, but
soon noticed that it had hardly any effect, and
the chaos was complete. First a lot of leaves
died off, and then black sooty mould* (fungal
infestation) descended on the remaining
leaves. The use of beneficials at the start and
middle of July brought some improvement, but
the plants still looked miserable. By the end of
July I just wanted to pull them up.
But then I started to look at it as a challenge.
I decided to spray Activated EM·1 (1: 50) every
ten days. I watered the plants twice with a
supplement of Activated EM and nettle slurry
(around 1:10) and treated the plants themselves energetically. Within a short time the
cucumbers were completely transformed! They
had powerful growth, produced a rich harvest
and remained healthy until I cleared them in
mid-October. This had me jumping for joy.
The Bean Project
A different subject: The EMJournal featured
an article some time ago about the treatment
of seeds with EM ceramic powder. As we have
been cultivating a wax bean variety here for 35
years now, I wanted to try this out for myself.
1
2
Wonderful Successes
in Gardening with EM
Gerhard Gross has been a member of our association almost
from the very beginning. As a gardener in the nursery of a
Christian community in Franconia (Northern Bavaria) he has
been using EM, in particular homemade bokashi, for many
years. Now he has sent us a report on two experi­ences from
last summer which will certainly be instructive for many
people gardening with EM themselves.
There were still some beans standing around
from a project in 2005. I was actually going­
to throw them out, but then I thought that
would be a good opportunity to try if the EM
ceramic powder helps. I made a trial with and
without EM ceramic powder. I put four seeds in
each of five pots, i.e. a total of 20 seeds.
Of the seeds with the Super Cera powder, 16
germinated. The seeds without the powder
produced only two miserable plants. This made
a big impression on me and I thought it might
also interest others.
* Sooty mould: dirty, black mould on the ­leaves
caused by the honeydew secreted by the
aphids feeding on plant sap.
Author: Gerhard Gross
1 After the damaged parts
are removed, the cucumber
plants are in a pitiful state.
2 Gerhard Gross with his
revived cucumbers which
produced a rich harvest into
October.
3 Bean seeds without EM
4 Bean seeds with EM ceramic
powder
3
4
17
1 At the start the straw
bales have to be frequently
watered (oat straw bales on
March 26, 2014)
2 Adding undiluted Activated
EM·1 to the watered bales
(March 26, 2014)
1
Author: Veronika Kunz
2
Straw Bale Gardening –
Growing Vegetables on Bales of Straw
After coming across the book Straw Bale Gardens by Joel
Karsten, and ploughing through it in double-quick time, I had
a strong itch to try out what I had read. That was in March of
last year and thus the best time to immediately implement
my newly acquired knowledge. Before long there was a
square bale of wheat straw (200 x 60 x 80 cm) and four
small bales of oat straw (80 x 50 x 35 cm) lying in our garden.
Just four days after contact with the book, the experiment
could begin.
Preparation
First the bales have to be well watered and
then rinsed with fertilizer every 2-3 days,
mineral-based composite fertilizer, possibly
lawn ­fertilizer – without weed killer of ­course
– then the preparation takes two weeks.
I decided, however, on the organic version
and used organic fertilizer. Then the
preparation time is extended to three weeks.
Dissolved fertilizer pellets or vinasse are
ideal for this purpose. If you want, you can also
use a mixture of horn, bone or blood meal.
I also spread EM over the bales, as well as
small quantities of fermented biochar.
In the weeks of preparation I already noticed
that bales pressed too loosely are not so
suit­able. While the inside of my 4 small oat
straw bales did not warm up in the slightest,
the ­large wheat straw bale heated up within
just 5 days to almost 60°C: too much for our
microor­ganisms. Some of them probably
capitulated here right away.
18 | EM Journal 51 | english | March 2015
Planting and Sowing
After three weeks – the temperature had
normalized in the meantime – I was able
to start planting on the bales. First I tried
kohlrabi, cabbage and salad. The development of the plants was somewhat weak. The
cold weather finished off most of them. The
strawberries planted at the sides did not
grow as well as expected. There were growth
problems in particular on the small oat straw
bales, and the bales became softer and softer
inside due to the decomposition process.
So then I put down some home-grown cabbage
and cauliflower plants. A handful of soil in
the straw bales per plant without root balls is
sufficient. These plants came on and developed
quite well, showing that a longer preparation
time helps the plants to grow better. Potatoes
and maize were simply pressed into the bales.
