In professional horticulture, maintaining plant health while reducing chemical inputs is both a challenge and a priority. As growers transition towards more sustainable systems, biological tools such as Actiferm—Agriton’s activated form of Effective Microorganisms (EM)—offer practical, science-backed solutions. Actiferm delivers a robust community of living microbes that enhance root development, build soil fertility, and naturally suppress disease.

At the heart of Actiferm’s effectiveness is its microbial diversity, especially its inclusion of endophytic and beneficial soil microbes. These microorganisms support plant health not only at the soil level but from within the plant itself.

🌱 What is Actiferm?

Actiferm is the activated version of EM-1. It is made by fermenting EM-1 with organic molasses and non-chlorinated water under anaerobic conditions. This process wakes the microbes from dormancy, allowing them to multiply and form a living, ready-to-use solution.

Actiferm contains the same beneficial groups found in EM-1, including:

Lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus spp.)
Photosynthetic bacteria (Rhodopseudomonas palustris)
Yeasts (Saccharomyces cerevisiae)
Actinomycetes and Bacillus species

These microbes work together to boost soil biology, suppress pathogens, and support the plant through all growth stages. As many of these organisms are also endophytes, they can colonise the internal tissues of plants and assist from the inside.

🌿 Benefits of Actiferm in Horticulture

Actiferm offers multiple advantages across a wide range of horticultural applications—from propagation and greenhouse production to field crops and landscaping:

✅ Enhanced Soil and Growing Media

Actiferm inoculates soil and substrates with a living community of microbes that:

Break down organic material quickly
Release locked-up nutrients (especially nitrogen and phosphorus)
Improve root-soil interaction
Build better structure and water-holding capacity

✅ Plant Health and Resilience

By supporting the plant microbiome—particularly root-associated and internal (endophytic) microbes—Actiferm helps:

Stimulate root development and early growth
Increase resistance to fungal and bacterial pathogens
Improve tolerance to environmental stresses such as drought or poor soils

✅ Cleaner, More Efficient Composting

When used in compost or bokashi fermentation, Actiferm:

Accelerates organic matter breakdown
Minimises odour
Preserves nutrients
Produces a humus-rich product ideal for horticultural use

🛠️ How to Use Actiferm in Horticulture

Actiferm is easy to integrate into existing horticultural routines. It is applied as a liquid and can be used across all stages of crop production.

Recommended Applications:

Propagation and potting on: Apply a 1:100 dilution in water as a drench to propagation trays or pots to support root establishment.
Transplanting: Use as a root dip or soil drench at planting to reduce shock and improve survival rates.
Growing media treatment: Mix into peat-free or coir-based media to activate microbial life before planting.
Foliar sprays: Spray diluted Actiferm onto leaves to help maintain a balanced phyllosphere and deter foliar pathogens.
Composting and bokashi: Use to inoculate compost piles or bokashi bins to accelerate decomposition and improve end-product quality.

💡 Tip: Always use non-chlorinated water and apply Actiferm within 4–6 weeks of opening. Store in a cool, dark place to preserve microbial activity.

🌾 Endophytes: The Internal Advantage

What sets Actiferm apart is its ability to support not just the soil microbiome, but the internal microbial network of the plant itself. The endophytic species in Actiferm colonise internal tissues, providing long-lasting benefits that enhance nutrient use efficiency, disease resistance, and plant performance—from the inside out.

These internal microbial partnerships are especially valuable in horticultural crops where plant uniformity, visual quality, and shelf life are key.

🌍 A Natural Fit for Sustainable Growing Systems

As the horticulture sector adapts to reduced chemical inputs, peat-free production, and climate variability, Actiferm offers a simple yet powerful tool for regenerative practices. It promotes:

Soil health and biodiversity
Reduced fertiliser and pesticide dependency
Greater plant resilience and quality

Whether in container production, protected cropping, market gardening, or landscape establishment, Actiferm helps restore balance between plants, soil, and microbes.

👨‍🌾 Agriton UK: Supporting Regenerative Horticulture

At Agriton UK, we are proud to support growers, landscapers, and nurseries with effective microbial tools like Actiferm. Rooted in research and proven through practice, Actiferm is part of a systems-based approach to horticulture that respects natural processes and delivers real-world results.

Grow strong, grow naturally—with Actiferm. 🌱

Actiferm for Growers: Biological Plant Support and Soil Enrichment in One