Korean Natural Farming Made Simple: How to Make Ferments for Healthier Plants

Korean Natural Farming Made Simple: How to Make Ferments for Healthier Plants

🌿 Korean Natural Farming: Nature’s Way to Supercharge Your Garden.

Korean Natural Farming (KNF) is an eco-friendly cultivation philosophy that harnesses indigenous microorganisms and fermented plant inputs to create a closed-loop, self-sustaining ecosystem. KNF has deep roots in Korean agriculture and is rapidly gaining traction with organic cannabis growers due to its effectiveness and cost-efficiency.

🧬 What Is KNF and Where Did It Come From?

KNF was pioneered by Dr. Cho Han Kyu in South Korea in the 1960s. He developed the system to help small farmers become independent from costly chemical inputs. By observing nature and replicating its processes, KNF encourages cultivators to “farm with what nature gives you.”

KNF is built around homemade, biologically active solutions such as FPJ, FFJ, IMO, and LAB. These inputs are mixed with natural carriers like brown rice vinegar, sugar, and OHN (oriental herbal nutrients) to feed both the plant and soil life.

🌱 How KNF Helps Cannabis Growers and Vegetable Cultivators Alike

KNF inputs are tailor-made for each phase of growth:

  • Veg Stage: Focuses on green, leafy growth. Use FPJ and LAB to stimulate strong cell division and root expansion.

  • Bloom Stage: Emphasizes flower development and flavor expression. Use FFJ and WCA to boost energy, fruiting hormones, and calcium uptake.

KNF encourages a living soil system, increased terpene content, and high microbial diversity—all while reducing costs.

🧪 KNF Inputs & How to Make Them

Let’s break down the core natural inputs and how to make each one. All recipes are scaled for small-batch cannabis use.

1. 🍃 Fermented Plant Juice (FPJ)

Purpose: Veg growth hormone boost, cellular expansion

Ingredients:

  • 1 part vigorously growing plant tips (comfrey, horsetail, mugwort, or cannabis leaves)

  • 1 part brown sugar

Instructions:

  1. Chop plant material into small pieces.

  2. Mix evenly with brown sugar.

  3. Place into a breathable container (like a mason jar with a paper towel lid).

  4. Store in a dark, cool place for 5–7 days.

  5. Strain the liquid and store in an airtight bottle.

🧪 Use Rate: 1:500 dilution with water during the veg stage.

2. 🍓 Fermented Fruit Juice (FFJ)

Purpose: Encourages flower/bud production

Ingredients:

  • 1 part ripe, sweet fruits (banana, papaya, apple, melon)

  • 1 part brown sugar

Instructions: Same as FPJ—chop, mix, ferment for 5–7 days, strain and store.

🧪 Use Rate: 1:500 dilution with water during bloom.

3. 🧄 Oriental Herbal Nutrient (OHN)

Purpose: Immune booster, pest resistance

Ingredients:

  • Angelica root, ginger, garlic, cinnamon bark, licorice root (like mugwort, wormwood, or other medicinal herbs).

  • Brown rice vinegar

  • Soju or vodka (alcohol for extraction)

Instructions:

Ferment herbs in vinegar, then transfer to alcohol.

Chop fresh herbs finely (like mugwort, wormwood, or other medicinal herbs).

  1. Place herbs in a clean glass jar, filling about ⅓ to ½ full.

  2. Pour unfiltered rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar over the herbs until completely submerged.

  3. Seal the jar with an airlock or loosely with a lid to allow gases to escape.

  4. Let it ferment in a cool, dark place for about 3–4 weeks. Shake the jar every few days to mix and check for mold (discard if moldy).

  5. Strain out the herbs, keeping the vinegar infusion—this is your OHN vinegar ferment.

How to Transfer OHN Vinegar to Alcohol:

  1. Take the strained vinegar infusion and place it in a clean jar.

  2. Add an equal amount of distilled spirits or high-proof alcohol (like vodka or rice wine) to the vinegar.

  3. Seal and let it age for another 1–2 weeks, shaking gently every few days.

  4. This alcohol-based extract increases shelf life and potency for use as a foliar spray or soil drench.

 

🧪 Use Rate: 1–2 mL per gallon for general health support.

4. 🧫 Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB)

Purpose: Enhances soil health, root function, and disease resistance

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup rice wash water

  • 10 parts milk

Instructions:

  1. Let rice water sit for 1–2 days to catch wild microbes.

  2. Add milk and ferment for 5–7 days until separation occurs.

  3. Strain off the liquid whey and store.

🧪 Use Rate: 1:1000 dilution for root drenches or foliar spray.

5. 🥚 Water-Soluble Calcium (WCA)

Purpose: Boosts cell wall strength and nutrient transport during bloom

Ingredients:

  • Clean, roasted eggshells (1cup)

  • Brown rice vinegar(4cups)

Instructions:

  1. Roast eggshells until lightly brown.

  2. Add to a jar with enough vinegar to submerge.

  3. Allow to bubble for 10 days.

  4. Strain and store.

🧪 Use Rate: 1:1000 dilution during mid to late bloom.

6. 🌽 Water-Soluble Calcium Phosphate (WCP)

Purpose: Encourages flower set and fruit development

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup Burned bone (or fish bone meal) 

  • 4 cups Vinegar

Instructions:

  1. Burn bones until white ash.

  2. Add vinegar and let react for 7–10 days.

  3. Strain and store.

🧪 Use Rate: Use sparingly during early bloom, 1:1000 dilution.

7. 🍄 Indigenous Microorganisms (IMO)

Purpose: Seed your soil with beneficial native microbes

Steps to Collect IMO:

  1. Place cooked rice in a wooden or breathable box in a forested area.

  2. Leave for 3–5 days until white fuzz (mycelium) forms.

  3. Mix with equal parts brown sugar to stabilize.

  4. Store as IMO-1. Expand to IMO-2/3/4 by mixing with local soil, rice bran, and leaf mold for field application.

🧪 Use Rate: Broadcast lightly into soil mixes or topdress with compost.

🌼 When to Use Which Inputs

Growth Stage Recommended KNF Inputs
Veg Stage FPJ, LAB, OHN, IMO
Bloom Stage FFJ, WCA, WCP, OHN

⚠️ KNF Tips for Cannabis Growers

✅ Always dilute your KNF inputs appropriately to avoid overfeeding.

✅ Use non-chlorinated water for mixing (rainwater or dechlorinated tap).

✅ Label and date every ferment—KNF inputs can last months to years if stored well.

✅ KNF works best in organic/living soil environments and may not synergize with salt-based systems (Hydro,DWC).

🏁 Final Thoughts: Farming in Harmony

Korean Natural Farming empowers cultivators to grow high-quality cannabis using ingredients from their environment. It’s affordable, sustainable, and incredibly rewarding.

Whether you’re growing boutique flower or personal headstash, KNF gives you the tools to farm in true partnership with nature.

🌿 Kolas Organics carries many of the supplies needed to start your KNF journey—

📲 Follow us @kolasorganics on Instagram and subscribe to the newsletter for more guides, product drops, and grower tips.

🧠 Stay tuned for the next blog: Bokashi & EM-1 for Soil Regeneration

 

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