The shoots of both appeared relatively quickly
on the surface. To sow carrots, leek, beetroot
and radishes I added a substrate layer of
approximately three cm to the bales of straw
and distributed the seeds thinly on this. Then
they were covered with a thin substrate layer.
The seeds germinated surprisingly quickly.
This was followed by tomatoes and paprika.
The growth of the tomatoes was quickly
apparent, but the paprika plants were taking
their time. I covered these plants with fleece.
There is always space at the sides to plant some
low flowers.
At the end of April, start of May I planted
pumpkins and courgettes. These were
pressed with the root ball right into the soft,
rotting straw – finished. It seems to take a little
longer for roots to develop, but then things
really get going. As of the end of May the
plants positively exploded. The fruit set
was substantial and the plants remained free
of disease and pests. In this type of gardening,
by the way, there are practically no weeds.
Harvesting
At the start of October I harvested the straw
bales, leaving only a beautifully decomposed
material, ideal for mulching or for working into
the soil. This loosens up the soil and provides
plenty of food for microbes and earthworms
that have already migrated into the bales of
straw from below.
This type of gardening can be recommended
in particular for anyone who does not have
a planting bed but a lot of paved or tarred
surfaces. This is perfect for a straw bale
garden. A nearby source of water, however,
is important.
3
5
All in all I find gardening on bales of straw a
good and exciting idea. At 24 Euros for a large
bale and 2 Euros each for the small bales, as well
as around 20 Euros for the fertilizer, it is relatively expensive. When buying bales of straw,
make sure they are pressed good and tight. If
possible, buy from farmers who use little or no
chemicals on their fields. And yet, eating vegetables homegrown without chemicals, freshly
harvested and consumed, is an indescribable
pleasure. And I find observing the growth and
maturing of the vegetables in the evening after
a stressful day is very relaxing, whether they are
planted in the earth or on straw.
The healthy, vitamin-rich vege­tables and the
relaxation factor are the best thing we can do
for our body. I would rather spend my money
on a garden project like this than bring it to
the pharmacy.
4
6
3 The addition of fermented
biochar on March 26, 2014
required great exertion as
this wheat straw bale was
very tightly pressed.
4 The large bale of straw
after around two months
(May 5, 2014)
5 The large bale of straw
after around three months
(June 22, 2014)
7
6 Pumpkins two months
after planting (July 3, 2014)
7 This is what the small
bales of straw looked like
on July 3, 2014. Kohlrabi
and salad were planted here
first in April, followed by
tomatoes, pumpkins and
paprika. Potatoes were also
layed.
8 Decomposed straw after
the harvest, good material
for mulching (Oct. 9, 2014)
8
19
2
3
“Temple of the
Holy Shit”
1
Public Art Project
in Brussels – with EM
and Terra Preta
Author: Pit Mau
Contact:
www.collectivedisaster.org
1 The rear of the “temple” is
conceived as a stage
2 At the right beside the toilet
stands the container for the
Terra Preta litter, on the left
the exit for children, the slide.
3 The raw materials as well
as the full urine and faeces
containers are kept in the
fermentation chamber.
W
hen, just a few years ago, people in
this part of the world first heard about
Terra Preta and its history, they were
fascinated not least of all by finding that the
native peoples of the Amazon Basin had also
used their own faeces to produce this highly
fertile soil. In 2011 EMJournal 37 recalled
the visionary theories of the Viennese artist
Friedensreich Hundertwasser, who was a
great advocate of composting toilets. His
manifesto “Shit Culture – the Holy Shit” (1978)
closes with the sentence: “The smell of humus
is the smell of God, the smell of resurrection,
the smell of immortality.”
And with hundreds of initiatives working on
the generation of Terra Preta in Europe, it is
no surprise that artists have got in on the act.
In EMJournal 43 we reported on the Berlinbased, Japanese artist Ayumi Matsuzaka, who
executed a workshop in Bejing teaching the
participants how to produce Terra Preta and
healthy home grown vegetables in the city.
She also gave an exciting and popular workshop
20 | EM Journal 51 | english | March 2015
on the subject at the general meeting of the
German EM Association in 2013. In the summer
of 2014 a project took place in Brussels that
put this idea into practice with an artistic
approach. The original poetic and symbolic
title of the project “Temple of the Holy Shit”
was changed right at the start in deference
to the local Muslim community to “Usine du
trésor noir”, “the Factory of the Black Gold”.
