What Is FPJ?
Fermented plant juice is a powerful probiotic and fertilizer for your plants.
Derived from the Korean Natural Farming (KNF) method developed by Master Han Kyu Cho, plants are fermented to create a nutrient-rich probiotic "juice".
This ferment can then be diluted and applied to soils (as a soil drench), and plants (as a foliar spray).
The essential concept here is that FPJ allows the nutrients of plants to be re-utilized to feed other plants.
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History of Fermented Plant Juice
Master Han Kyu Cho lived and worked on his family farm in South Korea.
In 1965, he went to Japan as a student of agricultural research where he studied Japanese natural farming methods.
Upon returning to South Korea, Master Cho incorporated what he'd learned of Japanese natural farming with his local knowledge of Korean natural farming methods.
Cho also blended in fermentation techniques found in Korean cuisine in order to increase microbial activity and to make nutrients more bioavailable to plants.
These 3 pillars would blossom into what he would eventually call Korean Natural Farming (KNF).
Spread and Adoption of FPJ in Other Agricultural Paradigms
Fermented Plant Juice on Demonstration Farms
There's an absolute wealth of info about gardening practices online, but there's something totally different about seeing them in person.
To be able to see, touch, taste, smell, to ask questions.
A number of demonstration farms have showcased the efficacy of FPJ in real-world agricultural settings.
This in-person demonstration has a higher likelihood to get people excited about and using fermented plant extracts for their own agriculture than simply reading about it here online.
FPJ in the Regenerative Agriculture Movement
-The principles of regenerative agriculture align with many in Korean Natural Farming and fermented plant juice has a role to play within the regenerative paradigm.
-The global shift towards regenerative practices can act as a gateway through which techniques such as FPJ can flow into wider adoption.
Why Would You Ferment Plant Juice?
-Powerful natural fertilizer
-Increased bioavailabiltiy of nutrients
-Increased microbial activity
-Cultivation of indigenous microorganisms (IMO)
How to Make Fermented Plant Juice (FPJ)
-Water should either be filtered to remove chlorine / chloramine, or at least allowed to stand in an open container for several days to off-gas chlorine. Chloramines may not readily off-gas, however, so consider filtering.
Remember that while chlorine and chloramine are used to kill microbial activity in municipal holding tanks and maintain enough sterility to pipe it into the houses of the citizenry, their presence is no longer beneficial for fermentation.
As we seek to ferment a concoction of maximum indigenous beneficial microbe activity, their presence will not help us.
-FPJ utilizes organic brown sugar or organic jaggery, rather than molasses like some ferments and 'teas'
-Fermentation should last roughly 7-10 days
-Ferments are produced in glass or ceramic containers, rather than metal or plastic
-Ferment containers are only filled to 75% capacity
-Ferment is covered with cloth or other porous material to allow it to breathe (aerobic)
-Fermentation should happen in a dark place (ideally 73-77F)
-Resulting ferment must then be refrigerated or kept in a cooler environment for storage until use
Utilizing FPJ for Sustainable Agriculture
-Be sure to dilute it before use
Dilution ratios (FPJ:water) cited online range from 1:100 to 1:1000.
When in doubt, start with more dilution and slowly up the strength over time if you find your plants are able to handle it and thrive.
-Can be used as a soil dredge
-Can be used as a foliar spray when combined with a wetting agent
FPJ Challenges and Considerations
Additional Resources
If you're interested in learning more about FPJ and about Korean Natural Farming in general, check out the Orange Book. Written by Master Cho's son Youngsang Cho, it delves deep into natural plant ferments, microbial inputs, fertilizers, and natural pesticides.
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