Making Compost Teas With Effective Microorganisms

Compost Tea and EM•1®.

Get the best of both worlds!

Compost teas have often been confused with EM-1® Microbial Inoculant. Compost tea is a liquid extract made from aerobically bubbling air through compost in order to grow aerobic microbes. The tea's quality is directly related to the quality of the compost and has a very short shelf life. The aerobic microbes require air to stay alive. Once the air is gone, they start to die off. Compost tea quality varies from batch to batch as the microbial populations vary with each new batch.

Commercial Tea Brewer using EM in San Francisco

Effective Microorganisms&trade contains facultative microbes, is consistent in quality, and is very stable, with a shelf life of several years.

The picture (above) is a commercial-sized tea brewer used at Harding Golf Course in San Francisco. They brew compost tea and inoculate with EM-1^® Microbial Inoculant as part of their greens program.

Our suggestions are to make your compost with EM-1^® Microbial Inoculant to ensure a high quality compost (see our composting section to see that the use of EM-1^® Microbial Inoculant increases the production of aerobic bacteria in compost and also speeds up the composting process). Once the compost is complete, you can make a high quality compost tea..

Making Tea

To make compost tea, follow the instructions of Dr. Elaine Ingham. She is the authority on compost teas. You can hear some of her lectures at the ACRES USA conferences. There is no need to reinvent the wheel here. The brewing process takes about 24 hours. Once the aeration cycle is completed, add Activated EM-1® Microbial Inoculant at a rate of 1:50 (1 gallon per 55-gallon drum works great!).

Activated EM•1®

Materials

Tools to help the preparation process

Molasses
Clean Water
EM•1^®
A funnel
A measuring cup and spoon
pH paper to check pH.

Recipes

To Make 1 liter or quart:

Add water to fill 80% of the plastic bottle
Then add 50ml (1.7oz) of molasses and 50ml (1.7oz) of EM-1^® in the bottle
Shake the bottle to dissolve the molasses. Top off with water.
Cap the bottle tightly and keep in a warm place.

Making 5 gallons of Activated EM-1®:

Add water to fill 50% of the plastic container
Then add 28 oz. of molasses and 28 oz of EM-1^® in the bottle*
Shake the container to dissolve the molasses and top off the container with warm water.
Cap the container tightly and keep in a warm place

*Dissolve the molasses with warm or hot water before adding it to the container. This makes the preparation easier.

Making 55 gallons (208 liters) Activated EM-1^®

Add 30 gallons 100oF Water
Add 2.5 gallons molasses
Add EM-1^® Microbial Inoculant
Fill drum with 100oF Water
Seal drum and keep in warm place

Making a tote of (275 gallons) or 1,000 liters of Activated EM-1^®

Add water to fill half of the tank
Then add 12 gallons of molasses and 12 gallons of EM-1^® to the tank*
Top off the tank with more warm water to prevent excess airspace.
Cap the tank tightly and keep in a warm place

When is it ready?

When the pH of the solution drops to 3.7 or below and has rested at this pH for 5-7 days, the Activated EM-1^® is ready to use. You will have about 30-45 days to use it at this point.

* Dissolve the molasses with warm or hot water before adding it to the tank.
This makes the preparation easier.

**During the fermentation process pressure builds up in the containers as the microbes digest the sugars. To avoid rupturing the container, "burp" it and reseal. Burping may have to be done one or more times per day. You may also use airlocks or blow off tubes similar to what is done in brewing wine or beer. For an example of what an airlock looks like and costs, click here. Airlocks and other brewing equipment can be found online through many home brewing suppliers or at a local home brew supply.

EM Activation Slideshow

Making Activated EM-1 step-by-step. Even a kid can do it.

Activated EM-1^®

NOTE

EM-1^® likes warm conditions. A suitable temperature for fermentation (propagation) of EM-1^® is from 86F to 104F (30C to 40C). In the winter, and other times when the temperature is low, after making the Activated EM-1^®(dissolving the molasses in hot water), place the EM-1^® next to a radiator, space heater, or other warm device, or even wrap it in a blanket or an insulator, in order to promote EM-1^® fermentation.

STORAGE

Activated EM-1^® should be kept in an expandable (plastic) air-tight container to keep it anaerobic and used within 30 days after the pH drops below 4.0.