The project of the artist group COLLECTIVE
DISASTER took place within the framework
of a biennial festival initiated by the Brussels
Ministry for Environment, Energy and Munic­i­pal Renewal under the heading of Parckdesign 2014. The venue was a piece of wasteland that was transformed into a temporary
park where methods of alternative municipal
design could be tried out. “From the land­scape
to the ­plate” was the motto of the biennial
event which featured, among other things, an
artistically de­signed bee house, a sustainable
stable project for livestock, a minibus for a
wide range of ­activities, a vegetable garden
and a farmhouse as meeting place.
The Project
Temple of Holy Shit involves the installation
of a public dry toilet for the purpose of transforming the bio-waste generated by the park
and its ­visitors into fertile Terra Preta soil. This
will then be used in the vegetable garden and
other ­areas of the park. The collective was
advised by the Terra Preta experts Dr. Haiko
­Pieplow and ­Ayumi Matsuzaka (both from
Berlin), who spent a day at the park in the
summer giving ­lectures and ­demonstrations.
The central concept of the project is the
crea­tion of a functioning, continuous material
­cycle. Fruit and vegetables from the garden
are ­consumed, the people go to the toilet
there, the bodily excretions are separated,
enriched with EM and carbon before being
dumped. They are then left to ferment, after
which they are subjected to a humification
process to ­create good fertilizer. This highquality ­fertilizer is then available for use in the
vege­ta­ble garden and the whole park.
At the centre, sheltered under a bridge, stands
the “temple” in distinguished black, raised on
several steps with the roof supported at the
front by “columns”. There are two slides leading
out from the back – a treat for children, who
can use this as the exit. The roof projects at the
front to create a space for public performances
of all kinds – concerts, readings, lectures – and
thus puts the act of defecation at the centre of
things, not hidden away as is usually the case
in our culture. Underneath the temple, urine
and solid material mixed with EM and biochar
is collected in vats. When the vats are full they
are conveyed by a rail to the neatly shaped
oc­tag­o­­nal fermentation and storage facility,
where they are kept for three months. From
there the material is brought to the com­post­er,
where it is humified within a year. Other
organic waste from the park is deposited in
these practical and visually appealing crates
and turned into compost, too.
Such a project, which will be removed again
after six months, is made up, of course, of
cheap, simple and, wherever possible, recycled
mate­rials. Hence the inventive constructions of
wood­en pallets, chipboard and rough planks.
A Project for the Future
Anchored in the title is the idea that our
ex­cretions are valuable and should be treated
as such. When, due to the aid of EM and
biochar, they no longer smell unpleasant and
are no ­longer a danger to health, then we can
actually begin to manage them in a different
way. It is not necessary to completely reverse
our habits (as in Bunuel’s film The Phantom
of Liberty). It is like in a theatre: in order
to illustrate an idea, a certain amount of
hyperbole is required. Col­lective Disaster have
achieved this in exemplary fashion. This is why
it is also good news that they took 2nd prize
at the Blue Responsibility Awards 2014 for a
business model on the basis of this project.
4 Usine du trésor noir – on the
left the “temple” with the
two toilets, in the middle
the fermentation chamber
and on the right the
composters.
4
21
5 The artist Valentina Karga
from COLLECTIVE DISASTER
explains the project. On the
right, the Berlin-based artist
Ayumi Matsuzaka who,
along with Haiko Pieplow,
helped with the conception
of the project.
5
6
7
8
6 Pre-fermented waste material with EM and biochar
already added is mixed with
earth and straw for composting, and then covered. After
six months at the most, the
compost can be spread in
the park.
7 The project also included a
small oven to produce biochar from waste wood, but
which could also be used for
cooking.
8 The biochar was mixed with
EM provided by Agriton
Belgium.
9 Children love the slide, even
when they don’t have to use
the toilet.
9
22 | EM Journal 51 | english | March 2015
Kitchen Bokashi –
Simple and Inexpensive
Authors: Ulf Weigel/Pit Mau
Our member Ulf Weigel has been living for the last year in Mexico, where
he developed a simple method for the production of kitchen bokashi. At the
beginning, when he was getting to know a lot of new people, he (of course)
told them all about EM, which most of them were unfamiliar with. Many of
his acquaintances had gardens and were keen to try it out. To help them and
convince them quickly, he developed a method of making bokashi simply and
cheaply so that he could give it to people “clean”.
