The Benefits of Probiotic Gardening

5 WAYS PROBIOTIC GARDENING IMPROVES YOUR PRODUCE!

In addition to soil and plant health, EM® probiotics provides additional garden benefits during the growing season and after harvest.

EM-1 nutritious vegetables increased yields increased brix
The summer solstice has officially started and our gardens are now starting to produce a healthy harvest of strawberries, cucumbers, tomatoes and more. With the help of EM-1® and EM® Bokashi the plants are flourishing and the soil is teeming with beneficial microorganisms and our compost is quickly decomposing into nutrient rich organic matter for future planting. Even with plants in full bloom or even reaching harvest, Effective Microorganisms® can bring more benefits through the growing season!

1. Improve the taste and sweetness of your produce.
The taste and sweetness of your produce is directly related to the health of your soil and population of beneficial microorganism. Not many realize that in order to have flavorful produce, the soil needs to be nutrient-rich and living.

Studies have shown, that Brix is significantly increased when soil health and microbial populations are high. This is because Brix refers to the total amount of soluble solids within plant material, these solids are made up of sugar, proteins, vitamins and minerals.

2. Increases the nutritional value.

Fruits and vegetables provide us with a great deal of health benefits, but all produce is not created equally when it comes to nutritional content. With the decline of soil health over time, especially in agriculture, research shows the nutritional content of produce as a whole has decreased as well.

Soil is the key element in almost every aspect of our food system and when the soil is depleted of nutrients and the microorganisms required for cycling, you can't expect the produce to be nutrient dense. Microorganisms and organic matter provide fruits and vegetables the nutrients, vitamins and minerals needed for a healthy diet.

Continue the use of EM-1® for microbe populations and EM Bokashi for all-natural fertilizer and organic matter all the way through harvest.

3. Using EM-1® as a foliar spray can improve your plants natural resistance to disease and pests.
Studies have shown that the leaf surface and its microflora play a significant roll in pathogen and pest resistance. Foliar treatments can be highly effective because compounds such as enzymes, proteins and hormones produced by microorganisms are delivered without the stress factors in the soil.

In addition, Lactobacillus on the leaf surface has been shown to provide protection abilities against some pathogenic bacteria.

Be sure to apply EM-1® in the morning or evening as the intense summer sun can kill exposed microorganisms as well as cause liquid droplets to burn the leaf surface.

Simply add EM-1® to a spray bottle, backpack sprayer or hose-end garden sprayer at a rate of 1oz/gallon and spray the entire plant. You can also use Activate EM-1® to cut costs significantly.

4. Decrease your water bill.
Microorganisms are living organisms that mine the soil searching for organic materials to break down and consume. Earth worms and other larger organisms aid in this mining and create pores or holes throughout the soil in the process. Pores aid in the permeability of the soil, allowing more water to infiltrate.

Good soil structure and organic matter (i.e. compost) keep the moisture within the plant root zone and prevent leaching. The increase in moisture control prevents the soil from drying out fast and can reduce your irrigation needs.

For increased moisture control and protection from the sun, mulch can be added. Be sure to use an all-natural mulch such as wood chips or straw as it will eventually breakdown into added organic matter for the soil.

5. EM-1® is a great after harvest wash.
Even if your garden is free of chemical inputs such as herbicides, pesticides or fertilizers it is still wise to wash your produce before you consume it. Birds, pets, or pest can easily come in contact with outdoor plants and can carry unknown diseases, some possibly food-borne such as Salmonella or E.Coli.

A solution of EM-1® and water makes for a great all-natural cleaner and has even been shown in lab studies to significantly decrease and even eliminate food-borne pathogens. Simply dilute EM-1® or Activated EM-1® in water at a rate of 1oz/gallon. This can either be done in a container or sink or put into a spray bottle. Then wash or soak produce as you normally would.