10 major mistakes in the use of EM drugs

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After reading the excellent characteristics of EM drugs, many summer residents immediately begin to use them in their gardens and ... often do not get the expected result. Disappointed and return to the use of mineral fertilizers and pesticides. Why EM technologies do not work? What mistakes do gardeners and gardeners make? Let's try to understand this article.

EM preparations are biological fertilizers containing beneficial, microscopically small, living organisms. In vivo Effective Microorganisms (EM) live in the soil, actively cleansing it of pathogenic microflora. This contributes to the improvement of the soil and increase the productivity of vegetable and field crops, orchards, etc.

In recent years, EM preparations have been widely used in summer cottages, agricultural enterprises, and in everyday life (baking, souring, cooking kvass, wine, eliminating unpleasant odors and cleaning lavatories and wastewater, washing, etc.).

But for live microfertilizers to work, you need to take into account their shortcomings and some features of the application. And only then will the final positive effect be obtained. In this case, the main minus the use of EM drugs — it's a long wait for a permanent positive effect. It will begin to appear in 3, and sometimes (in clogged and depleted areas) or more!

But, the mistakes that summer residents make when using EM drugs do not allow effective microorganisms to show their full strength.

1. Dilution of concentrate by eye

Dilution of the concentrate “by eye” to the base and working solutions dramatically reduces the effectiveness of live microfertilizer. When diluting solutions, the required conditions must be carefully observed.

See our article on how to dilute concentrate to basic and working solutions. How to increase soil fertility without manure and mineral fertilizers?

2. Heated stock solution

Some summer residents to accelerate the fermentation and faster awakening of "sleepy" microorganisms, heat the stock solution. Leave at a hot radiator, in direct sunlight or use quartz lamps for heating. EM preparations are live bacterial fertilizers and when heated to + 40 ° C or placed in other extreme conditions for them, they begin to die, dramatically reducing their effectiveness.

3. "Porridge with butter ... spoil !!!"

Starting work with EM-preparations, some gardeners and gardeners believe that "you can’t spoil the porridge with butter." However, an overdose, improper or untimely use leads to a negative effect. Plant treatment and soil application should be carried out only in accordance with the requirements of agricultural crop technology and care recommendations.

4. Use of stale working solution

Often, summer residents prepare a larger amount of solution than is required for processing, believing that 1-2 days will not affect the quality of the working solution, and it will still be suitable for processing. This is a serious mistake! For treatments only freshly prepared working solution should be used. It is not subject to storage!

5. Combination of EM preparations with a mineral water and pesticides

Very often, gardeners combine the processing of soil and plants with EM preparations with mineral fertilizing and the processing of pesticides. Remember, EMs do not tolerate poisons (like diseases and pests) and die almost completely (especially when spraying plants). Therefore, even alternate treatments with EM drugs and pesticides do not lead to the expected effect of using the latter. And, of course, you will not get an organic crop.

The introduction of mineral fertilizers is also undesirable, since the soil microflora switches to "artificial nutrition", processing not organic matter, but mineral compounds into forms accessible to plants. Even ash must be applied in very moderate amounts. Therefore, it is necessary to abandon the use of mineral fertilizers and, especially - from pesticides.

EM preparations can be combined in tank mixtures only with biological products. This technique increases the effectiveness of plant treatments against fungal and bacterial diseases and the massive invasion of various pests.

6. Lack of nutrition for effective microorganisms

There will be no effect from the use of EM reparts if the soil is cultivated by them without providing them with food. Living microorganisms will not be able to increase the fertility of sand unless it is supplied with organic food for soil biota. Therefore, when switching to EM technology, do not forget to feed live microfertilizers.

To provide EM nutrition, the use of siderates, soil mulching, the systematic introduction of manure, humus, organic (kitchen) household waste, crop residues from the garden (healthy), fallen garden foliage, etc. are effective.

7. Deep digging of the soil

When using EM technologies, it is impossible to dig the soil deeply (25-30 cm, bayonet shovel) with a turnover of the reservoir. In deep soil layers, EMs lack the oxygen, heat, and other familiar conditions necessary for them to decompose organic matter.

It is necessary to go to surface loosening (not deeper than 5-15 cm). This is necessary to maintain the viability of EM - in the deeper layers they die! In this case, the plants will look “hungry”, their development will stop, and involuntarily the gardener will switch to the mineral nutrition of the plants to save the crop.

8. Raw seed

Harvest begins with planting material. The mistake is made by those gardeners who believe that it is not necessary to pickle the seeds before sowing (especially those grown independently). Untreated seed material can bring especially malicious negative microflora - fungal, viral, and bacterial diseases - when sowing in the soil or when growing seedlings.

EM will spend considerable effort on its destruction, which will reduce the effectiveness of their impact on the decomposition of organics, and therefore (ultimately) on the yield of crops grown.

9. Weeds

With EM technology, the plot cannot be overgrown with weeds, and with sufficient organic nutrition, a weed “boom” is observed in the early years. It is necessary to thoroughly clean the site of weeds, preventing their insemination. So gradually the site will be cleared of weeds.

10. Dry soil

Do not apply EM preparations to dry soil. In the absence of moisture, EMs fall into suspended animation and stop working. Therefore, when applying EM solutions to the soil, it must first be moistened or treated with a working solution after watering.

In the warm season, after weeding and mulching, it is imperative (especially in the early years) to treat the soil with a working solution of an EM preparation at a dilution of 1: 1000.

Dear readers! Remember the basic requirements of EM technology:

EMs are living organisms / micronutrient fertilizers. They need food (rough organic matter), moisture and heat.
It is necessary to use EM preparations for application to the soil at a soil temperature not lower than + 10 ... + 12 ° C in the upper root-inhabited layer.
Plants should be sprayed at a temperature not lower than + 15 ... + 20 ° C, preferably in the morning or after 15 hours.
EM organisms do not tolerate bright light and drought.

Use EM drugs correctly, do not wait for an instant result and, believe my experience, they will not disappoint you!