Re: [compost_tea] Re: Making compost tea extract

From: Tad Hussey <tadhussey_at_yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 17 Mar 2011 14:20:16 -0700 (PDT)

Keep in mind as well though, that you won't have the same microbial activit=
y or
concentrations of microbes that you get from an aerated compost tea, becaus=
e
you're not adding a food source to the brewer at the beginning of the cycle=
.





________________________________
From: mikethewormguy <mikethewormguy_at_aol.com>
To: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thu, March 17, 2011 1:59:06 PM
Subject: [compost_tea] Re: Making compost tea extract

  


if you have a choice than always make the liquid extract fresh.

Here is a simple&affordable DIY LCE approach I have used for my home lawn:

1. Extract 1 gallon of high quality vermicompost in 5 gallons of water for =
a 24
hour period. I stir, using a long handled spoon, vigorously each hour for =
the
first 4 hours and again each hour 4 hours prior to harvesting the liquid.
2. Filter out the solids using a 5 gallon paint strainer bag.
3. Dilute the extract liquid concentrate to 100 gallons with water using 2-=
55
gallon rain barrels with spigots.
4. Add 1 quart of 12% Humic Acid to each rain barrel. Mix well.
5. Apply the diluted liquid to 1 acre of turf using a hose and a Honda 1hp =
pump.
6. Repeat monthly during growing season.

So with this procedure I use around 1 cubic foot of vermicompost and 4 gall=
ons
of 12% humic acid per season.

Keep in mind that the LCE is a soil microbial inoculant where less used mor=
e
often is better than alot used less often.


So use less compost, apply liquid monthly, and watch your soil improve.

my 2 cents.....

Mike Flynn
Green Quest LLC
BioSpecific LLC

--- In compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com, phishphan12_at_... wrote:
>
> Extraction is basically taking the microbes off of the compost without ad=
ding
>any additional foods to the brew. This is what gives LCE its shelf life. Y=
ou do
>use roughly 10x the amount of compost used in tea brewing, so it does have=
 its
>disadvantages too. Buying an extractors isn't cheap either, but I think in=
 the
>archives someone uses an old washing machine.
>
>
> Also, a lot of the bottled "teas" on the market are dormant spores or som=
e
>other brew and other not really "teas". Do some homework.
>
>
> Matt
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "waynerz123" <wayner123_at_...>
> To: "compost tea" <compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Thursday, March 17, 2011 2:59:26 PM
> Subject: [compost_tea] Making compost tea extract
>
>
>
>
>
>
> If I understand it correctly, and I am probably way off, the good microbe=
s in
>compost tea lessen the longer it sits. But there are a number of companies=
 that
>sell compost tea extracts. So how does one take homemade compost tea and m=
ake it
>dormant or give it a shelf life?
>
>
> The benefit of this would be to make one large batch and then aerate it w=
hen
>needed/wanted.
>


 


      

Received on Thu Mar 17 2011 - 17:20:41 EDT

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