F
irst you need two buckets, tapered
towards the bottom so that they fit
into each other. Make plenty of adequatelysized holes in the bottom of the inner bucket
so that surplus liquid can flow off. This juice
does not turn bad because it is sealed
completely airtight. It is an excellent liquid
fertilizer, which, however, should be well
diluted. If the upper bucket does not have a
lid to seal everything airtight, then you can
use a sand-filled bag to seal off the organic
material tightly at the top. It must, of course, be
protected against the rain.
It is very important to spray the organic material (kitchen waste) with EM, or to cut it small
and mix it with EM before placing it in the
bucket and squeezing it really tight to press
out all the air. The smaller the better, but
in this Mexican example we see that larger
pieces can also be easily turned into bokashi.
2
1
1 Kitchen bokashi should
not be exposed to the air,
but always worked straight
into the soil, where it
serves as a nutrients depot.
2 The well-compressed
organic material ferments
within a few weeks,
but barely changes its
appearance. Packed
airtight in a plastic bag,
it keeps for a long time.
Once the bucket is full, it is left for at least two
weeks to ferment before the material is dug
into the ground; at cold times of the year for
at least 4 weeks. The longer the better. This
kitchen bokashi cannot be spread directly on
the plant beds because it quickly rots and
develops a bad smell in contact with oxygen, it
also attracts animals that can smell the good
quality of the bokashi from a distance.
To turn all organic waste material into firstclass fertilizer in this way, you need either
­several such bucket constructions or you
­emp­ty the full bucket into a plastic bag, press
out all the air and tie it tight. The material
conti­nues to ferment for one or two months,
getting better all the time.
We can well imagine how “el Aleman’s”
hostess gift attract­ed attention at the garden
parties of his Mexican friends and aroused
people’s interest in EM. Perhaps this might be
a good gift idea for your next visit to a garden
party ...
23
1 Shot hole disease on the leaf
on the right and also on the
ripe cherry (black dot on the
right-hand side of the fruit).
2 The cherry tree is located to
the right of the fence. It is
shielded from the wind by
two other trees. This means
it takes longer to dry out,
which favours the spread of
shot hole disease and other
fungus diseases.
1
2
Shot Hole Disease in a
Beloved Cherry Tree
Author: Patrick Füglister
W
e have been using EM in our garden for
10 years now. Over the years the range
of application areas for EM products has been
increasing steadily. The orchard has a total of 12
different pome and stone fruit trees. For around
five years we have been giving the soil around
the trees EM bokashi, in the last two years with
added Terra Preta biochar. One of the trees is
a cherry tree of the Whiteheart Cherry variety.
This is a specialty variety from the Bielersee
­region. For us it is one of the best varieties. Our
grandparents already had such a tree.
Fortunately, we had worked our way into the
subject of spraying in the previous two years
and did not have to start from scratch. The
knowledge acquired in the regular inspection
tours of the orchard over the years also proved
very valuable. In 2013, as a result of a very wet
spring, the cherry tree suffered a massive
attack of shot hole disease. Looking back,
we re­al­ized that the cherry tree had been
increasing­ly succumbing to shot hole for
several years, but we were only recognizing
this now.
Up to 2012 a neighbour had sprayed our trees
with chemical agents for us five times per year.
When this was no longer possible we decided
to do the spraying our­selves, but using only
natural ingredients. With the newly purchased
motor sprayer we can now easily reach the
tall trees. Whereas general recommendations
advise a gradual switch from chemical to
natural spraying agents over several years, we
decided for a redical switch. Nonetheless we
wanted to achieve a fruit quality similar to that
of the previous integrated sprayings.
Shot hole is a fungal disease which can spread
even at relatively low temperatures. The
disease spreads rapidly in damp, cool, rainy,
spring weather. A heavy attack can seriously
weaken the tree and even kill it, which we
wanted to prevent.
24 | EM Journal 51 | english | March 2015
As an immediate remedy we tried to help the
tree with a suitable spray. On one of our inspection tours four weeks later we discovered
to our great joy and surprise a lot of ladybirds
and their larvae on the diseased and sprayed
leaves. The newly grown leaves were healthy. A
prolonged period of good weather will also have
contributed towards the positive response.
Encouraged by this result, it was decided to
continue spraying the tree at regular intervals
of roughly two months even through the
winter. In the following year we continued
spraying the shoots and flowers. The cherry
tree re­cov­ered from shot hole disease, to which
the varie­ty is susceptible, and the yield of our
beloved cherry variety was plentiful. The spray
mixture we chose had obviously worked even
during the dormant period in winter. We were
able to dispense completely with copper-based
prep­arations.
