You lose diversity because you are feeding only some of the organisms. Thei=
r numbers will then rise, so they will form a larger % of the microbial com=
munity. Are these microbes better suited to the job at hand when applied to=
the soil or plant? I’m not saying don’t add foods, Iâ=
€™m just saying do it in moderation, apply a range of foods in small me=
asure, and most important of all have a large and diverse range of feedstoc=
k when making your compost. Compost is the driver of the whole process. Be =
sure to keep the temperature in range, be sure the moisture is in range, be=
sure the C:N ratio is in range. Use herbs and foods with low N as well as =
other foods with higher N. Woody plants tend to help control temperature an=
d favour fungi. Fungi are not well multiplied in a brewer. Compost should b=
e allowed to mature. Simple rules, judgement required.
LCE is no different from ACT. A jet of water is better at removing microbes=
from compost than placing compost in a bag and not even having a bubbler i=
n the bag.
With regard to humic acid. Humic acid is a poor chelator. Its molecule size=
is much too large to gain ready access to plants through their leaves (sto=
mata). Fulvic is the chelator for leaf application. Humic is a fungal food.=
It has a high CEC. Its right place is in the soil.
SS
(disclaimer: Well, that’s what I think anyway)
From: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com [mailto:compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com] On B=
ehalf Of Tad Hussey
Sent: 18 March 2011 21:37
To: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [compost_tea] Re: Making compost tea extract
Mike,
Do you have any data to support this methodology? I'm not sure I see an ad=
vantage to this method. Based on SS's comment, then wouldn't those LCE org=
anisms just get eaten by the active ACT organisms. As far as SS's post, I =
do agree that you will lose diversity over time (I've seen it many time whe=
n I brew too long), however, I haven't seen any data to suggest that you're=
losing a large amount of your starting diversity in your compost by makin=
g an aerated compost tea.
I'm not saying that what either of you stated is wrong, just that I haven't=
seen any evidence to support it, but do find it to be curious. I think th=
ere's a lot we still need to find out, and wish there were more people out =
there doing research.
I have to concur with Tim that I've found humic acid to be ineffective or e=
ven detrimental in large concentrations when used to make ACT. That being =
said, I think it has a bunch of other plant and soil benefits (primarily ch=
elation), but that it's properties as a microbial food source may be overst=
ated.
~Tad
_____
From: mikethewormguy <mikethewormguy_at_aol.com>
To: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com
Sent: Fri, March 18, 2011 4:13:29 AM
Subject: [compost_tea] Re: Making compost tea extract
a possible option to consider is to take the liquid compost extract LCE), s=
ubtract a portion volume out and make that volume into ACT. Then at the tim=
e of application, you combine the LCE and ACT portions together to get both=
diversity and activity.
I have used this 'combo' approach more for foliar applications.
--- In compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com <mailto:compost_tea%40yahoogroups.com> ,=
"Stephen Steyn" <ssteyn_at_...> wrote:
>
> But you would have more diversity, because foods you add tend to favour c=
ertain microbes over others â€" and over time the microbial ba=
lance shifts due to depredation of some species and explosive growth of oth=
ers given the nutrient rich environment.
>
> SS
>
>
>
> From: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com <mailto:compost_tea%40yahoogroups.com> =
[mailto:compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com <mailto:compost_tea%40yahoogroups.com>=
] On Behalf Of Tad Hussey
> Sent: 17 March 2011 23:20
> To: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com <mailto:compost_tea%40yahoogroups.com>
> Subject: Re: [compost_tea] Re: Making compost tea extract
>
>
>
>
>
> Keep in mind as well though, that you won't have the same microbial activ=
ity or concentrations of microbes that you get from an aerated compost tea,=
because you're not adding a food source to the brewer at the beginning of =
the cycle.
>
>
>
>
>
> _____
>
> From: mikethewormguy <mikethewormguy_at_...>
> To: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com <mailto:compost_tea%40yahoogroups.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 fo=
r a 24 hour period. I stir, using a long handled spoon, vigorously each hou=
r 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 1h=
p pump.
> 6. Repeat monthly during growing season.
>
> So with this procedure I use around 1 cubic foot of vermicompost and 4 ga=
llons of 12% humic acid per season.
>
> Keep in mind that the LCE is a soil microbial inoculant where less used m=
ore 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 <mailto:compost_tea%40yahoogroups.com>=
<mailto:compost_tea%40yahoogroups.com> , phishphan12_at_ wrote:
> >
> > Extraction is basically taking the microbes off of the compost without =
adding any additional foods to the brew. This is what gives LCE its shelf l=
ife. You do use roughly 10x the amount of compost used in tea brewing, so i=
t 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 s=
ome 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 <mailto:compost_tea%40ya=
hoogroups.com> <mailto:compost_tea%40yahoogroups.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 micro=
bes in compost tea lessen the longer it sits. But there are a number of com=
panies that sell compost tea extracts. So how does one take homemade compos=
t tea and make it dormant or give it a shelf life?
> >
> > The benefit of this would be to make one large batch and then aerate it=
when needed/wanted.
> >
>
Received on Sat Mar 19 2011 - 03:43:51 EDT