Store Activated EM-1^® at room temperature, 68F to 86F (20C-30C). Refrigeration is not necessary.

In containers that are not completely airtight, a white layer of yeast will form on the surface. Since this may lead to putrefaction, remove the layer as needed and transfer to a container that can be closed tightly. Be sure to leave as little airspace in the bottle as possible.

If Activated EM-1^® has a foul smell or the pH rises above 4.0, the solution could be contaminated with undesirable microbes and should be discarded. This material is fine to pour into a long-term compost pile.

Ingredients

ACTIVE INGREDIENTS:
Microorganisms: 1 million colony forming units/cc (units/ml), 1%: Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus fermentum, Lactobacillus delbrueckii, Bacillus subtilis, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Rhodopseudomonas palustris.

INACTIVE INGREDIENTS:
96% Water and 3% Molasses

OMRI Listing

MSDS

EM-1^® (Effective Microorganisms™) Microbial Inoculant: Agriculture

PREPARED: 09/01/06

PRODUCT NAME: EM-1^® Microbial Inoculant

PRODUCED BY:
EMRO USA, Inc. dba EMRO USA Effective Microorganisms
2440 N. Coyote Drive Suite 126
Tucson, AZ 85745
Phone: (520) 792-3143 Fax: (928) 563-1037>

SECTION I - PRODUCT IDENTIFICATION
GENERAL OR GENERIC NAME: Liquid Microbial Inoculant
HAZARD RATING:
HEALTH - 0 Normal Material
FIRE - 0 Will not burn
REACTIVITY - 0 Stable

SECTION II - HAZARDOUS INGREDIENTS
If present, carcinogens and chemicals subject to reporting are identified in this section:

INGREDIENTS %(By Volume) Note

No hazardous ingredients present; not hazardous to humans, animals or plants.

SECTION III - PHYSICAL DATA
BOILING POINT: >100 °C
SPECIFIC GRAVITY: 1.2 (25°c)
VAPOR PRESSURE: N/D
SOLUBILITY IN WATER: Complete
VAPOR DENSITY: Air = 1
MELTING POINT: N/A
% VOLATILE BY VOLUME: 0
EVAPORATION RATE: Equal to water
APPERANCE AND ODOR: Brown liquid; mild
pH OF SOLUTION: 3.5

SECTION IV - FIRE AND EXPLOSION INFORMATION
FLASH POINT: N/A
EXPLOSION LIMIT: 0
EXTINGUISHING: N/A
FIRE FIGHTING PROCEDURES: N/A
SPECIAL FIRE & EXPLOSION HAZARDS: None
HAZARDOUS DECOMPOSITION BYPRODUCTS: None

SECTION V - HEALTH HAZARD DATA
HEALTH HAZARDS: None
CARCINOGENICITY: Non-carcinogenic
EFFECTS OF CHRONIC OVEREXPOSURE: None
PERMISSIBLE EXPOSURE LEVEL: None; see Section II
PRIMARY ROUTES OF ENTRY: Skin contact, Eye contact, Ingestion, Inhalation
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF EXPOSURE:
SKIN - None
EYES - May cause eye irritation
INHALATION - None
INGESTION - May cause gas

FIRST AID:
IF ON SKIN - None
IF ON EYES - Flush with fresh water
IF INHALED - None
IF INGESTED - Drink fresh water

SECTION VI - REACTIVITY DATA
INCOMPATIBILITY: None
HAZARDOUS POLYMERIZATION: Will not occur
HAZARDOUS DECOMPOSITION OR BYPRODUCTS: None; biodegradable
STABILITY: Stable, not effected by freezing. No toxic fumes.

SECTION VII - SPILL OR LEAK PROCEDURES
IN CASE OF LEAK OR SPILL: Mop up with fresh water, sewer disposal
WASTE DISPOSAL METHOD: Sewer disposal
HANDLING AND STORING PRECAUTIONS: Store at room temperature
OTHER PRECAUTIONS: Not recommended for human consumption

SECTION VIII - PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT TO BE USED
RESPIRATORY PROTECTION: None
VENTILATION: None
PROTECTIVE GLOVES: Optional
EYE PROTECTION: Safety glasses recommended
PROTECTIVE CLOTHING: None
WORK PRACTICES: Clean up spills immediately; floor will be slick