To ensure healthy nutrition, the tree was
supplied several times with Terra Preta bokashi
and the branches were thinned out to make it
more airy so that it can dry out more quickly.
This helps to minimize the conditions for the
spread of the disease in the tree, even though
there are still two trees on the neighbouring
site blocking the wind. These accompanying
measures were carried out in consid­eration of
the mutually influencing factors of nutrition,
pruning and plant protection.
To spray the tree we used the following
pro­d­ucts. The quantities given refer to 10 litres
of spray.
- 25 ml neem oil-emulgator mixture
- 50 ml liverwort extract
- 100 ml EM5
- 600 ml Activated EM·1
- 50 ml EMa fermented with plants*
- 120 g Biolit-Ultrafein (stone flour) – Attention!
Only added to spray the shoots!
- 20 g EM ceramic powder – Attention! Only
added to spray the shoots!
3 The condition of the foremost
leaf is often observed in
cherry trees. There can be
a wide range of causes, e.g.
small injuries at an early
stage by wind etc. But this
branch is healthy, probably
also had shot hole disease in
spring.
3
4
5
4 The new leaves are typical
for cherry trees. This shoot
had been attacked by the
black cherry aphid. After the
beneficials have dealt with
the aphids, or they were
killed by spraying, the shoot
recovers and the new leaves
are almost the same shape
as normal. While sucking
out the nutrients, the aphids
introduce a toxic substance
to the leaves which causes
them to curl up. This toxic
substance is still present even
after the aphids are dead.
The toxic becomes ­diluted but
still causes a slight bending
of the leaves.
5 Cherry leaf with typical
shot hole symptoms and
ladybird larvae. The first
spraying with EM took place
one month earlier.
6 Branch with shot hole and
aphids two days after the
first spraying.
6
The mixture was always adjusted to the
current situation. To avoid residues on the fruit,
stone flour and EM ceramic powder are only
added to spray the shoots. In the case of robust
fruit varieties and healthy trees, only rapeseed
oil and EM are sprayed on the shoots. As well
as the crown, the trunk and the tree pit are
also sprayed.
Spraying was done in the evenings when
the bees were no longer flying or, if this was
not possible, between six and eight in the
morning. With this strategy there were
absolutely no problems in the garden with
burning, even on sensitive plants such as
tomatoes and cucumbers.
“The health of the tree depends on the nutrition,
the pruning and, only in last place, on the spraying.”
Patrick Füglister
25
*
Herbs for the Fermented
Plant Extract
I have the good fortune to live in the
countryside. Before I make a new herb
fermentation, I take a look around the
fields and meadows to see what I can find.
On a fine, sunny morning I will take a
stroll over the fields. I always carry garden
shears and a large paper bag. Then I look
for the herbs, usually along the side of the
road or at the edge of fields. If the soil
has a lot of clay you will easily find the
common horsetail in the fields. Horsetail
can also be found in the woods.
I know quite a lot of herbs that are known
to have a healing effect. I cut a few of
these as well and leave the roots in the
ground. Depending on the time of year,
I use either the herb or leaf and blossoms.
I never pick too many from any one place.
The plants have to be conserved and there
are a lot of beneficials that make use of
the plants such as wild bees, summer birds,
bee­tles etc., and in the autumn many of
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Translations:
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Photography:
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EMRO Japan, Stefan Jesser, Pit Mau, Albert Nüchel,
Reinhard Mau, Patrick Füglister
the birds depend on the seeds as food.
I only ever take as much as I need so that
there is enough left over for our fellow
creatures.
- 1/4 nettles
- 1/4 common or garden horsetail
(both the same)
The rest, some of it from the garden:
narrowleaf and broadleaf plantain,
yarrow, dandelion, common or garden
sage, shepherd’s-purse, camomile, lemon
balm, thyme, a little mint and borage.
If I see any other herbs that I think will
suit, I take some of these. At home I
examine my harvest. If the plants are
dirty, I wash them. Others only need to
have the dust shaken off. I cut them to
two to three cm wide on a wooden board
and then ferment them immediately.
(Report by Patrick Füglister’s mother)
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South Africa – Organic Tomatoes with EM / Nurseries with Ornamental
Plants in Switzerland / Single Family Dwelling with EM from Scratch /
How do Trees React to Elektrosmog / EM-Health
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26 | EM Journal 51 | english | March 2015
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