my all purpose compost tea
Glenn Jones(9b)
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
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Glenn Jones(9b)
4 years agoRelated Discussions
Re-use compost in compost tea maker?
Comments (1)Don't reuse the compost in the brewer. Just toss it back in the pile or around some plants. The leftover is just not going to be of the same quality as fresh. Also, be sure to clean out all your components between brews. You are purposely making an ideal place for bacteria and fungi to grow. Because of that, you want to have everything nice and clean to start and then add only the "good" bacteria and fungi from the compost....See MoreMy first stinkin' experience with alfalfa/compost tea
Comments (22)I decided to have a look at this forum because I have one little rose I haven't been able to help. Name is Gismo. It leafed out white this spring, I have tried several things, including the tea. Got BS and lost all white leaves, now is leafed out again and blooming with more white leaves. Anyway, here is my alfalfa tea story.I mixed up 4 cups of pellets and some epsom salts in a 5 gal container. Unknown to me the container had a small slit in it. All 5 gal of it leaked out onto 2 daylilies. They grew like mad, and are blooming for the 3rd time. Poor Gismo is still white, yes I made more of the magic brew and Gismo got some. I love that little rose, but hate white leaves. He has always had green ones before....See MoreMy Home Made Compost Tea Brewer....
Comments (20)happycthulhu, I gotta tell you that you are pumping too much power through your water. Too much force destroys the fungi. The fungi body is much bigger and longer than bacteria. Bacteria are way way way smaller than fungi. If you push too much force through the water you break up (kill) the fungi. Fungi just cannot take the force. So while it might seem like a good idea to really get the water rolling hard this is not, I repeat NOT a good thing. Most of us who make aerated tea want fungi as well as bacteria. Also, becuse fungi are so much larger do not use pantyhose as a holder of the compost. The openings are just too small for the funji to pass well into the water. The same holds true for pillow cases. The thread count is so tight that only bacteria can go through. If you combine the extremely small holes of some materials along with even a moderate amount of sediment inside the poors of the bag and you might not even get bacteria passing through to the water. This is why a paint filter is such a good idea. The openings are plenty big while still holding the compost inside. I have found the paint filters from Doit Center are better than the ones from OSH. I have so much less sediment in my bucket when I use the bags from Doit Center. Remember, people like Deuley have taken the time to actually look at the level of microbial life in their tea's and have provided us with some very solid data. I gotta believe that when they say not to do something, then don't do it. Not only am I not smarter than some of these people but they have the equipment to actually test their product and determine the method that provides the best result for such a little cost. My setup cost around $30. Only time will tell if aerated tea will be helpful to my garden, but somehow it seems to me that this is a pretty good idea. Even leeche (I don't know if I am spelling that one right) is a good idea. That has been used by farmers for thousands of years. I gotta believe if people had the ability to make aerated compost tea back then they would have been doing it too. When Deuley says he gets better results using pond water, then it is better to use pond water. I just don't have access to pond water. When Deuley says to beware of chlorine or Chloramine, you better beware of them. You can aerate chlorine out of the water but not chloramine. Chloramine can only be taken out of the water by special drops you can buy at pet stores. You should call your local water district to make sure which kind of chemical they use to treat your water. People like Deuley have provided us with some very good information free of charge. There is no way I could ever come up with such a simple, and low cost way, of making this stuff - let alone thinking of it in the first place. Let's be wise and follow what they say. happycthulhu, you gotta put a restrictor of some kind on the air you are pushing through the water. You are literally pulverizing the fungi. At least it looks like it to me from the pic. A video would give us a better idea of just how hard the water is moving in your tub. The microbes need oxygen for sure but it appears to me that you have gone to the extreme and are doing more damage than good. In this situation you have gone way past "if a little is good then more is better" and gone to the other extreme, to the point of too much is not good. If people us a pump sprayer to put their tea on the plants, be sure to use the opening that gives you the largest water dropletts. This s important for two reasons: Creating larger water dropplets means that the tea is not evaporating as fast. This means that the plant has a chance to absorbe more of the tea. And this is one of the reasons why I make tea in the first place (along with the pest control properties). Second, because fungi are so big if you use an opening that is too small you will break them up into little pieces by using an opening that creates too fine a mist. You want the tea on the plant as long as possible, which means big dropletts. Pump sprayers are a good idea because they let you get both the top of the leaves and under the leaves. I just use the drench method using a watering can because it is easier for me. The idea is to "steep" your tea, not create an avalance of air. Just because they are small does not mean they are indestructible. Tom...See MoreCompost tea or pseudo tea?
Comments (11)Bpgreen said: "You got the correct answer the first time. My friend is correct; you did get the correct answer the first time. However, another of the reasons one doesnÂt want to use leachate is due to the fact that during the beginning of the composting process many toxic chemicals are generated. Only after an extended period of time (depending on what is being composted, size of materials, etc.) do the beneficial microbes digest these toxins. Having too much liquid in a compost pile/tumbler is avoided for this reason (among others). Speed of decomposition, lessening of harmful toxins, and odor control all play a part in the reasons why suggestions are given to avoid too much moisture. And too, having a optimal C:N ratio (or close to it) and large enough of an organic pile can play their part as well. If one feels these are not good enough reasons to avoid using leachate on plants, one can still use the liquid on their plants. However, IMO waiting until the compost is at least "finished" has/will given the best and safest results when using/making compost tea (not leachate)Â Blutranes...See MoreGlenn Jones(9b)
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4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoGlenn Jones(9b) thanked sultry_jasmine_nights (Florida-9a-ish)Glenn Jones(9b)
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